The Young Leader

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How Volunteering Can Help You Choose a College Major

As you get closer to high school graduation, you may already be imagining what life will be like in college. Aside from the parties and socializing, you’ll imagine your classes and workload — possibly even your life beyond school. The bridge that will lead you to your career is education, and the choice of the right major is an imperative step in realizing that goal.

Much like any important decision, you can’t make a wise choice based on a single factor. A variety of different components all shape a good decision, and when it comes to choosing a major, doing some volunteer work can help you learn which education path is correct.

Choosing your focus: The influence and experience of volunteering

Volunteering is a way of being able to help a community in need and make a difference in people’s lives. Not every student applying for college chooses to get involved, so being a volunteer distinguishes you as someone committed to having a positive impact on the lives of others. Here we’ll look at some specific examples of how volunteering can help narrow down your major and get you ready for college:

  • Skills development: You can easily gain some benefits from volunteer work, ranging from acquiring specific skills to developing a sense of accomplishment. Colleges are increasingly looking favorably on volunteer experience, because it shows that the applicant cares about more than just herself. It can also be an eye-opening endeavor that gives you greater awareness of other communities. A GLA volunteer abroad program for high school students is not only an exciting way to see some beautiful parts of the world, such as Africa, Southeast Asia or the Caribbean, but it can help you gain leadership skills and aptitudes you never considered.

  • Job shadowing: Through volunteering, you can get an idea of what a particular job is really like and what you should do to prepare for a career in that field. You can get a good feel for what it will entail and a clearer understanding of how well you’d fit. It’s essentially a form of job shadowing that can give you some great hands-on experience.

  • Rethinking that original idea: Volunteering can also serve as a great way of understanding what you don’t want to do. By getting up close to a job, you can get an idea of what you aren’t going to enjoy. If you volunteer as a teacher, you may learn which subjects you gravitate towards or the ages of the students you’d like to teach. If all along you planned to be a social worker or a doctor, volunteering can help you learn if that original idea is a good fit after all.

  • A lesson in problem solving: You won’t find a class in your course catalog on problem solving, but volunteering will help fill that gap. This skill will help you both as a student and as a person in general. Volunteering is an excellent way to develop some problem solving skills, because it forces you to think on your feet, interact with people in spontaneous ways, make priorities and communicate with people from other cultures.

Deciding on a college major is a huge choice that isn’t purely an academic decision. Personal values, interests, aptitudes and ambition all play a part in your decision on a practical course of study. Volunteering can play a part in this decision, taking you out of your comfort zone, increasing your awareness and helping you narrow down your choice of academic specialty.

Additionally, it’s important to think about a major as not just being a stepping stone to a career, but one that will inform your development as a person; volunteering can have the same impact. When you apply to college, you can be proud of the volunteering work that you’ve done and know that you’ve given yourself an effective means of choosing your field of study for your college career.

 

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10 Tips for Becoming a Leader

There are hundreds of books and websites devoted to discussing and defining what it is to be a leader. What are the traits characteristics of a good leader? Similar to many other skills, leadership is something a person develops through learning, effort and experience. It takes more than just being persuasive and charismatic. As a leader, you have to be able to use the resources you have to achieve the best results for yourself and others.

The 10 leadership tactics

Effective leadership is a balancing act in that you must direct and inspire others while drawing on your own abilities and resourcefulness. Here we’ll look at 10 pathways to develop your leadership skills:

  1. Take on risks and challenges: Life isn’t meant to consist of the same old routines. In order to get the most out of your own abilities, you have to challenge yourself and test your abilities.

  2. Create a vision: You may have the spirit that all leaders require, but if you haven’t got an idea for what you want to achieve, you won’t accomplish much. It’s crucial to have a vision that will fuel what you do and what you seek to achieve.

  3.  Inspire others: Inspiration can occur in many different ways and spread in ways you might not be aware of. Doing your best just may be what it takes to inspire fellow classmates and establish yourself as a role model.

  4. Lead by example: What you expect of others, you have to also expect of yourself. If you’re not willing or able to do what needs to be done, your credibility as a leader won’t last long.

  5. Practice humility: Arrogance in anyone is distasteful. You can build trusting relationships with others and establish yourself as a leader by being practical and realistic; don’t constantly talk about yourself or embellish your accomplishments. Focus on boosting others and recognizing group successes.

  6. Communicate effectively: No matter what your goals are, being able to speak or write effectively will play a huge part in getting on the right path in academics, your career and life in general. You must be able to clearly express your ideas to others.

  7. Model fairness and integrity: A key component of any leader is expressing a sense of fairness; you should strive for integrity in anything you’re involved in.

  8. Take a public speaking class: Strong public speaking skills are beneficial to anyone, regardless of age, and effective leaders must be able to speak before a crowd.

  9. Attend leadership programs: Summits, symposiums and other activities can give you the latest insights into how our society views leadership today; they’ll also give you some ideas on ways to hone your skills.

  10. Volunteer: A leader has to be willing to step out of her comfort zone, take on new challenges, and have her horizons expanded. Volunteering can accomplish all those things. Getting involved in your local community can be a great way to develop your leadership skills, or if you’re interested in the adventure of a lifetime, you can get involved in a GLA volunteer trip abroad.

The big picture for tomorrow’s leaders

Being a leader means understanding it’s not all about you. It’s about having a clear vision of what you want to achieve and providing a direction for others. When everyone collaborates effectively, the result is an achievement that a single individual couldn’t accomplish. Yet it’s also about developing your own abilities and skills, challenging yourself and working to your optimum potential. By following the suggestions here, you’ll stride down the path toward growing as a person and begin embodying the characteristics of a great leader.

 

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5 Benefits of Educational Travel

Anytime you can experience the richness of cultures different from your own — by talking with people of other nationalities, travelling internationally, trying foods from other countries and embracing other educational experiences that fall outside of your comfort zone — you grow and change in positive ways. And this is just the kind of personal development that can help you stand out in the eyes of college admissions counselors and future employers in a competitive field of other strong candidates.

For those who can physically get away, international travel, cultural immersion programs and volunteer abroad service programs offer unparalleled exposure to the customs, language and everyday life of diverse communities. This experience is imperative for anyone who’s serious about pursuing public service or global relations work as part of a business or political career.

Specifically, here are five ways educational travel can improve your life:

  • Sharpens self-awareness: Gathering firsthand information about the world — seeing different landscapes, experiencing the challenges of certain cultures, listening to the opinions of people in other nations — provides a level of mindfulness that’s often tough to shake. Profound experiences give people a sense of place and purpose, and they establish lifelong values and priorities.

  • Enhances perspective: Exposure to the problems and perks of other lifestyles helps people break out of cultural-centric thinking. Having a broad awareness of how other people live and what other cultures prioritize can trigger solutions and ideas that don’t necessarily rely on familiar habits and comforts. Cultural immersion through travel and service programs can also help break down language barriers and open new channels of lifelong communication.

  • Fosters independence: Living and working for any amount of time in a culture that’s different from home can help prepare students for college in ways more profound than any sleep-away camp or vacation can. This enriching experience challenges students to open their minds regarding food, friends and basic needs. After all, it’s tougher to take things for granted in unfamiliar situations.

  • Strengthens leadership skills: A person who’s been there and done that simply has more credibility than those who rely on lip service. Instead of relying on others’ opinions, travelers establish perspective, confidence and conviction that make it easier to gain the respect of others. Plus, international travel, especially with a group or through a program, provides students with a global network of contacts and references.

  • Demonstrates courage: Travelling away from the comfort of friends, family and familiar surroundings is tough. But doing it shows that a person is interested enough in the rest of the world, and confident enough in him- or herself to venture out and discover other parts of the world. This is a character trait that’s very appealing to colleges and employers.

No matter what your life goals are, travel can provide important perspectives and help you discover what really makes you tick. Explore high school volunteer abroad programs and find out how international travel can make a real difference in your life.

 

 

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Nearly 75% of Teenagers Plan To Volunteer this Summer

Willing to Serve: The Millennial Generation & Volunteering

Each generation seems to deal with the stereotype of being unproductive, entitled and self-centered. The so-called slacker generation of the 1990s went through this, and the trend dates back at least to the Lost Generation of the 1920s. Today it’s the millennials in this situation, yet despite an unflattering portrait, evidence is showing that, like any stereotype, it doesn’t always hold up.

Refuting the bad rap

Many young people are more socially conscious than recent headlines give them credit for and are refuting the myths about them by getting actively involved in local volunteer efforts. In 2010, the Pew Research Center found that over half of all millennials participated in volunteering efforts in the previous year, proving that they’re willing to devote their time to supporting causes they believe in. According to the New York Times’ Catherine Rampell, in 2011 “community service among young people has exploded.”

In a poll conducted for the 2012 Millenial Impact Report, 75 percent of the Y generation donated money, and 63 percent participated in volunteer work. The 2013 report specifies that this same statistic has grown, with 83 percent saying that they made a donation in the last year. In looking at current data, 75 percent of high school bloggers plan to volunteer this summer, and at least one blogger has pointed out that the majority of people on LinkedIn who have “Volunteer & Causes” as part of their profile are millennials.

Landing that first big job

With the job market rebounding, it’s still tough for recent graduates; so many young people are learning to find new ways to distinguish their resumes from the rest of the crowd. Companies tend to prefer college graduates with some volunteer experience, so millennials have discovered that devoting some time to a cause they believe in is a great way to get themselves noticed by potential employers. It’s also a means for gaining some direct experience, developing necessary skills and building character by stepping outside one’s comfort zone.

Global awareness leading to global activities

As digital communication helps pull people together, people of all ages are becoming more globally aware and starting to understand how their decisions and actions have an impact on other societies. Websites and social media are providing ways to learn about nonprofits and volunteer organizations that provide information on helping people in need around the world.

This kind of awareness motivates millennials to get involved in helping people in underprivileged communities both at home and abroad. Young people who’ve already had some volunteer experience are taking on new challenges by getting involved in high school volunteer abroad programs outside of the U.S. These volunteers are helping at clinics, schools and conservation centers, in efforts that improve sustainability, alleviate poverty and support local education.

Making a change through volunteering

Many like to make comparisons one generation and another as to who’s the most philanthropic or socially conscious. What’s clear is that within each generation there will be many interested in making a positive change who are committed enough to make a difference. In the years to come, community service may receive a great boost from the millennial generation, as young people continue to be involved in volunteer efforts both at home and overseas, and prove that the stereotype about them doesn’t hold up.

 

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A Little Word With A Big Lesson

Changing Mindsets

People often refer to the idea that “The best things in life are free.” In reality, though, how difficult is it to remember that lesson on a daily basis? With the lightning-fast pace of the western world come constant reminders of material goods, salaries, and all of the things that we’d love to have, but don’t.

We’re not judging. It’s next to impossible to keep this ideal in mind all the time! But if you asked Annie O, a teenager from Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts, she’d tell you that’s a shame. Annie is currently in Ghana, Africa, where she is volunteering with Global Leadership Adventures “Children of Africa” Program, and she’s recently gained some perspective on what her favorite experiences abroad are teaching her.

“Woezo”

Read this journal entry from Annie’s time in Ghana to learn more about the things she is holding dear to her heart these days:

July 5th, 2013

“Woezo,” is a phrase that we hear often here in Ghana. Whether we’re walking through the market, riding in a tro-tro or simply meeting someone for the first time, we will immediately be told, “You are welcome!”  It has become my favorite thing to hear.

Here’s the thing: Ghanaians do not care who you are or where you come from. If they see that you’ve come from another town, or another country, in our case, they will greet you. It makes me feel so great knowing that they want us here and they are happy to see us.

follow-the-adventures-buttonToday, this welcoming spirit was one again shown to us by our amazing host families. As soon as we left our first visit more than a week ago, I began counting down the days until we were able to go back. My host family is made up of the nicest people I have ever met. We were able to talk about anything! They’ve also taught me so much about Ghanaian customs and traditions. 

We all became so close in such a short period of time, and I felt so at home that by the end of our visit today I was calling my hosts “Grandma” and “Grandpa.”   It was so kind of them to welcome us into their home and into their family. They did not know us when they met us two weeks ago, but they treated us like family right away. I doubt that many Americans would show strangers the same hospitality. 

It’s been an amazing experience for me to spend time with a real Ghanaian family. They taught me so much and I’m so grateful. It was hard to say goodbye, but I know that I will see them again. Having host families was definitely one of my favorite parts of my time in Ghana, and I can’t wait to share everything I’ve learned with my family back home.”

To learn more about Ghana, or to figure out how you can a transformative experience of your own, schedule an appointment with one of our enrollment advisors today.

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