Youths can gain by volunteering

Every summer kids celebrate their brief escape from the school campus, but in those months there’s a chance to learn some of their most important lessons in a different kind of classroom.

That’s the world of volunteerism, which can shape their future in a number of ways.

Teens in particular find themselves in limbo when they’ve aged out of summer camp and can’t yet qualify for a paying job behind a counter someplace. And even when they start working, they gain some spending cash but fairly limited experiences.

The recession has dealt a devastating blow to the nation’s workers; not surprisingly, the youngest applicants have found it even harder to find jobs. The most recent figures on teen unemployment in Hawaii show a jobless rate two to three times as high as what adults experience. According to 2011 figures, unemployment for people age 16 to 19 stood at around 19.7 percent, compared to an overall rate that was then 7.3 percent.

Employment opportunities have rebounded considerably for Hawaii in the last year. While presumably chances have improved for teens as well, it’s still likely to be tough. In any case, finding a volunteer spot that will brighten their resume may be a worthwhile investment.

From the perspective of their own self-interest, demonstrating their willingness to pitch in with the work in the volunteer-dependent world will set them apart and impress employers when it’s time to compete for their first job. Parents concerned about their child’s self-sufficiency should encourage that competitive instinct.

Further, if parents believe their children will head to college someday, a community-service record can make their admission application pop, said Merle O’Neill, executive director of Youth Service Hawaii. The online site (youthservicehawaii.ning.com) helps to connect youths with opportunities to serve the community, and was a focus of a feature on volunteerism in the Star-Advertiser, which also listed some opportunities in the Today section on Tuesday.

This is merely one local actor in a national volunteerism initiative targeting the youth of America. Just to cite one example: DoSomething.org is teen-centered network that gives fledgling volunteers ideas about how to make a difference, locally or nationally.

Beyond providing fuel to launch themselves into the career or college world, volunteering also can help kids begin the process of finding where they fit in the world generally, as active citizens. O’Neill suggests that this is the beginning of a community engagement process that ultimately will produce a generation of more engaged adults — a human resource that can benefit everyone.

"Service activities teach them that they are really important in the community," she said. "They should do something that makes their heart sing."

It would make hearts sing across the nonprofit sector, too. Many community organizations, still struggling mightily as the economy slowly recovers, could really use the help and the sheer energy that teens can bring.

And the main takeaway for the volunteers is a sense that they can have a meaningful impact. That’s a powerful message to give any kid.