Volunteering helps young people build confidence, empathy and leadership skills that last a lifetime. When they give their time to help others, something powerful happens – they experience being a game changer.
At First Tee, we see this every day. Whether participants are mentoring younger peers at a chapter program, supporting a community event or lending a hand at a local service project, volunteering gives them a chance to put life skills into action in ways that matter to the people around them.
- It grows confidence and leadership skills. Taking on a real responsibility tells a young person that others are counting on them. Speaking at a fundraiser, sorting donations or serving as a standard bearer at a golf tournament helps build confidence and communication skills. Many teens discover leadership abilities they did not know they had. For many First Tee teens, that leadership journey includes the chance to serve as a volunteer junior coach. Working alongside experienced coaches, teens guide younger participants through lessons and activities, practicing communication and mentorship while giving back to the program that helped shape them. Teens interested in coaching should ask their local chapter about opportunities.
- It builds empathy and perspective. Volunteering introduces young people to experiences and neighbors they might not otherwise meet. Serving a meal, cleaning up a park or mentoring a younger child helps kids understand that every person has a story and that small acts of kindness can change someone’s day. Volunteering can help kids and teens learn to appreciate diverse perspectives and overcome differences.
- It prepares them for what comes next. Volunteer experience gives teens meaningful stories to share on college applications, scholarship essays and job interviews. More importantly, it helps them discover what they care about and where they want to make a difference. It also helps teens build self-confidence because they know they can make a difference.
How families can get started
- Begin small. A single afternoon project is a great first step, and it often leads to more.
- Volunteer together. Serving alongside a parent, sibling or friend makes the experience more fun and models the value of giving back.
- Reflect afterward. Ask what they noticed, what surprised them and what they would like to do next. Those conversations turn an activity into a lasting lesson.
- Look close to home. Local First Tee chapters, schools, faith communities, libraries and food banks often have youth-friendly opportunities.
For teens ready to take service to the next level, First Tee’s Innovators Forum offers a unique opportunity. Each November, teens from First Tee chapters across the country come together to learn from business and nonprofit leaders and develop a community service project focused on education, health, human rights or environmental sustainability. They then bring those projects back home to make a difference in their own communities. This year’s event takes place November 15-19 on Amelia Island, Florida.
To learn how your child can build life skills and give back through First Tee, find a chapter near you at firsttee.org. Learn more about how to support First Tee and its life skills programming.