Volunteering in the Community

Grades: 
11, 12
Subjects: 

To introduce students to volunteering through a local nonprofit or the service program at their school so that they understand the importance of giving their time to make a difference in the greater community.

Duration 
Print1 hour or more
Objectives 

Students will:

  • Understand why a community service program supports a school’s mission
  • Understand that volunteering is one type of philanthropy and part of its definition
  • See the importance of matching their passion to organizations in the community working to solve specific problems
Materials 

Brochures about volunteerism from the school and/or local nonprofits. 

Instructions

Print
  1. Presentation by the school’s Community Service Coordinator or the Director or volunteer of a local community organization, sharing experiences about why and how to volunteer.

  2. Students volunteer in two ways:  1) Students complete a volunteer experience on their own and share their thoughts about the experience with the class; and 2) The entire class participates in two or more volunteer experiences together during the four weeks of the class.

Assessment 

Students have follow up discussions and submit short essays describing their volunteer experiences and what they see as the value of volunteering.