The Young Leader

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Hidden Benefits of Volunteering

It’s no secret that giving your time and energy in a sustainable, ethical way benefits the people/animals/group/cause you set out to help. The positives don’t end there, however! The act of performing service has a ripple effect, impacting the lives and outlooks of many–including the volunteer!

Volunteering can be a catalyst for….

Starting a Movement

Turns out, helping others is contagious! More than ever before, young people are giving their time to a cause, and it is catching. When your family and friends see you giving your time, they are more likely to be inspired to volunteer and join the movement. Many high schools have a chapter of Key Club International, Recycle Club, or other community service group. This is a great place to start and one of the best ways to connect with like-minded people in your community. (Besides, it’s more fun to volunteer together!) 

Self Discovery

Volunteering can be a great way to test the waters before committing to a college major or career path. You might love animals and consider studying veterinary medicine, but spend time at an animal shelter and realize that you actually enjoy the human interactions more.  Spend three weeks in Tanzania and discover (or nourish) your interest in classroom teaching. Through dedicating your time and learning in a new environment, you’re giving back but also discovering your likes and dislikes and teasing out your strengths and passions. In fact, 80% of GLA alumni say that their service-learning experience influenced their future career or field of study. 

Afraid you don’t have the right skills? You don’t have to be a professional to make a big impact! Most volunteer organizations have many types of opportunities, including entry-level physical projects and simple data entry.

New Perspectives 

Whether you give your time halfway across the world or just around the corner, putting yourself in a new environment and out of your normal day-to-day can have a huge impact on the way you see the world. You know the saying “change begins at the end of your comfort zone”? It’s true! Volunteering can be a great way to put yourself out there and come together in solidarity with people you may never get to interact with otherwise. 

Cultural Exchange 

This is an added perk for those who bring their passions for community service abroad! Learn about customs, belief systems, and experiences that would otherwise be foreign to you as you connect through a shared objective–working in conjunction with the local community is the key to sustainable, ethical projects and successful cultural exchange. As you work and spend time in your host community, you’ll learn through experience–share a meal at the project site, meet with locals in the community, and learn to cook, dance, sing like the locals do. It is also an opportunity to share the things that you love about your culture with your hosts! Each new relationship, activity, and conversation adds another piece to the puzzle that is the complex, diverse world in which we live and is a key component of becoming a well-rounded, global citizen.

 

 

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How To Give Back

So you want to give your time but don’t know where to start? Not to worry! There are lots and lots of volunteer options out there–it’s just a matter of finding the right fit for you. We’ve compiled some helpful resources in finding the right fit both locally in your community and worldwide.

 

Find a Local Organization

You never know what organizations in your own community may need a helping hand! The websites below all have vast databases of nonprofits seeking additional assistance.

VolunteerMatch.org: This vast online database allows searchers to narrow not only by city, but by type of volunteer opportunity, passion, or interests. Highly recommended!

GivingTuesday.org: Includes a database of volunteer opportunities by city

HowToHelpInMaine.org: Just for Maine residents, this database was created by GLA alum Zoe Siegel!

Teen-Friendly Organizations

Finding a minor-friendly volunteer position can be difficult; luckily, there are many organizations out there that recognize the value of young volunteers and the fresh perspective they bring to projects. While checking directly with organizations that serve your community is often the best way to go, the following nonprofits offer teen-specific projects:

Humane Society: Animal lover? The Humane Society generally has volunteer opportunities for minors. You can use the link to find branches in your area, or Google “humane society (your town)” for specifics.

American Red Cross: Aspiring healthcare worker? The Red Cross has a teen-specific program with all kinds of options, from blood drive organization to emergency preparedness education to fundraising.

Habitat for Humanity: Aspiring contractor? Like to work with your hands? Habitat for Humanity also has a Youth United program especially for teen volunteers.

Volunteer Abroad

Give your time with the added bonus of learning not only a new skill, but about a whole new culture! Volunteering abroad, when done responsibly, can be one of the most rewarding experiences out there. You can search by interest here, or see below for a breakdown by number of hours of community service. Programs include a range from 5 to 83 volunteer hours, over a span of 8 – 28 days. If you’re all about the service hours, see below for GLA’s most service-heavy programs:

40+ Service Hours

Ghana: Children Of Africa™ (60 hours over 21 days)

Brazil: Rio Service Adventure (60 hours over 21 days)

Peru: Children Of The Andes™ (50 hours over 21 days)

Costa Rica: Spanish Service Adventure (48 hours over 21 days; adding Homestay Extension, up to 83 hours over 28 days)

Costa Rica: Animal Rescue Project™ (45 hours over 21 days)

Fiji: Children Of The South Pacific™ (45 hours over 21 days)

India: The Initiative For Children™ (45 hours over 21 days)

Peru: Llama & Animal Service Adventure™ (45 hours over 21 days)

Dominican Republic: Global Health Initiative™ (40 hours over 14 days)

 

 

 

 

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Black Friday Alternatives

Aaaah, Thanksgiving weekend, a time to feast, give thanks, and…wait in line in the freezing early-morning hours among aggressive and equally grouchy patrons for doorbuster deals?! Ugh. Not feeling the frenzied consumerism this year? We’re with you. Here are some other options for making the most of your post-Thanksgiving day–and none of them require spending a dime!

#1: Get Outside!

The benefits of swapping shopping malls for the great outdoors are many, and include better sleep, lower stress, and in most cases, a happier bank account.  If you’re physically active in the outdoors, the boons just keep getting better. (You may have seen the #optoutside hashtag on Instagram and Twitter; this movement was started by outdoor retailer REI in 2015 with the intent of getting people out of the retail mindset and into nature on what was traditionally the biggest shopping day of the year.)

In fact, many National and State Parks in the US offer “Black Friday” deals of their own to promote a love for the great outdoors: Free parking, free passes or discounted admission, free tours/classes or other celebrations are all on offer. (Check to see what’s going on at your nearest park here.)

Wilderness access out of the question? Take a walk through your city, check out a local park or botanical garden, or explore a part of your neighborhood that you’ve never seen before.

“Each Thanksgiving weekend my husband and I take advantage of the long weekend and smaller crowds and camp at a National Park. We’ve done snowy Grand Canyon hikes, braved a rainstorm at Zion, and last year, camped at the base of Mt. Fuji in Japan where we now live. No crowds, no frenzy, just spending time in nature and making memories!” –Jenica Pistone-Donahue, GLA Marketing

Enjoying those Black Friday views, Zion Nat’l Park edition

“We like to go on a family hike out in the Laguna Mountains to unplug and appreciate being in nature. Afterwards, we go to a local farm and plant nursery–our kids love to visit the animals and pick out some new native plants and vegetables for us to plant in our garden. Everyone feels tired, happy and appreciative after a day like this.” –Hannah Shepherd, GLA Admissions Manager

#2: Create New Traditions

It’s never too late to start a new tradition. Baking cookies, creating holiday crafts, or enjoying an annual family outing gives us something to look forward to year after year. Not your fam’s style? Break the mold–do something out of the ordinary! First Annual Remake Your Favorite Music Video Day? Why not!  Jones Family Speak Only in Rhyme Day? Totally could be a thing. The weirder & more the unique to your crew, the more memorable. (Check out other ideas from our alumni below.)

“My aunt created Nieces Weekend. Thanksgiving night the five older nieces go to her house and we sent her boys to other families homes. Then we sleep over and spend the next day baking cookies, making the cutest Christmas crafts and dancing to Christmas music. We have so much fun being together and being creative. This year will be the 7th year!!” –Kate Gunville, Alumni (Hartland, WI)

Alumni Kate & her cousins with their Nieces (plus small nephew) Weekend creations

 

“This year, my family and I will be visiting a local museum that we visit frequently and watch a holiday movie in the giant screen theater while we are there. I love going to this museum because it helps me feel connected to my family & my background, and they always have obscure exhibits that other places never have, like collections of local artists or rooms full of Lego statues.” –Cecilia Ransburg, Alumni (Deerfield, IL)

“The end of Thanksgiving does not always signify the beginning of the holiday season; the festivities must continue—with Friendsgiving, of course! During Friendsgiving, my friends and I bring in foods from our various cultures. As we indulge in meals full of latkes, schnitzel, and dumplings, we are able to appreciate our friendships and laugh at the memories we share with one another.” –Anya Vandeven, Alumni (Morristown, NJ)

#3: Reflect & Practice Self-Care

The holidays can be a stressful time. Instead of throwing yourself into the frenzy of Black Friday shopping, why not do the exact opposite? For some, this might mean a long hot bath, face mask, and calming tunes; for others, holing up with a book and the leftover pie. Whatever it takes for you to de-stress & approach the coming weeks…do that!

“I usually spend a relaxing couple hours at a peaceful 150 acre dog park along the bay with my pup. I walk the entire edge of it as she frolics in and out of the water. It is quite healing to soak up the serenity of the outdoors and the joy that dogs find in life. Fast forward, we now have a new dog that isn’t ready for dog parks yet and an infant. I better keep working on training this new pup so we can resume this wonderful tradition as a family. Hopefully my daughter will learn to appreciate the beauty of it all too.” –Anna Graham, GLA Accounting

#4: Give Back

Not one to sit around on a free day? Consider donating your time to a cause you’re passionate about! Many organizations have additional volunteer opportunities around the holidays as need tends to be greater in the colder months: Soup kitchens, homeless services, and see a massive increase in . Animal shelters tend to hold more adoption events in November & December as these are months when many parents finally cave and adopt a family pet.

You can browse Volunteer Match for ideas on where, how, and with whom to give your time locally. Or, if you happen to live in Maine, GLA Alum Zoe Siegel created How to Help in Maine.Org specifically for young people in her state.

“For Black Friday this year, I am planning on attending the Youth Climate Strike in Chicago. I went to the one in September and it was such a great experience which put many different things into perspective. From my GLA trip this year, we learned about our ecological footprint and how we can be more sustainable, so I am really trying to live a more conscious lifestyle and get more involved with positive environmental change.” –Audrey Connelly, Alumni (Riverside, IL)

“The day after Thanksgiving, my family and I rarely opt to take part in Black Friday Sales. Instead, we usually take the time to enjoy one another’s company and spend quality time with friends and family. Some years, we even serve at a local soup kitchen with my church to give back to the community!” –Morgan McDonald, Alumni (Stamford, CT)

#5: Connect With “Chosen Family”

Taking the time to reconnect with friends during this busy family-oriented season can be crucial–not everyone has a large family or familial relationships conducive to sharing a day together. Many families’ day-after-Thanksgiving brings one or both parents or other family members back to work. This doesn’t mean you have to go it alone! Reach out to those you love for some quality time, whether they’re your blood or the family that you choose for yourself.

“I normally use this day as an excuse to catch up with friends who have opposite schedules to me. They’re usually off during the day so it’s a good chance to see them and hit the beach since we’re in sunny San Diego!” –Ros Galati, GLA Travel Coordinator

“Since I am on the cross country and track teams at my school, I love to run! After every Thanksgiving, my running friends and I all sleep in after a big meal and meet up for a run the next day. It’s a great way to catch up on how everyone’s holiday went and burn off the calories we indulged in the night before!“–Abby Peterson, Alumni (Algonquin, IL)

#6: Examine Your Relationship With “Stuff”

OK, so maybe the Marie Kondo “spark joy” decluttering method doesn’t work for everyone. Start small! What do you really need? What can you do without? What items are hindering your life vs benefitting it? Challenge yourself to donate at least three items of clothing or at least five nonperishables from your pantry. (Those cans of green beans collecting dust in the back of the cupboard can certainly be put to better use!)

If you’re seeing a lot of high-end, big-ticket items in your donation box, you can even go for a #6/#4 combo and plan a yard sale or sell these items online with the goal of donating the proceeds to an organization of your choice. Many nonprofit organizations prefer cash donations as funds are more flexible than tangible goods and can be used to address the most pressing need of the moment. (Psst: GLA International Foundation is a great way to support projects abroad!)

“I plan to clean out my closet and list a bunch of old clothing on Poshmark. I love shopping for and selling second-hand clothing because it reduces waste and carbon footprint! Instead of going to the mall and going crazy buying things, I like to make money selling things that I don’t use anymore.” –Jamie Paradis, Alumni (Maplewood, NJ)

 

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Staff Highlight: Yente Oosthuysen, Regional Director

Name: Yente Oosthuysen
Title: Regional Director of International Programs
Current Location: South Africa
Favorite South African saying: Hoe klim mens berg? Stappie vir stappie… Hoe ëet mens ‘n olifant? Happie vir happie. (How do you climb a mountain? Step for step. How do you eat an elephant? Bite for bite.)

As a Regional Director of International Programs at Global Leadership Adventures, Yente is responsible for all things Africa: Forming and maintaining relationships with local partners, vetting community service projects, managing the staff who run our programs in the summer months, and monitoring safety all fall under her job description.

She wasn’t always so passionate about community development. In college, she studied human movement (the US equivalent of physical therapy); initially, she had planned to work with high-performance athletes, being a former athlete herself. After breaking her femur in a netball (similar to basketball) accident, Yente found herself in a wheelchair and then crutches for the better part of a year; during this time, she realized that her campus, and her city at large, was not set up to accommodate those with mobility limitations.

“My whole perspective on life changed–I thought, why am I working to make fast people run faster if there’s a whole population in South Africa that can’t walk because they don’t have access to rehabilitation services?” she says.

Soon after, Yente hooked up with Altus Sports, a Pretoria-based NGO, where she worked to set up after school athletics programs in underserved communities. She graduated from the University of Pretoria with a degree in biokinetics. While presenting her thesis on sports as functional therapy in lower economic communities, she was approached by a consultant for UNICEF and professor from the University of Johannesburg about the opportunity to pursue her Master’s Degree in Community Development at the University of Johannesburg. Yente worked with UNICEF for over two years as a project manager reviewing the national curriculum for life orientation in schools, as well as creating a national plan for sport development at grassroots level. Through her work here, Yente worked developed and adapted partnerships with many NGOs and had the chance to see programs in action.

When she happened upon a job posting for GLA on Gumtree (South Africa’s version of Craigs List), she thought it was too good to be true: the company’s values seemed to be in line with hers, and her passion for travel, sustainable volunteerism, and community development made applying for the position a no-brainer. Two years later, she is serving as the Regional Director and excited to see where her work with GLA will take her next!

“Everyone here feels the mission deep in their bones–they are so committed to making it happen. That’s also why I think everyone is open to change: we are always asking ourselves, ‘ Is what we’re doing the most responsible option? The most ethical? If not, what can we do about it?’”

Morocco Love

Part of being a Regional Director is identifying locations and projects that might be a good fit for for GLA students. For Yente, this means a good deal of travel–which is not a problem! Having visited 23 countries in her 27 short years on earth, travel is a big part of her life both with and outside of her professional role. “Travel has always been something I’ve been exceptionally passionate about, taking whatever scraps of money I had to make an adventure for myself. Those experiences always stayed with me and have impacted the way I see things,” she says.

This past summer and fall, Morocco was on the docket. After spending almost two months in country meeting with local partners and planning a program for Summer 2020, Yente returned to her home in South Africa but soon felt the itch to go back.

“It’s one of those places that completely captivates you with all five senses. It really is a magical country, and I needed to get my fix,” she says. “I never felt unsafe there–as long as you are respectful to the culture, the culture will respect you. Listen to locals when they give advice on how to dress appropriately and what areas to stay in.”

Yente with our local partner in Morocco

Yente arranged to stay with a host family and headed out again, spending four weeks in Marrakesh before heading north to explore Chefchaouen, Fez, and other spots that she didn’t get to see on her first visit. However, she still doesn’t feel like she spent enough time, saying “I’ve never had a spiritual connection to a country before. I’ve never felt so content than when I’m in Morocco.” Sight-seeing, spending time with local partners and new friends, taking a cooking class and getting adventurous with the foods she tried. Her favorite dish? An apricot and lamb tajine, a traditional dish baked in a special clay baking pot.

A yummy meal of typical Moroccan fare: tajine, bread, fruit, and cheese

Who might especially enjoy a program in Morocco? Yente feels that students who are big-picture focused, open minded, and have a passion for education will get the most out of this special country in the context of GLA.

“Our local partner really believes in the holistic development of character to bring about leadership,” she explains. “Our main Home Base is actually a yoga retreat: It’s in the mountains, very open, with flowy chiffon curtains, a peaceful terrace. A cool breeze blows over you, you’re staring into the Atlas Mountains and a peacefulness comes over you. It’s well set up for a lot of introspection.”

Interested in traveling to Morocco? See all the details including service work, activities, and locations here.

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