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We, the founders of the Student Volunteer LINK (SVL), like many students, understand that it is important to be involved with meaningful volunteer opportunities. We recognize that students who take initiative and are engaged with their communities realize they can impact and be an asset while serving community needs. Also, with community service required for high school graduation and college’s admissions, it is necessary for students to find meaningful volunteer positions. We started plans for SVL by creating a student/community survey that determined the need for information regarding youth volunteerism in our area. We, then, wrote a business plan and researched a simple website structure to be accessed by students and the community and began developing the Student Volunteer LINK website.
The purpose of SVL website is to encourage students to engage in community service by making it easier to connect to volunteer opportunities by logging on to its website. SVL services are completely free of charge so that every school, student and organization can benefit from our resources.
The idea of Student Volunteer LINK and the main function is to connect student volunteers with non-profit volunteer opportunities, community organizations, and student led initiatives through an internet portal to serve a wide range of community needs. The SVL website will consist of a Student subscriber link, an Organization link, a School link and a Volunteer Opportunities Guide. The student link will consist of a web page where students can register to become a Student Volunteer and search the volunteer opportunities guide and connect with on going needs in the community. Once a student is a registered student volunteer, they will receive weekly e-mails with volunteer opportunity updates and how to log volunteer hours with SVL. The organization link enables non-profits, student community service projects, and local organizations to post volunteer opportunities reaching a large number of interested teens. The school link page enables schools to post volunteer requirements, while helping students network within the community and log volunteer hours.
According to Youth as e-citizens ”the Web is already integrated into most young people’s window on the world...offering at-your-fingertips equivalent of a library, referral service, peer network and more.“ Also, websites may be most effective at teaching civic skills when used within a well-defined community that can commit to sustained use.“ If this is true, Student Volunteer LINK will be an ideal grassroots initiative, benefiting local students and our community that will be effective and gain support and sustainability.
Student Volunteer LINK (SVL)
Greyson E. Gregory; Founder, President (BHS Class of 2008)
Lyle J. Gregory; Founder, Secretary (BHS Class of 2010)
Kade D. Gregory; Founder, Middle School Liaison
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