4 Resources to Get Young Changemakers Engaged This Summer
Leading a civic life isn’t just about lending time and resources as an established adult. It’s also about involving youth, showing them that they, too, can make an impact, regardless of their age.
While young changemakers can stay involved all year long, summertime is prime time for kids to become more civically engaged. After all, school’s out, schedules tend to be more lax and there is ample time to fill with worthwhile activities. Plus, getting involved with causes you care about can be rewarding when done with those you love.
Fortunately, Points of Light has a wealth of resources for youth and families to get involved in their communities. Here are a few to get you started.
Civic Life Today
You may have heard about
Points of Light’s Civic Circle
, a framework we created to show people that doing good comes in many forms. But have you taken a deep dive into each element of the Civic Circle in our free digital magazine series,
Civic Life Today
? Points of Light partnered with
The Starbucks Foundation
to publish nine unique issues, including interviews and articles from leaders in the field.
Best of all, at the back of each issue you’ll find a special section devoted to Youth and Family, with additional resources to explore. You’ll also discover a Personal Action Plan section, created in partnership with
HandsOn Greater Richmond
, for your family members to figure out exactly how they can best leverage their time and talent for a specific cause area.
Find a Volunteer Opportunity
There are hundreds of thousands of volunteer opportunities throughout the world, just waiting for the right volunteer to step up. Some of these opportunities are in person, while others are virtual or a combination of the two. Points of Light offers the world’s largest digital network, allowing you to search for these opportunities in an intuitive, user-friendly interface.
Points of Light Engage
is our
database listing volunteer opportunities—inside and outside of the home—that meet critical needs. You can search for volunteer projects in your local area, or get inspired by what’s happening in other areas and start your own initiative.
DIY Projects
If you and your family haven’t tried a
DIY Project
, summer is a great opportunity to do so. With a variety of different kinds of projects, from creating a mobile library to cleaning up a local park to collecting old cell phones, there are ample options for kids of all ages.
Each DIY Project guide comes with an overview and a step-by-step guide, including materials and resources needed, as well as helpful tips along the way. Take special note of those “Pre-Project Discussion” questions. They can help you start a rich dialogue with your children that connects the “what” of the project to the “why.”
Celebrate Your Civic Journey
At Points of Light, we’re firm believers in the power of recognition. If your kids have taken the time to learn, grow and get more involved with causes they care about, that’s certainly worth celebrating! This celebration might look like getting ice cream after wrapping up that volunteer day, debriefing with some “wins” after completing your DIY project or maybe something even bigger.
Points of Light’s founder, President George H.W. Bush created the
Daily Point of Light Award
to honor ordinary individuals doing extraordinary things. If your family knows of someone in your community who is leading and lending support in the volunteer space, nominate them for a Daily Point of Light Award. (Psst – you can also hold your own “award ceremony” as a family, giving each member special recognition for something unique that they brought to your volunteer activity.)
However your family chooses to get engaged, know that you are setting a wonderful example for a life of service. Many nonprofit founders and recipients of the Daily Point of Light Award reflect on how concepts like volunteering and donating were taught early on and became ingrained in them from a young age. The seeds you’re planting today could lead your kids to a more active, civically engaged life for decades to come.
The Power of the Youth Voice with 2021 Time Kid of the Year
The Points of Light Conference is a rich experience for civically-minded folks of all ages and with all levels of experience.
We value the voice of youth, which is why we host a special Youth Summit as part of our overall conference experience each year. This summit is an all-conference session that will feature inspirational stories from young civic leaders who demonstrate that age has no limit in addressing the issues facing our world.
KPMG Foundation President Anita Whitehead will open the session with a discussion with Orion Jean, 2021 Time Kid of the Year and Ambassador for Kindness, about his story and what guidance he has for other young people.
This young man is on a mission, sharing the gift of reading with hundreds of thousands of kids. At only 11 years old, Orion has already created waves in his community with his involvement and advocacy. He has used his $500 in prize money from a kindness contest to donate toys to a local children’s hospital. He has also hosted food drives and partnered with a relief group to collect 100,000 meals for Texas families. And now he’s focused on spreading the gift of literacy to local households that may not have access to books.
Following the keynote, four members of the Points of Light Youth Council – Esha Venkat, Chase Hartman, Eleanor Ann Schoenbrun and Adom Appiah – will participate in a moderated panel discussion around the theme that youth are a powerful force for change. They’ll discuss listening and learning, mindful engagement, finding your “why” and “how” and much more.
Esha Venkat is a 16-year-old global changemaker, ambitious servant leader and groundbreaking “girlpreneur” passionate about advancing social progress across the globe. She is the co-founder and COO of NEST4US and a junior at Broad Run High School. In 2020, Esha and her sister, Shreyaa, were recognized with The George H.W. Bush Points of Light Award for their servant leadership.
Chase Hartman of Tampa, Florida is a 16-year-old community changemaker, youth leader and “kidpreneur” dedicated to finding solutions to some of the toughest challenges in our country. Chase co-founded a nonprofit called Eco Brothers and an award-winning book distribution project called “read.repeat.”
Eleanor Ann Schoenbrun is from El Paso, Texas, and is the founder of Pennies FUR Pets and Kans for Kids. She is a member of the Yale College Class of 2025 with prospective majors in economics and global affairs. She joined the Points of Light family at eight years old when she became a National Make A Difference Day Winner for Pennies FUR Pets, benefiting homeless pets in her border city.
Adom Appiah is an author and the founder of Ball4Good – a nonprofit that supports communities through sports, volunteering and grantmaking. The Ball4Good team has fostered partnerships with community-based organizations to address homelessness, childhood cancer, child abuse, autism awareness, cultural representation and public health.
Youth ages 13 to 18 from local organizations will be in attendance, but Youth Summit content isn’t just for young people. The session is appropriate for attendees representing nonprofits, national service, government, social entrepreneurs and businesses that work with youth or who consider youth a target audience.
Be sure to check our agenda for other workshops with sector experts that highlight youth-focused efforts for organizations. And join us for this year’s Youth Summit by registering for the 2022 Points of Light Conference, held July 13-15, 2022.
Points of Light Conference Teams Up with Bestselling Authors for Talk on Wellness
Anyone engaged in civic life — especially those who are employed in the nonprofit sector — face the risk of burnout and compassion fatigue. That’s why it’s so critical to consistently and intentionally take care of oneself while helping others. The 2022 Points of Light Conference will explore wellness through an array of featured speakers and special workshops.
Two of our most notable offerings include bestselling author, activist and podcast host Glennon Doyle and bestselling author and television executive Tara Schuster. The duo will be hosting a special Civic Talk titled “Oxygen Masks On! Caring for Ourselves and our Communities.” This session will explore the ways we can care for our mental health and wellness while continuing to lead courageously. We offer inspiration for those driving transformative change who have served on the front lines of social good for the last two years of this global pandemic.
Glennon Doyle is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller “Untamed,” a Reese’s Book Club selection, which has sold over 2 million copies. She is also the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller “Love Warrior,” an Oprah’s Book Club selection, and “Carry On, Warrior.” In her “Untamed Journal,” published November 2021, Glennon helps us each discover our own voice of longing and allows us to reclaim our true, untamed selves. An activist and “patron saint of female empowerment” (People), Glennon is the founder and president of Together Rising, an all-women-led nonprofit organization that has revolutionized grassroots philanthropy, having raised over $30 million for women, families and children in crisis. She hosts the “We Can Do Hard Things” podcast, which debuted as #1 on Apple Podcasts.
Tara Schuster was once best known as the executive in charge of the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning show, Key & Peele. Tara turned her struggle with chronic anxiety and depression into a best-selling book and a mission to help others. Her humorous takes on taking charge of one’s mental health, always backed by empowering action steps, have won praise from readers ranging from Wharton professor Adam Grant to Academy Award-winner Anjelica Huston and best-selling author Glennon Doyle. InStyle, People Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Goodreads, BuzzFeed, Goop and many others have chosen her memoir as one of the best books of 2020.
Check our agenda for other workshops with sector experts that address specific issues and strategies around wellness. These conversations will bring inspiring ideas and experiences to the stage and offer deep learning and takeaways from innovative leaders. Join us for these powerful discussions on how to nurture your health and wellness so you can sustain your long-term work that’s making an impact in the sector. If you’re not yet registered, head over to our Points of Light Conference page. We’ll see you July 13-15, 2022!
The Points of Light Civic Circle Offers Real Ways You Can Change the World
Sixty-six percent of Americans don’t believe they can make a big impact in the world.
That figure is according to Points of Light’s
research
on civic engagement. But what if we told you there are actually many ways to drive change?
Today’s political climate can feel divided or even stagnant, but the truth is, you really can make things better, starting with your own community, one act of kindness at a time. And those aren’t just words. We’re here to share real, practical ways for you to make a difference.
The Points of Light Civic Circle
helps people connect to opportunities and understand that doing good comes in many forms. It is a framework that represents your power to lead, lend support and take action for causes you care about and live your best civic life.
The Civic Circle provides actionable examples of all the ways you can change your community to reflect the world you want to see around you. In fact, you’re probably doing some of these things already. Are you helping a neighbor by picking up groceries or chaperoning on your child’s class field trip? You’re volunteering. Did you vote in the last election or help others get to the polls so they could vote? Those acts of civic duty illustrate the “vote” element. When you buy a product, do you choose to support companies that reflect your values or advance a social cause? That’s called “purchase power.” There are nine elements of the Civic Circle, and countless ways to bring each one to life.
This blog is the first in a seven-part series that will help you find real and manageable ways to activate the Civic Circle through
apps
,
documentaries
,
podcasts
,
books
,
TED Talks
and
blogs
.
We also offer other resources to help you connect with all the ways you can become empowered to be the change you want to see in the world. Check out our
videos
that provide an in-depth look at each element of the Civic Circle. And don’t miss
Civic Life Today
, our digital magazine series. Each issue takes a deep dive and provides materials, ideas and inspiration so that you can become civically engaged. Get started today, and launch your own civic engagement journey with these tools.
This piece is part of a series that highlights the many ways you can activate the Points of Light Civic Circle using various tools. Check out each one so you can live your best civic life:
- Apps
- Documentaries
- Podcasts
- Books
- TED Talks
- Blogs
What we can learn from ‘The State of Global Civic Engagement’
This piece was originally published in Philanthropy News Digest.
For nearly two and a half years, we’ve shared one collective experience around the world. And while most of us are ready to leave behind the years of fear, uncertainty, and loss, we should think twice before rushing to get back to our “old lives,” and for good reason.
History tells us that pandemics and other crises can be catalysts for rebuilding society in new and better ways. If we seek to get back to our old ways, we—especially in the nonprofit sector—are missing an opportunity to take this historic moment to address the fractured systems and stark inequities the global pandemic has exposed, exacerbated, and solidified. We cannot be “done” when there is still so much to do.
At
Points of Light
, we’ve been shining a light on the organizations and individuals serving as those catalysts for rebuilding society. We continue to uplift hundreds of stories of light so those changemakers who have taken action, supported their communities, and made each day just a little better for others can inspire a movement.
Beyond sharing stories, we also need to take this opportunity to meaningfully study the nonprofit sector and determine how organizations can make an impact amid this “new normal.” We’ve been asking ourselves:
Who is taking action? In what ways are they engaging and on behalf of which social issues? And for those who are not engaging, why not?
Points of Light just released
Civic Life Today: The State of Global Civic Engagement
, a series of five in-depth reports that provide insight into the attitudes and behaviors of individuals and the barriers they face—globally and across the United States, the United Kingdom, Brazil, and India—to help us begin to answer these questions. Here are some of the key findings from our research:
Engagement is changing.
The studies examined the top civic actions taken in support of a social issue as defined by the engagement framework of
Points of Light’s Civic Circle
: donating, listening and learning, using your purchasing power, service, social entrepreneurship, using your voice, volunteering, voting, and doing good through work. In the global survey, using one’s
voice
through the posting or sharing of content on a social media platform and
listening and learning
were the top two civic actions taken. These actions are important because they have low barriers to entry and are more accessible to different segments of the population, yet they can prove just as influential as traditional actions such as volunteering or donating.
The takeaway isn’t to replace one with the other but to embrace these new forms of engagement and the people who use them. The challenge we must collectively take up is to open and expand access to pathways of more direct engagement.
Now, the next part of the conversation needs to address how people are using these actions in tandem. And our research reinforces that taking a number of civic actions together can increase impact and effectiveness.
This may be an area where companies can set an example. How are companies not only speaking up about social issues but also demonstrating their efforts to listen to the communities they aim to support and sharing what they learn with their employees, consumers, and peers?
Address the perception of privilege.
Globally, survey respondents listed finances as the largest barrier to engagement: Two of the top three reasons people gave for not engaging in social issues were “unable to financially support social issues causes in general” (more than one in five respondents) and “unable to financially support causes due to negative effects of pandemic” (nearly one in five). This finding indicates a need for organizations to educate potential constituents and create additional pathways to participation beyond making donations.
The misconception that supporting social causes requires money is a barrier that we have to overcome in order to ensure that we are valuing and tapping into what each individual has to contribute to their community and the causes they care about.
How can social sector leaders help signal that easily accessible civic actions like using one’s voice and listening and learning are particularly important? One idea is for nonprofits to highlight their greatest unpaid social media amplifiers alongside their donors in annual reports. Who has helped bring the most attention to your cause?
Challenge inertia.
Newton’s first law of motion says: An object in motion will stay in motion, and an object at rest will stay at rest
unless acted upon by an outside force
.
Our research indicates that this phenomenon exists within civic engagement as well. Individuals already engaging in certain civic actions are the ones most likely to continue taking those actions. For example, 91 percent of the individuals who said they would volunteer over the next 30 days were the same people who had volunteered in the previous 30 days. This is an indicator that we are simply maintaining the volunteer force instead of growing it.
While maintenance is important, how can we put more people in motion on behalf of social good? We know that the most common reason someone volunteers is that they are asked. When was the last time you invited someone to volunteer with you?
Bridge individual change to systems change.
Systems are reinforced or dismantled one decision at a time. The journey of systems change starts with the individual, but it requires organizations everywhere to help people participate in the transformation of policies, to be included in the power dynamics, to evolve social norms, and to strengthen the civic mindset of this country and the world at large.
Our research underscored that people are looking to companies for leadership, with 82 percent of global respondents and 95 percent of respondents in India expecting companies to address the social issues in their country.
What we conclude from our research is that nonprofits can do more to provide opportunities for engagement, particularly ensuring new and more accessible pathways of entry into civic action. How can nonprofits and companies seek meaningful partnerships to engage employees and consumers, extend reach, and expand impact?
So much change in our world today can be directly translated into a wealth of opportunity, specifically how the social and nonprofit sector operates in this new normal. To meet this moment and engage the people who are critical for us to make an impact on our respective missions, we can’t wait for society to return to what it was. Instead, we must address these new challenges head on so that we can shine a light on tomorrow.
Natalye Paquin was the president and chief executive officer of Points of Light from 2017–2022.
She is a visionary and results-oriented leader, with more than 20 years of experience providing strategic, operations and fiscal leadership in the nonprofit and public sectors.
Volunteer Power Across Causes Remains a Constant Need, Even in a Crisis
Points of Light’s Civic Circle
offers nine paths to civic engagement because we know that change led by the power of people comes in many forms. Points of Light
Global Network
affiliates tell us that volunteering is one of the primary ways people have supported the humanitarian relief efforts in and around Ukraine. They also explained that, because this crisis comes on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been unforeseen ramifications including volunteer burnout as well as a singular focus on Ukraine relief work from those who want to remain engaged.
“People stopped helping in other areas, as they used to, and everyone wants to help the Ukrainian refugees — which is great — but when I talk with corporate partners or volunteers, they’re not interested in helping children, elders,” said Agnieszka Lissowska-Lewkowicz, who is the President of
Points of Light Global Network
affiliate and Polish non-governmental organization Centrum Wolontariatu. “We have to find a balance.”
There are countless needs waiting for support, from trash pickup in your neighborhood to walking dogs at your local animal shelter. There are so many ways to shine a light on your community by volunteering for a cause that speaks to you. To find a cause area that you feel passionate about, check out Points of Light’s
volunteer webpage
, home to the world’s largest volunteer network.
When you’re ready to begin working on your next community-based project, keep in mind these tips for tips for successful volunteering:
- Identify and Research the Causes You Care About
Figure out which areas of focus are important to you and which organizations you want to support. Now there are more ways to get involved than ever before. Consider whether you prefer to join volunteer opportunities that are in person or virtual.
- Decide on Skills-based vs Learning Opportunities
Think about what skills you have to offer or whether you’d like to learn something new. Some organizations are looking for specialized talent like translators. Others may offer volunteer opportunities that require training, such as becoming a crisis counselor for Crisis Text Line.
- Find Balance
Be realistic about balancing your volunteer time with other areas of your life, like your job and your family. Volunteering as a family may be one way to combine family time with living your best civic life.
Points of Light operates with a network of innovative volunteer-mobilizing organizations who serve more than 177 affiliates across 38 countries around the world. Together we are inspiring, equipping and mobilizing more people to use their time, talent, voice and resources to create positive change in their communities. Learn more about our Global Network.
Can an Old Fashioned Day of Service Strengthen Post-pandemic Connections?
The collective global experience of the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world in many ways. The shift to remote work has revolutionized the workplace, with positive outcomes such as reduced commuting times and increased flexibility. On the flip side, it has resulted in isolation of workers from colleagues, a depleted sense of belonging and sometimes struggles with mental and physical health. These disruptions to workplace relationships, as well as volunteering, have kept us apart, separating us from our communities and each other.
Workplaces around the world are seeking strategies to build post-pandemic culture and reset toward a future vision. As a civic engagement leader, it got me to thinking, can an old-fashioned day, week or month of service hosted by businesses around the world spur a culture comeback and reconnect colleagues and communities?
The answer is
yes.
At Points of Light, we live by this principle every day, and it’s a clear affirmation of everything
Global Volunteer Month
stands for.
In a recent conversation, a Points of Light corporate partner reflected that, “Volunteering used to be a way to get people out of the office. But now, perhaps, it’s a way to get people back in.”
Focusing on greater purpose, both individually and for your company, can boost your mood, improve work performance and help rebuild a values-based culture. Bea Boccalandro’s,
Do Good at Work
and
purpose generator
are both fun and meaningful tools for exploring how you can build purpose. purpose.
There are countless ways to help your community — a host of issues just waiting for a willing pool of volunteers to help solve. Throughout the pandemic, communities have struggled
as rates of litter and illegal dumping
have increased and spread from cities to suburbs. Volumes of residential waste and recycling have placed increased demand on city workers and infrastructure. There’s no denying the increase in plastics and cardboard usage as ordering-in and home delivery have thwarted our reduce, reuse, recycle goals. School districts and parks need a helping hand to refresh and revitalize their public spaces.
Can your company build a day of service into its return to work plan? The classic example of a clean-up day provides much-needed extra hands to tackle a real need. It also engages colleagues, captures the health benefits of people being outside and introduces everyone to neighborhoods and communities for ongoing learning and action.
Perhaps there is a hybrid volunteer model that matches your company’s hybrid return to work.
Recent research from McKinsey
showed that all students are behind in reading and math, and students in majority-Black schools are now 12 months behind their peers in majority-white schools. Programs like
AT&T Believes
are responding to those challenges with new initiatives that engage employees as mentors and coaches and use aligned talent and capabilities to bring programs that close the gap both in-person and online. A great volunteering experience can address important community needs, inspire your employees and support your company’s comeback strategy, but how do you make it great? Points of Light recommends working at the intersection of good for community, good for employees and good for your brand:
- Focus on Company Values: What aligns with the authentic products, services and values of your brand? Who are your customers? What community needs align with these attributes? Company values demonstrated by volunteering in support of a community need offer the greatest opportunity to instill refreshed purpose and strengthen culture. These efforts can start in the virtual world as listening and learning efforts that prepare employees to be better leaders and citizens when in-person volunteering returns to your company. Many companies are expanding their employee engagement and volunteering programs to include training that serves a social purpose or benefit. Examples include providing opportunities for employees to learn sign language or take disaster training courses through the American Red Cross. Are the uncertainty, delay and hybrid variations challenging your planning? Some companies have had great success with projects like “virtual” cleanups, where employees coordinated and tracked cleanup efforts in their local areas.
- Listen to Your Employees: Employees are citizens first. Are they raising community needs? How can you support them as change agents to tackle the challenges they identify? Consider offering volunteer time off and matching grants for volunteer time. Can you help organize teams of colleagues for a day of service? Can you bring leadership together with employees hired in the last two years for a litter pick up or schoolyard refresh?
- Identify Your Strongest Assets: Can a day of service launch a place-based commitment for your organization? Perhaps a schoolyard update introduces your company to a school and community that might welcome mentors, advisors and coaches for students and faculty. Are there career learning experiences that your company could offer? Can leaders build relationships that expand the networks of nonprofit leaders to help them better connect to media, mentors and money?
Board training and matching programs present an impactful and scalable opportunity to engage employees. Not only can companies track and set targets for employee board service,
but
these programs can also support the organization’s DEI initiatives to increase minority board representation and expand support for racial equity-focused organizations. Check out organizations like
DiverseForce
to further diversify your boards:
No matter where you chose to start, now is the time to build service into your comeback plans.
Points of Light supports companies of all sizes that are interested in building and growing their civic engagement programs. You can access tools and resources to help you get started at
the
Points of Light
’s
Community for Employee Civic Engagement
and
contact us
for program design consulting and engagement solutions.
