New Report on Class Gap in Volunteering

Posted by on April 23, 2007

DISADVANTAGED TEENS BENEFIT FROM VOLUNTEERING BUT DO IT LESS THAN BETTER-OFF PEERS

A new federal study has found that volunteering produces many positive benefits for teens from low-income backgrounds – they become empowered, are more likely to volunteer and become politically engaged, and believe they will graduate from college and make a difference in their communities. But the study by the Corporation for National and Community Service also found a disturbing “class gap” in teen volunteer rates. Youth from disadvantaged circumstances have a volunteer rate of 43 percent, compared to 59 percent for other youth. They are also much less likely than other youth to take part in service-learning or school civic clubs. To read the full press-release, visit http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/newsroom/releases_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=676