The days of flipping through the phone book are long gone. Now, when students are looking for a volunteer opportunity in the greater Williamsburg, Yorktown, Newport News, Hampton, Gloucester and Mathews areas, they can turn to an online booklet.
NetworkWilliamsburg, a local organization that works to connect and support nonprofits in the region, has published the 2013/2014 Youth Resource Booklet: A Student’s Guide to Volunteering on the Peninsula.
The booklet is now in its fifth year, and totals 38 pages containing information on 30 nonprofit groups. It boasts dozens of volunteer opportunities for students of all ages. It also has a listing of scholarships available for students involved in community service and discounts from local businesses wanting to honor students serving their community.
Students can search the guide by time of year, type of opportunity, field of interest, age requirements and more. Because the content is online, users can follow direct links to the websites of nonprofit organizations to learn more about each group beyond the short description included in the booklet.
In a news release issued Oct. 14, Karen Dutro, Executive Director of NetworkWilliamsburg, praised the booklet as a valuable resource for students, parents, and the leaders of honor societies and other groups that deal closely with community service.
“We look forward to again working with the local schools to have flyers about the resource available for students and parents,” she wrote.
NetworkWilliamsburg has recently expanded and launched NetworkPeninsula, which is why the guide now covers more areas than just the Historic Triangle.
New this year is also a section on collection drive ideas, which offer the chance for students with busy schedules to contribute in a valuable, though not quite so time-consuming way. Some suggestions include standard clothes and food drives, but there are recommendations for collecting toys, electronics and pet supplies as well.
One page of the booklet answers the question “Why is community service important?” It stresses commitment to service, especially a long-term devotion, as a significant factor in the college admissions process.
For more information on NetworkWilliamsburg and the 2013/2014 Youth Resource Booklet: A Student’s Guide to Volunteering on the Peninsula, visit www.NetworkWilliamsburg.org.
