Promoting Youth Volunteerism with a Multi-District Council

School administrators in Boyd County, Kentucky coordinated a multi-district method for students to promote character education and become volunteers. Middle and high school students from three school districts, one private school, one home school, and one residential alternative school, comprise the Boyd County Branch of the Kentucky Youth Council on Volunteerism and Service.

The goal was for school administrators to coordinate efforts across districts for students to learn about volunteer opportunities and to become youth volunteers, as well as to teach character education and the merits of volunteerism in the elementary schools.

Students have logged in over 1,550 hours of service for the Youth Council between 1999 and 2001, in addition to the hours they volunteered as individuals within the community.

In school year 2001-2002 students developed a directory for volunteer organizations. The first half of the directory is a listing of all the youth organizations that encourage their members to be active volunteers. The second part is a list of all the community organizations that would like to use youth volunteers. Through the Volunteer Handbook the Youth Council plans to encourage over 5,000 additional students at the high schools and middle schools to become volunteers.

The Youth Council has talked to approximately 4,000 elementary school students from the Fairview, Ashland, and Boyd County School Districts -- 15 elementary schools in all -- about volunteerism, providing guidance, encouragement and support.