Summer Volunteering - Connecting with Community

Youth and Teens:

The summer is here and so are many volunteering opportunities for youth and teenagers out of school. Through volunteerism, teens have the power to positively impact their community! Youth may want to consider volunteering their time to a community organization. There are many different reasons for you to start volunteering:

• Volunteering provides professional experience for teenagers. It can provide an opportunity to see potential career paths and options.
• Summer volunteering looks good on resumes for future jobs. Employers like to see what you've done between jobs, after graduation and during your free time.
• Teenagers who volunteer in the summer can use this valuable experience and include it in their applications for college.
• Volunteering also promotes personal growth. It can help youth and teens grow as individuals. They can discover hidden talents they might not know they had.
• Summer volunteering provides a learning experience. Youth can learn more about community needs. It can help you learn about different organizations and different parts of our government.
• When people volunteer it can gets them out of their comfort zone. It brings people together from diverse backgrounds. Everyone builds fellowship and team working skills.
  
  

Families:

During the summer season families move away from the hectic pace of their everyday lives. Any vacation is a chance for families to reconnect. There are no soccer games, no piano recitals, and no working late, so families finally have precious time together.

Families can volunteer in their community. The Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley represents 159 nonprofits with over 170 active volunteer opportunities. Families can benefit significantly by sharing their time and compassion with a group in need. 

If families really want a meaningful break from their usual schedule, consider an option that might be outside of your comfort level by changing the way your children view the world. Consider a volunteer vacation.

With some planning, families have the potential to get a rare opportunity to be immersed in another culture, help a community build houses, or learn English. If volunteering in Guatemala is too much for your family, consider a learning vacation, where your family is involved in an archaeological dig in Colorado or numerous additional volunteer vacations.

Many organizations feature opportunities for children, but be sure to check minimum age.

Older Adults:

Older Iowans looking for volunteer opportunities have a range to select from. Whatever their interests and abilities, they can put their time, skills and experience to good use.

Volunteering can be a fulfilling and enjoyable activity for people of any age. For older adults in particular, volunteering can help keep their body and mind active after retirement, while providing an opportunity to get out of the house and socialize with others.

Retirement is the time to live out your passion; feed the homeless, get involved in the neighborhood, teach youth about art at a local art museum, or volunteer in other countries. Older adults should do what they’ve always wanted to do and didn’t have time to do before.

Volunteering can increase the quality of life for older adults. 98% of older adults who volunteer stay active and feel better physically and emotionally. Recent research shows that giving back results in increased activity, which often results in improved health. Service also gives volunteers a purpose, which many find to be important.

The Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley works to promote and support effective volunteerism and to serve as the resource and coordination center for volunteers and community partnerships.

To secure volunteer opportunities contact the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley at information@vccv.org or (319) 272-2087. Volunteer opportunities may also be accessed at www.vccv.org.