Identify school-based projects that the students could become involved in. These projects might benefit students, teachers or the entire school. Begin by looking at some of the work adults are doing, and note which of these activities could be assumed in whole or in part by students. Projects that benefit students include lunch buddies, conflict mediation, student-to-student tutoring and reading buddies. The larger school community could benefit from projects that improve school climate like newsletters, welcoming committees and a canned food drive.
Meet with staff of local agencies to identify volunteer opportunities. These could include hosting fund-raisers like a youth talent night, fun run or candlelight ski that support a specific agency project. Identify on-site volunteering activities like assembling newsletters, helping with mail distribution at a senior center or reading to preschoolers. Help with a membership drive, walk dogs from an animal shelter or adopt a zoo animal. Let the needs of the agencies and the interests of the students dictate your choices.
Personal service projects are often the easiest of the youth service activities to pinpoint. Ask parents and neighbors to help you identify needy individuals and families that could use youth help, as well as neighborhood blight spots that youth could work on. Activities might include shoveling sidewalks, helping to deliver meals to the elderly, cleaning up vacant lots, helping seriously ill children and their families, planting and maintaining gardens or simply interviewing elders and compiling their stories in a newsletter.
Each city or town has needs that can be addressed by youth-led projects. Participating youth also develop an awareness of belonging to a larger community. Conduct a book drive and donate the collection to an after-school program, free clinic or local library. Start a mitten and glove tree project that passes on the winter clothing to a community organization for distribution. Provide holiday meals or gifts to needy families. Organize a health fair that addresses community needs like homelessness, medical care or healthy eating.