Sep 22, 2020
Volunteering is often thought of as a selfless act — one where you give up your time for a worthy cause without being paid. While this may be true, what is often less obvious are the many benefits people experience when they volunteer.
For teens especially, volunteer work can help them broaden their horizons, meet new friends, experience different cultures or learn a new language, all while contributing to society’s needs. Here are some of the many ways volunteering can help young people develop into confident, proactive citizens.
1. Build Self-Esteem
Though faced with society’s most challenging problems, many teens ultimately find volunteer work empowering. While working on solutions to these problems, they have the chance to see how their efforts can help improve the lives of others. This can play a significant role in developing their self-esteem throughout their teenage years when many are filled with insecurities and a lack of self-confidence.
In fact, teenagers who volunteer often experience fewer mental health problems than those who don’t. When they see how their actions affect a community for the better, their self-confidence spikes and they feel happier.
2. Widen Their Social Circle
A teenager’s social circle typically consists of family and school friends. Volunteering gives youth the opportunity to meet people outside of their usual circle, some of whom may have a positive impact on their future. Volunteering provides the perfect opportunity to meet like-minded people and form relationships that last a lifetime.
Read more at Volunteer Match.