Youth Service America
By Jessica Dawson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Safe, thorough resource helps kids make a difference.

A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this website.
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What’s It About?
Youth Service America's site provides information to facilitate teen community service and connect them with organizations and grants to help them be successful. It also incorporates an advocacy campaign called Global Youth Service Day in April. Teens can click on a number of projects and campaigns on the site to learn about the many service options. They can also create an account to share information on projects with other teens via blog posts, photos, and videos. There's a giant list of national and global YSA partner organizations with links to their sites, too.
Is It Any Good?
YSA is all about getting kids excited about service to others, and the website is a great resource to get the ball rolling -- and keep it going. Through its national campaigns like Global Youth Service Day and tools like Project Plan-It, the site makes volunteering easy for any age. This international, non-profit resource center represents more than 200 organizations whose focus is to improve life in their communities. Taking on big global issues such as poverty, hunger, and literacy, the site provides information and tools to get projects moving and make them successful. It also incorporates an advocacy campaign called Global Youth Service Day
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the importance and necessity of volunteering. Do you think it is important to volunteer? What age do you think is appropriate to begin volunteering?
What are some safe practices when using the Internet as a tool to get projects or services started?
Website Details
- Subjects: Social Studies: citizenship
- Skills: Collaboration: cooperation, group projects, Emotional Development: empathy, perspective taking, Self-Direction: effort, goal-setting, initiative, personal growth, Tech Skills: social media
- Genre: Civic Engagement
- Pricing structure: Free
- Last updated: November 4, 2015
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