Youth Workin' It

Consultancy and Resources for Youth Workers and Organizations Worldwide

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Day: A Youth Answering ‘Life’s Most Urgent Question’

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Image Courtesy of ThePoliticalCat www.kaliamo.blogspot.com

It’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day here in the United States. This day remembers the life and sacrifice of Dr. King. His message of racial equality and non-violence changed the landscape of America.

While there is still a long way to go, there was progress made as a direct result of his actions. You can watch Dr. King’s iconic ‘I Have a Dream’ speech here.

Dr. King once said “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?'” In honor of Dr. King’s life, today our Spotlight on Youth celebrates Olivia Stinson who started PEN (Peers Engaged & Networking) Pals Book Club.

After attending her church’s Christmas celebration for children and youth of incarcerated parents, she decided she wanted to do something more. PEN Pals Book Club provides peer mentoring and connections for youth with incarcerated parents and other teens. They also provide educational workshops and literature.

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Participating In Charity – Youth Work Session Plan

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There are two ways I have helped youth get involved in charitable endeavors during sessions.

1) Fundraising

I had a youth group that earned over 200 GBP / 300 USD during the morning break (approx. 30 minutes) at their school with the Krispy Kreme Fundraiser – they sent Christmas presents to 30 homeless youth in Rwanda, including postage, with that amount.

Note: Make sure the lunch ladies are aware of your activities. Find a charity or non-profit that excites your youth and raise some serious funds for them.

Otherwise you might enjoy supporting youth who are supporting youth.

2) Volunteering

I had a youth group that moved 60 bags of dirt that were each 30 gallons for an elderly gentleman. He had done some work in his yard but was unable to clear all the rubble, so our group were able to do this in one afternoon by partnering with a community action day that was happening in our area.

You can also check out DoSomething.org or VolunteerMatch.org to find volunteering opportunities in your area in the US. If you’re local to Youth Workin’ It’s current base of Hampton Roads, Virginia, you might enjoy checking out Serve The City.

Are you in the UK? Check out vInspired.com.

Question: How does your youth programming participate in fundraising and/or volunteering? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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