10 Facts About Youth Service
Source: Youth Service America (ysa.org)
One of the most frequently asked questions we receive at YSA is to share what we know about youth service. We’ve compiled “10 Facts About Youth Service” that highlight the research and studies that we reference most often in our work. These facts cover how many youth serve, why they serve, why we need them to serve, and the many, many benefits and outcomes of youth service.
1. Between 20% and 55% of all young people volunteer (depending on who and how you ask).
2. Young people are more likely to volunteer when engaged through schools, youth organizations, or religious groups.
3. Having family and friends who volunteer makes it much more likely that a young person will volunteer themselves.
4. Young people under age 25 make up 1/3 of the population in the United States and 1/2 of the world’s population.
5. Young people are uniquely suited to solve problems through service.
6. High quality service-learning leads to increased academic engagement & success.
7. Volunteering improves career and workforce readiness.
8. Service is a “gateway asset” that can lead to increased positive youth development outcomes.
9. People who volunteer when they are young donate more to philanthropic causes when they are older. (They are also more likely to volunteer and to vote as adults.)
10. Volunteering can help improve your health.
One of the most frequently asked questions we receive at YSA is to share what we know about youth service. We’ve compiled “10 Facts About Youth Service” that highlight the research and studies that we reference most often in our work. These facts cover how many youth serve, why they serve, why we need them to serve, and the many, many benefits and outcomes of youth service.
1. Between 20% and 55% of all young people volunteer (depending on who and how you ask).
2. Young people are more likely to volunteer when engaged through schools, youth organizations, or religious groups.
3. Having family and friends who volunteer makes it much more likely that a young person will volunteer themselves.
4. Young people under age 25 make up 1/3 of the population in the United States and 1/2 of the world’s population.
5. Young people are uniquely suited to solve problems through service.
6. High quality service-learning leads to increased academic engagement & success.
7. Volunteering improves career and workforce readiness.
8. Service is a “gateway asset” that can lead to increased positive youth development outcomes.
9. People who volunteer when they are young donate more to philanthropic causes when they are older. (They are also more likely to volunteer and to vote as adults.)
10. Volunteering can help improve your health.
