Mags GarganYouth volunteering draws on the talents and goodwill of young people
My eldest daughter will be 15 years old in a few weeks’ time. Since she's been much younger, she's had a great interest in any opportunity which might result in a few extra euro in her pocket. Her latest venture involves buying and selling online.
I admire her entrepreneurial spirit, but have to be watchful that her enthusiasm doesn't result in a much reduced wardrobe or the sale of some essential items that she perceives as being past their sell-by-date. She can't wait for the day that she can look for a proper job with her own money and the extra bit of independence that goes with it.
I think most adults can remember the unique thrill of that first pay cheque or money-filled envelope. With a first job comes the excitement of another step on the road to spreading one's wings. There's nothing quite as sweet as that first purchase, obtained with money that you worked for yourself. Whether it's €20 or a lot more, earnings from a first job are a symbol of an increasing maturity and demonstrate a willingness to take on adult responsibility.
With the summer holidays rapidly approaching, parents are busy researching the various holiday options. It can be particularly difficult for families where both parents are working.
Distraction
The dreaded drone from children about being bored drives most parents to distraction, but with excess money in short supply, parents are often at a loss when it comes to how to best fill the long summer days. When children are smaller, they're probably quite happy to go out to play and there are numerous summer projects and activities that cater for their needs, many at pretty reasonable prices.
It's often older children and teenagers that can fall into a pattern of sleeping late, lounging around in pyjamas and eventually disappearing behind the nearest screen. A sense of lethargy and lack of purpose can develop that becomes a self-perpetuating cycle. Many, like my own daughter, would love the chance to engage in some useful occupation that might earn them a bit of extra pocket money.
Unfortunately, since the collapse of the Celtic Tiger, part-time jobs are far from plentiful. Even baby-sitting work, which was a great money spinner for girls when I was a teenager, is in short supply with many couples unable to afford the extra expense.
There's one area that older children, and even quite young ones, can get involved in. It may not result in a huge increase in one's bank balance, but the skills and experiences gained are worth more than anything money can buy.
Youth volunteering draws on the talents and goodwill of young people, resulting in valuable contributions to local communities and to the wider society. Volunteering also benefits the young people themselves resulting in increased self-esteem, a sense of increased responsibility and a feeling of accomplishment.
Real needs
Meeting the very real needs of others gives children the experience of making a difference in the world. It's very easy for us, as parents, to preach charity and to tut tut over unfinished dinners with some muttered words about children starving in Africa. It's totally different when a child works and gets to see the concrete results of their own generous efforts.
Three of my children are involved in volunteering for St John Ambulance Ireland. Their initial contact was through word of mouth and started with them attending a basic first aid course.
A report on volunteering by the National Youth Council of Ireland found that many young people started volunteering because they were personally “asked to” and because they felt they had an affinity with a particular organisation or cause. One of my daughters likes the fact that St John Ambulance's aim is that everyone should have immediate access to first aid no matter where they are or what they are doing when illness or injury strikes.
She loves the experience of wearing a uniform and attending events where people will turn to her for help. While there's a certain pride and novelty in looking the part, there's also the very worthwhile experience of being there when people are in need and at a low ebb. My 13-year-old daughter likes the teamwork that being a cadet involves.
She's pretty fond of the major incident reconstructions and treating the fake injuries, but while the weekly training sessions are fun, the serious lesson that first aid knowledge can be the difference between a life saved or a life lost, is an invaluable one.
Being of service to the local community is what drew my 26-year-old son to St John Ambulance. As well as the skills he'll acquire, as a young Catholic in the modern world, volunteering is a very practical way of putting Gospel values into action.
In Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis spoke of a Church that has “the outgoing spirit of the pilgrim”. His focus is on reaching out joyfully in a very human way, attempting to ease the burdens of others.
When parents are wondering how on earth they'll occupy their children during the holidays, they should think of the benefits of volunteering, even on a small scale.
As well as being beneficial to society, it's a great way of encouraging a child's charitable inclinations and might even give parents a short reprieve from complaints of being bored and having nothing to do.