Youth Service Makes a Difference The benefits of youth service extend far beyond the acts themselves. Through service, young people learn important lessons of tolerance, altruism and civic action that shape them into productive adults. Communities unite and grow stronger. And it is through service that the next generation of educators and community leaders are born. What is Youth Service & Service Learning? Youth Service is defined as any program — faith-based, community or private - that engages young people in serving the community. Service Learning combines service and education. Teachers wrap lessons around a service activity, which transforms learning into a more hands-on experience. Service Learning in Action: - A teacher uses a volunteer experience in a Latino community to teach Mexican culture and tradition. - A teacher launches a "Read Aloud" program in which middle school students read to younger children — improving the literacy of both givers and receivers. Results Studies show that there are significant impacts for both the youths providing service and the community overall. Here are just a few of the findings: Positive Impacts on Youth Volunteers: 1. Develops youth's interest in impacting the community Young people who volunteer are more likely to become active citizens, engaged in civic activity as youths and later as adults. 2. Improves academic performance When students take part in service learning programs, studies show they perform better in the classroom. Fact: Youth who volunteer are more likely to do well in school, graduate, vote, and be philanthropic. (UCLA/Higher Education Research Institute, 1991) 3. Increases tolerance Volunteerism helps bridge gaps in understanding among people of different backgrounds. Fact: Almost 78% of people who volunteer report that volunteering is important because it "allows me to gain a new perspective on things." (Report on a Statewide Dialogue on Service and Volunteerism in California," The James Irvine Foundation; 1998.) Positive Impact on the Community: 1. Gets results Youth programs get things done - things that might not normally be addressed by public policy nor the private sector. Fact: The value of service carried out on National Youth Service Day exceeds $171 million. (Youth Service America estimates based on Independent Sector value of service, 1999) 2. Encourages active citizenship Volunteering connects young people to their communities, fosters leadership and develops an interest in making a difference. 3. Unifies people Service brings together young people, their schools and their communities and helps break down barriers of race, gender, and religion. Fact: Teens say the benefits received from volunteering are: Learning to respect others; learning to be helpful and kind; learning to understand people who are different from them; developing leadership skills, becoming more patient, and better understanding of good citizenship. (Independent Sector/Gallup, 1996)
Youth Service California - P.O. Box 70764 Oakland, CA 94612 - phone (510) 302-0550 - fax (510) 302-051 - info@yscal.org