Service Sparks Projects

Service Sparks Youth Action 

Ignite meaningful action that lights up the world through "Service Sparks" youth projects! 

These simple and motivating service project guides provide a starting point for individuals or groups of young people looking to make a difference with their time and talent. Search all projects here.

Environmental Themes

ss.birdfeeder.png

1. Pet Toys from Recycled T-Shirts: Make comfort toys and blankets for the animals who are waiting to be adopted.
2. Grow Something to Give: Grow a plant from seeds and give the plant to cheer someone's day.
3. Earth Day Scavenger Hunt: Look for items in nature from a shared list, then connect with others to compare what you found and share ideas about the joy of nature.
4. Bird Feeder from Recycled Materials: Make and decorate a bird feeder and enjoy the visitors from the window.
5. Bee and Butterfly Garden: Create a welcome environment for bees and beneficial insects by providing water and flowering plants.
6. Reduce Plastic - Drink from Reusable Water Bottles! Conduct research on the quality of water in your community or home. Tell your friends and community members to stop buying bottled water and carry a reusable water bottle. 

Creative Arts Projects

ss.boost happiness with art.png

1. Neighborhood Ladybug Hunt: Make a game of decorating and hiding treasures for younger neighbors to find. 
2. Boost Happiness with Art: Lift others’ spirits with kind messages and art in windows and on sidewalks.
3. Uplifting Art in the Community: Have fun making creative art from natural or recycled items. Give the art to someone to brighten their day. 
4. ABCs of Advocacy:  Share your knowledge and ideas for action about an issue you care about through writing and illustrating an ABC book. 
5. Family Cultural Night: Plan an event that recognizes and celebrates the variety of cultures in your community. 

Civic Action Projects

ss.advocacyposters.png

1. Reduce Food Waste: Examine the habits in the community or in your house and propose ways to reduce food waste.
2. Advocacy Posters: Images and words together can inform and persuade to make change. 
3. Letter to Your Representative:  Use your voice to compose letters to your state representatives advocating change for an issue of your choice.
4. Equity in Your Library: Look for gaps and make a proposal to grow the diversity of the books and challenge yourself and others to learn about people and the world from different perspectives. 
5. Family Cultural Night: Plan an event that recognizes and celebrates the variety of cultures in your community.
6. Family Donation Decision: This family activity brings together passions and heart for doing good.
7. Community Accessibility Audit: Raise awareness of community places that could be more accessible for people with vision, hearing, or mobility issues. 

Communication and Advocacy

SS.beautycampaign.png

1. Shout Out to Teachers: Let your teacher, coach, or group leader know you appreciate them.
2. Listen with Generosity: Practice active listening that values another's experience.
3. Gratitude Pen Pals: Help people look on the bright side by writing letters.
4. Cultural Traditions Calendar: Add a variety of cultural holidays to your annual calendar to raise awareness of the variety of ways people celebrate their cultural traditions. 
5. Joy of Reading: The act of reading to someone is gift enough, and we add to the service when the book encourages us to talk about important ideas that build community.
6. Spark a Giving Conversation: One conversation may spark another and spread generosity like ripples in the larger community. 
7. Beauty Campaign: Encourage people to define beauty as the things that make us unique, resilient, powerful, and thoughtful of others.
8. Photo Stories of Cultural Generosity:  Youth look for and capture the stories of philanthropy that express loving and powerful cultural practices.

Helping Neighbors

ss.neighbors yardwork.png

1. Community Accessibility Audit: As you walk through the community, look at ways we make places more accessible for people with vision, hearing, or mobility issues. 
2. Compassionate Expressions: Respond to a traumatic event or loss by sending words of encouragement and empathy to victims or survivors to let them know you care and they are not alone. 
3. Inequities in Education: Research different ways people have been impacted by the pandemic. Use writing to communicate an idea to make one inequity a little fairer.
4. Gratitude for Community Workers - Say thank you to the people who keep our community safe and running smoothly.
5. Spread Peace - Say Something: Start a movement with your friends to use their voices to spread peace, positive messages, and kindness. The world needs your voice. 
6. Help Neighbors with Yard Work: Volunteer your time and talent to rake, mow, weed, or plant. 

service Sparks header.png