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Integrating Youth into Community Development

The youth can improve the communities they belong. There are many reasons why integrating youth into community development is very advantageous for both.

Teenagers and young adults are full of energy. They are a great source of creativity and goodwill.

And most importantly as we already know they are the key to our future. Being involved in different community activities give them the opportunity to tap into those values and allows them to be more aware about the world around them.

Meanwhile, the question is how do we get them to be more involved with simple activities and eventually in youth leadership programs for community development?

Some of you might underestimate these youth’s potential, because you may think that most of them can’t even tidy up their rooms. How much more getting them to participate in different community projects and programs?

Well believe it or not, they can! Teenagers are in the stage of developing their abilities to see beyond themselves. And the role of every member of the community is to guide them to find their inner desire to make a difference in the world.

One of the effective ways to hone the youth to be great leaders is through community service or volunteer work. Volunteering teaches both understanding and gratitude. Through these programs, teens will start to realize how enriching it is to help others and connect this to their own joy.

But why should we get these youth to be involved in the community

There are several reasons why it will be great to encourage teens to be active in the community and here are some of them:

  • It gives them the opportunity to be a more independent and successful person

  • They will be able to meet friends who can help them know more about themselves and help them make sound decisions

  • The teen is never alone, he will always have a place to go and friends to talk with when they need it

We need to do our part to give all these young individuals the chance to be the best they can be through community service…and here’s how…

Ways to Motivate Teens to Connect With Their Community and Youth Leadership Programs

  • Explain to teens about the purpose behind doing all these things

Talk to your teen and find out what they currently care about the most. Yes, we would like to emphasize the word current and not what they should care about eventually.

Ask them about their passions. Do they love taking care of little kids or animals?

And sometimes it’s not what we say, but how we say it.

If you think that the best way to motivate them is to tell them that doing community service will make their parents proud, or it will be a great way to accumulate points from school – well that is poor motivation.

Instead, do your best to explain to the youth that community service makes a tremendous impact and is making a difference. Make the teen realize how important his/her work is. Tell them what would happen if no one would show up.

Remember that if we encourage the youth to pursue their inner desire to help others, then there is a higher chance that they would have a much stronger sense of purpose.

  • Show empathy

Empathy is more than just being a good listener or putting yourself in another person’s shoes.

Think about this, when an individual doesn’t feel understood, this person will never try to understand. This is the reality in which most teens live.

Empathy involves feeling other people’s pain. For example, if your child’s pet dog died and you empathize, you won’t merely say, you understand. You’ll cry or grieve with him or her.

Empathy also involves decisive action. What can you do to make things better?

  • Recognize and acknowledge their efforts

Don’t make them feel invisible. It’s a perfect way to kill motivation.

It’s very crucial to always communicate to these teens that their participation is making a huge impact. Make sure you to tell one person directly how well they did, instead of addressing a group of 50 or 100.

  • Set a good example

Children imitate their elders. Volunteering your own time is a good example for these teens and gives you the opportunity to bond with them. It gives you the chance to discuss about deeper ethical issues.

Show the youth that it doesn’t matter if it’s a couple of hours, a week or a month, making the commitment to do community service has tremendous impact to other people’s lives and the community as well.

Local community service opportunities for the youth

For those of you who are not sure where to find volunteer work for teenagers, you can consider these options:

  • Homeless shelters
  • Soup kitchens
  • Nursing homes
  • Child care centers
  • Libraries
  • Food banks
  • Community gardens

Final Word

So these are just a tip of the iceberg when it comes to integrating youth into community development. This is the perfect time to think beyond ourselves and pass these values to the younger generations.

Ximura Consulting can help your community to create projects or coordinate existing youth leadership programs for community development in your area.

We believe that it’s very important to help our youth identify their strengths, such as teamwork, kindness, fairness and leadership. We will help you envision ways to act on these strengths. Contact us for more information.