Volunteer Opportunities for Teens

The word bored does not have to be in your teen's vocabulary. The economy has made the job opportunities for teens scarce but there is no lack of places that a teen can volunteer.
Nursing homes and hospitals often have teen volunteer organizations which train teens in confidentiality and etiquette in dealing with patients. Teens interested in a career in the healthcare arena will benefit from exposure to the endless career possibilities when joining these groups. Teen volunteers can pass mail, deliver flowers, read to patients, run errands for staff, assist families or patients in finding the right department, pass out visitor badges, and any number of activities that make the hospital or nursing home run smoothly.
Teens may not give direct patient care and may not have access to patient charts or information, but often they can read, play a game, or do a craft especially in the long -term residential facilities. Teens volunteering in health care facilities will need to have a prior TB test before beginning their volunteer time but usually no other requirements are necessary except for an interest in helping others.
Teens may also volunteer at a local food pantry, homeless shelter, or church thrift shops. All of these services are run on a volunteer basis and hardworking and enthusiastic teens would be a welcome asset. Teens may offer to babysit or entertain siblings when a parent comes to shop at the food pantry or thrift shop. Teens may pack food, carry it out and load it for patrons as well.
Teens who love the outdoors could volunteer to mow lawns, wash windows, or do other outside chores for elderly neighbors. It is so difficult for elderly adults to find reliable help for small jobs. Trimming bushes, weeding gardens, or taking the dog for a walk might be just what the neighbor needs during a hot humid spell this summer. Any one of these might turn into a profitable business if a teen handles the job in a mature and responsible way.
Another way a teen can get involved and to volunteer is to participate in Relay for Life fundraising for Cancer research or other another fundraising walk or drive for charity. There are fundraising possibilities for muscular dystrophy, diabetes, breast cancer, leukemia, and spinal injury research. Teens interested in starting a charity drive can contact any of the local chapters to find out how to get involved.
Teens interested in ecology, world hunger, saving the animals, or going green can do some research and find places where volunteers are welcome. Imagination, determination, and a desire to help those in need can spark all kinds of ideas for the teen who has a heart for volunteering