Youth Service

2009

Youth by their very nature are at a transition point from childhood to adulthood. What constitutes youth and its respective roles and responsibilities are a basis of social order. Most nations, however, are challenged to prepare youth for adulthood. As nations undergo social, economic, and political change, the norms and the institutions that accommodate youth fluctuate as well (Flanagan et al., 1998). The status of the military paired with the status of the labor market exerts particular influence on the institutional opportunities available to youth (Eberly & Gal, 2007). One such institutional opportunity is civic service or long-term, intensive volunteer schemes that engage youth in productive work while potentially increasing their skills and simultaneously impacting the individuals, organizations, and communities with which they work. The theme for this monograph is "Youth Volunteer Service in Comparative Perspective." The publication addresses community, national, and international service as different forms of civic service that engage youth. Over the last few decades, this field has been marked by increasing program and policy development, but research has lagged behind-especially research outside of North America and Western Europe (McBride & Sherraden, 2007). The paper in this monograph address an example of youth service on each continent, providing a snapshot into the global challenge that youth development represents and how service may meet that challenge. All of the papers address issues related to social welfare-be it the self-efficacy, employability, and civic engagement of the youth, the education and health of the beneficiaries, or the improved infrastructure of communities. Some articles also address the potential downsides of service, including how it may inadequately address labor market downturns or contribute to emigration among nationals. The research draws from interdisciplinary scholarship with implications for policy and practice. As a context for this research, the history and function of civic service is relevant. Civic Service as an Institution Civic service can be defined as "an organized period of substantial engagement and contribution to the local, national, or world community, recognized and valued by society, with minimal monetary compensation to the participant" (Sherraden, 2001, p. 2). Service programs may be international, national, or local in scope. Particular groups of volunteers may be targeted based on their age, faith, or skills. The majority of service programs are operated by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and even governments that sponsor national or international service programs routinely partner with NGOs (McBride, Benítez, & Danso, 2004). Service-learning programs, as the name suggests, are typically operated by educational institutions at the post-secondary, secondary, and increasingly even at the primary levels, which then partner with NGOs for implementation (Nieves Tapia, 2007; Pritzker & McBride, 2006). Clearly, the civil society sector leads this field. McBride, Sherraden, Benítez, and Johnson (2004) distinguish service from informal or occasional volunteering. In civic service, volunteers are expected to fill a particular role and service activities are clearly defined. They provide service on an intensive basis and over an extended period, which may

Journal of Youth Development, 2011

As many national youth-serving organizations have either celebrated their 100th anniversaries or are approaching their centennials, we take a step back to celebrate these organizations’ accomplishments, but also to examine how youth organizations have responded positively to the youth development philosophy and approach to programming. The focus of this paper is on those organizations in which participation by youth is voluntary.

2005

Most governments are struggling with how to implement effective policies and interventions to address the myriad challenges facing young people today, particularly the poor and marginalized who are generally out of school and out of work. From high levels of unemployment to increasing rates of crime and violence, from adolescent pregnancy to the highest rates of new HIV/AIDS infections, these challenges represent enormous economic and social costs to society. The values, attitudes and skills acquired by this generation will influence the course of events and shape the future in fundamental ways. Youth service provides an effective means to address these challenges while meeting national objectives such as improving human capital, reducing unemployment, and providing cost-effective human resources to underserved communities. Yet, the benefits extend far beyond the obvious human and physical capital objectives. These range from reducing the economic and social cost of risky behavior t...

2008

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. This article appeared in a journal published by Elsevier. The attached copy is furnished to the author for internal non-commercial research and education use, including for instruction at the authors institution and sharing with colleagues.

IntechOpen eBooks, 2022

Young people engaging in volunteering are encountering some of the greatest, unanticipated challenges facing society in decades including the impact of Covid-19, the rise in extreme poverty and an increase in the number of migrants and displaced persons globally. Youth volunteering is understood as embracing a wide range of civic and societal objectives. It acts to encourage young people to become active citizens and agents of positive change for communities. It has a role in providing developmental opportunities to young people including pathways to education, training and work. While some characterisations of volunteering highlight benefits it accords at the individual level, increasingly, policy responses are focusing on the 'other-oriented' elements that contribute to an inclusive, committed and tolerant society. This paper examines the potential role of volunteering in fostering a culture of citizenship, democracy and social cohesion among youth, in particular, an emerging focus on empathy and global consciousness as key elements of policy and practice.

Children and Youth …, 2008

2004

Day (GYSD), an annual global event, is led by Youth Service America with the Global Youth Action Network, and a consortium of 34 International Organizations and more than 150 National Coordinating Committees to: identify and address the needs of communities through voluntary service; recruit the next generation of volunteers; educate the public about the role of young people as community leaders; and highlight the contributions youth make to their communities year-round (Global Youth Service Day, 2003).

Nation, 1991

2009

Summary and Conclusions of a meeting of international experts hosted by the World Bank and Innovations in Civic Participation to discuss evaluation of the impact of youth civic engagement on development