Giving back is important, and some schools even require students to volunteer in order to graduate.  But why should teenagers want to volunteer?

Volunteering can be very fulfilling.  If teenagers learn from a young age how important it is to volunteer, they will quickly learn how giving to others brings them joy.

Here are some benefits of volunteering:

1. Research shows that teenage volunteers are more responsible and have a higher self-esteem and resilience. Volunteering helps teens gain skills such as time management, decision making, communications skills and dependability – all skills necessary for jobs in the future. Obviously, volunteering helps build a college resume and scholarship applications, but teens who volunteer actually perform better in school (another bonus for college).
2. They get to give back in an area of life that’s important. When they find something they’re passionate about, giving back is just the obvious answer.
3. Volunteering not only helps boost their mental health but also their physical health. It has been found volunteering makes people happier, boosts confidence and actually lowers their mortality rate.
4. Volunteering can help build a network. People who meet during volunteering can be great contacts for recommendation letters. These volunteer partners will be able to see how they handle certain interactions and how well they interact with others in a social situation.
5. Volunteering opens the world to new experiences which may start a new passion or idea.
6. Listing volunteer work on a resume will set them apart from other applicants for school applications and jobs. It proves that they are ambitious, care about your community, and that they are willing to work to affect change. These are all great qualities colleges look for on student applications and that employers seek in an employee.

The benefits of volunteering are virtually endless. It expands understanding of other’s live, the community as a whole and it give a whole new view of life.