Milton - Why Young People Should Volunteer

by Kacy B., Team Member

September 5, 2019

Youth should volunteer because it gives them the chance to make a real difference in their community. Volunteering provides numerous opportunities to make memories, learn and develop skills, knowledge, and experience that will be useful in the future, as well as give back to the community.

The Ontario Ministry of Education requires that each student must complete 40 hours of volunteer activities in the area so that they can earn their Ontario Secondary School Diploma. Obtaining those 40 hours can seem like a challenging task, but when done correctly, volunteering can be so much larger than that. It presents youth with the opportunity to have a voice in the real world and shows them the endless possibilities of what they can accomplish. They are put in an environment where they are surrounded by peers that share similar interests and passions which can help with networking and developing essential and long-lasting relationships.

Here is an example of a virtual volunteer opportunity Kacy B. completed during a meeting and provided edits from home, this poster is in support of our upcoming Battle of the Bands event at the Milton Fall Fair, September 2019.

Volunteering also means that youth will contribute their time and effort and commit to a task, leaving them feeling accomplished and content when they are finished. It is a feel-good act that benefits everyone. In addition, studies show that volunteering has a positive influence on the students’ self-confidence and self-image.

Volunteering can be done at any time and any age. You can volunteer during lunch breaks, in the afternoons, during the evening, on weekends, during school breaks and summer months, the list goes on. You do not have to limit yourself to just volunteering in high school, or earning a minimum of 40 hours. Start volunteering earlier, continue volunteering after high school, get more than 40 volunteer hours if you would like. There are a plethora of volunteer opportunities just waiting for you. After all, the worst that volunteer work could do is help you earn some volunteer hours.

I choose to volunteer because I believe that volunteering is an act that helps to strengthen and shape the community and because I want to do something good and beneficial with my time. I have a lot of fun volunteering, and I think that you will too!