Entering the Adolescent Community

Gaining Experience and Confidence

Your children and their friends may need extra help and support to adjust to the emotional and social challenges of adolescence. Talk to teachers and school counselors. Encourage your adolescent to become involved in service-learning opportunities related to issues for which they have a passion or deep belief.

Philanthropic Concepts for the Middle-School Age Child

By middle school, your child should be able to define and discuss the following philanthropic ideas:

• Philanthropy as the sharing of time, talent, and treasure, throughout history and from around the world.
• The “ common good” and examples of it.
• The roles of the government, nonprofit, and business sectors.
• The relationship of a market economy to philanthropic giving.
• Why and where people have sacrificed for the benefit of an unknown other person or group.
• How the separation of church and state has placed all religious institutions in the independent sector.
• Organizations in the independent/nonprofit sector that speak for minority groups (advocacy is one of the many important roles of the nonprofit sector in a democracy—protection of minority groups from the potential tyranny of the majority).
• A corporation that has provided a philanthropic service to the community.
• Different jobs available in the nonprofit sector.
• “Civil society.”

Student artwork "Joining Hands, ending Hearts" by Jamie, Brethren High School, Brethren, MI

Ideas for You and Your Children

Volunteerism and Development

Middle-school youth are very concrete in their thinking and do well at tasks that use their talents and strengths. Because middle-school students are developing adult-like capabilities, these are the ideal years to stretch their experience and thinking through volunteerism.

For example:

Serve as a nursing-home aide.

• Deliver meals, cut food for residents, and assist with eating.
• Provide activities of interest to senior citizens.

Help with your local parks and recreation department.

• Assist with spring flower planting and upkeep.
• Assist with park clean up.
• Develop and implement activities for younger children.

Preparing for Citizenship

Encourage children to be involved in or run in school elections. Be careful to talk about the difference between popularity and platform: “find out what is important to your classmates, and your platform could be getting that thing done.” While not every child will want a position of leadership, each child can become involved in student government in some way. For example:

• Make posters in support of a candidate.
• Write newspaper articles for the school paper.
• Organize a “get out the vote” program in school.
• Write and complete a survey on school issues.
• Develop a Web page for the candidates.

Involve Your Child in Giving Decisions

Your support for your middle-school child's volunteer efforts is especially important. Volunteer experiences at this age are most successful when they allow the child to make a personal connection with someone needing help. Developing a relationship with someone who is “different” may cause discomfort, fear, or confusion, yet these experiences help develop the ability to empathize with others.