VOLUNTEENNATION.ORG

Got plans this summer? Try to search or Google “teen volunteer
opportunities” on your laptop or phone. Not many opportunities will
appear. Unfortunately, there are very few and limited volunteer positions
for youth promoted on the internet.

Frustrated with our own search, my brother and I took the initiative to
create http://www.volunTEENnation.org. It is a resource designed
exclusively for teens to easily find ways to volunteer in their community.
Many organizations require volunteers to be age 18 or over to volunteer on
site due to safety, security and liability concerns.

The purpose of the website, designed with the help of Binary Lily, is to
encourage youth to find ways to give back to their community during the
school year on weekends, holidays and over the summer. While there are
many opportunities to volunteer at libraries, hospitals and on your
Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council, there also are some incredible
opportunities like being a volunteer junior firefighter or volunteering
with children and horses with equine therapy, or as a base runner for an
organization that promotes baseball for youth with special needs.

We also welcome students to join our growing National Advisory Board to
promote volunteer opportunities, blog and organize events in their
community to engage youth volunteers. Social networking tools like Twitter
and Facebook allow us to promote short-term volunteer opportunities and
fill immediate needs for organizations. We also promote national
opportunities like the generationOn National Youth Advisory Board and Ann
Taylor’s social entrepreneurship for high school females.

As an active volunteer both in my hometown and college community, I
understand and appreciate the value and importance of giving back. Both
the volunteer and the community are rewarded when teens engage in
community service.

During high school, I was an avid volunteer at a local crisis nursery
shelter for young
children. I was invited, along with many of my peers, to join the join
their Junior Board. Teen Advisory Boards give teens a voice and
demonstrate that adults are interested in hearing ideas and suggestions. I
was fortunate to find out about this volunteer and junior board
opportunity from my neighbor. Yet, I was frustrated that it was so
difficult to find volunteer opportunities for high school and middle
school youth.

We knew there were incredible opportunities for youth to volunteer
throughout the United States so my brother and I decided to create a
national website for youth to explore ways for youth to serve and
encourage nonprofit agencies to find ways to include youth and families as
volunteers.

Every library, food bank and shelter can find ways to include youth.
Youth want to get involved. VolunTEENnation.org wants America’s teens to
give back to the community. To do this, Volunteen Nation is challenging
every organization and corporate America to add a volunteer opportunity
for teens to the site within the first 100 days. Follow us on Twitter
@volunTEENnation