American teens and young adults get their share of fair criticism for being self-absorbed. But a new report paints a refreshingly optimistic picture of their generation.
Volunteerism is up sharply among young Americans, according to a report released last month by the Corporation for National and Community Service. Among youths age 16 to 19, volunteer rates have almost doubled since 1989.
Volunteer rates are up generally in the United States, thanks in part to an altruistic response to the 9/11 attacks and Hurricane Katrina. But the increase in the number of young people volunteering through their schools, churches and other community organizations is especially encouraging. Like the generation of young people who helped launched the Peace Corps in the 1960s, many in today’s younger generation appear committed to building a better world through service to others.
They’re doing it by mentoring younger children and helping older people live independently. They’re raising money for those in need and lending a hand in times of crisis. And they’re setting a wonderful example for the rest of us.
The report, “Volunteering in America: 2007 State Trends and Ranking in Civic Life,” shows Washington remains a leader in volunteerism. Our state ranks 12th overall, with an average volunteer rate of 35.6 percent for the past three years. We’re third in average volunteer hours per year (54.5), and an inspiring fourth in volunteer rates among young people 16-24 (34.4 percent).
Plenty of young people around here are doing more with their time than text messaging, playing video games and hanging out at the mall.
Our state did reasonably well in the report’s “civic life index,” a measurement of overall civic involvement, including things like volunteering, voting, neighborhood involvement and attendance at public meetings. There, we ranked 16th.
One warning sign from the report: Of the 65.4 million Americans who volunteered in 2005, 20.9 million didn’t continue in 2006, the highest attrition rate in four years. The message to volunteer organizations, said Corporation for National and Community Service CEO David Eisner, is that they must value their volunteers by giving them serious and meaningful work that makes a difference in their communities, and providing effective training.
Many of our society’s toughest problems – illiteracy, youth violence, poverty – can’t be solved without a broad commitment of time and energy from people who care. Here’s to the many young Americans who have found the energy and are making the time.
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