Volunteering can be a valuable experience for any teenager. There are few cons to the idea of volunteering-most of which can be avoided if you keep an open dialog with your child. The following list can help you become aware of some of these pit-falls to volunteering, as well as many of the rewarding benefits.

Pros

1. Teenagers can learn good work habits which can directly effect their future job outlooks. A high school student who has volunteered, versus a high school student who has not, will often times look much more appealing to a potential employer. Even the ice cream shop manager will be able to recognize that the teens who have volunteered have been held accountable for themselves in the past. They know to show up on time not because that's how they get fully paid, but because other people rely on them.

2. Teens get a chance to experience the hidden world around them and will hopefully become more responsible citizens in the future. For example, a suburban teen may not ever come across a mother and child escaping an abusive husband, but as a volunteer at a shelter, he may realize the need for government subsidized housing and health care. When he goes to vote on issues and for candidates, he will see the faces of those he met volunteering.

3. Apart from learning good work ethics, a volunteer teen can get a taste of future professions. A "wannabe" nurse may realize very quickly that health care is not for him, if after a week at a hospital he can't handle the antiseptic smell. A future teacher may opt for an office job working with adults after a month of summer camp with seven year olds. Considering the cost of University level education, this is a priceless experience!

And now for the Cons

1. A teenager may feel a sense of guilt for wanting to quit a volunteer job if it is not the right fit for him. It's important that the teen as well as his parents continually discuss the progress of his work. It is also important to keep an open dialog with the staff director. There may be other opportunities in the same agency that might be available, but the teen may not know about it. If quiting is the only option, at least in the end everyone knows that everyone else tried their best.

2. As with any extracurricular, the teen may get overwhelmed with the extra time commitment. It may be good to cut back the amount of time spent volunteering so that it does not interfere with school work. While it may be a great experience to learn time management, sometimes a busy teenager simply just doesn't have the time!

3. For many reasons, a teen may feel uncomfortable in his volunteering situation. They may be under trained or over worked (as with any job). They may simply feel like they don't fit in with the other volunteers. However, a teen may also feel uncomfortable in the beginning of the volunteer job because of the population they are working with. In the end, they may become familiar with a population they may have never met and can help break the stigma of the homeless, poor or abused. Again, it's important to keep an open dialog with your son or daughter about his or her experiences. You may even want to consider volunteering once or twice with you teen to find out more about the situation. You may feel more comfortable and want to encourage them to finish their commitment. But with anything, you and your teen can sit down and decide the best route for the both of you.

Learn more about this author, Kathryn Plath.
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