Win-Win Situations

There are many advantages for youth who participate in voluntary work and/or community service, and for those they assist. Recently in New Zealand, the self-formed Student Volunteer Army weren't afraid to get their hands dirty helping victims of the 22 February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, that may have otherwise been left to fend for themselves.
 
Helping those in areas assessed as 'low-risk' may not have been exactly life saving, but that doesn't mean the assistance wasn't required or deeply appreciated, especially by the elderly. The SVA are continuing their great work to this day, and have branched out into fields other than disaster relief.

Volunteering, realistically, isn't wholly altruistic. While there are some saints on Earth that live to help others with no reward other than the warm fuzzies they receive, there can be a lot to gain personally from volunteer work. Many youths are giving their time to gain work experience, find better jobs, enhance their career options, or even to gain guidance as to which career they should choose. “The economic climate is a big factor in the increase but there is more awareness of the value of volunteering among young people.” says Patrick Daniels, YouthNet's Advice and Volunteering Manager.

Improving social skills (p.9) and making friends/building relationships is also a big motivator for youths to volunteer, as they meet people from all walks of life who they may not otherwise come into contact with. It provides a wider circle outside of family and school, and in most cases leads to other oppotunities and ventures also - like a domino effect.
It can remove a feeling of isolation and boost confidence. Youth volunteers also gain someone to look up to in their mentors, a relationship not as strict as parent/child or teacher/child, but still an authority figure that can offer advice and teach life lessons in perhaps a more relaxed way, through activities which are enjoyable and beneficial for all. Through helping others we can indeed help ourselves in the process.

Youth volunteering is a win-win situation and statistics show it is on the rise, having doubled in Australia to 32% between 1996-2006. In New Zealand, as of 2009, the rate of youth volunteering was 27%. It should be strongly encouraged by parents and schools, although not forced, with options readily available and easy to find information about. A recent study showed that the most popular fields youths chose to volunteer in were mentoring/counselling, sports/cultural activites, and health/emergency services.