Good Morning! Here’s the Monday Morning Blog!
Did you get a chance to touch base with that teen or young adult in your life last week? Ask them what they think about getting involved in an activity. Something that may be of interest to them. It will not only keep them busy over the summer but may lead to them learning about themselves and meeting others.
June’s Theme – Teen Organizations
There are many benefits to being involved in organizations. You can meet people from schools other than your own. You can volunteer and give your time and energy to a cause that is important to you. And you can make a difference in the community in which you live.
According to the United Way website, there are five benefits of Teen Volunteering.
Increase self-esteem
Gain more empathy
Become a stronger college applicant
Build long-term generosity
Earn better grades
Along with those benefits, being involved in teen organizations is a great way to network with other teens and adults who have the same passions for the causes that you do. You may find a mentor through being involved who may help you to succeed.
This month I am going to focus on the benefits of being involved teen organizations. Check out my mentor page and see how I am doing it Selma P. Verde – Mentor Page
What are community centers?
Every city or town has a gathering place for people to get together and participate in community events. These places are called community centers. There are different types that cater to different community needs. Some are activity focused, some are health focused, and there are still others that are more industry focused such as guilds and fraternal organizations.
A community center can be located anywhere in the community. Sometimes they are a part of a municipal plaza or a park. Or sometimes parks are even considered the community center. In other places an old government building, or school is given to the community and gets repurposed into a center.
Last week I featured this quote from Father Flanagan, the founder of Boys Town. He was concerned about the youth and what they were going through. According to the ,Boys Town Website, one of Father Flanagan’s quotes,
“I feel that school buildings throughout the nation which stand idle after school hours are a waste of available space and the taxpayer’s money when constructive programs could be offered through their intelligent utilization.”
Maybe they heard what he had to say as communities started using schools for other purposes after the normal school day. If you would like to learn more about him and what he did for teens, here is a link to that post ,Inspiring Stories – Father Edward J. Flanagan
My sons spent a lot of time at the community center when they were younger. It was right next store to the skate park. They were big into scootering growing up. That wasn’t the only thing going on there though. Many baseball fields, a hockey rink and tennis courts were also nearby. This could be a great place for you and your teen to find activities to get involved in.
Types of activities
When I took a look at my local community center online, I found a list of various activities. Things like
Yoga and walking groups
Groups who play cards or dominos
Book Clubs
Groups who take a day trip to a historical site or a local sports event
Sports specific clubs like golf, tennis, and frisbee golf
Many community centers provide more age specific activities for kids and teens. There is a little something for everyone.
A local option to become involved
Involvement in our communities will not only help us and our teens learn about ourselves but also get that opportunity to give back to our communities. Community Centers are a local option to getting out and finding people in our community who of like mind and enjoy doing some of the same things that we do.
There are many resources that can be found at a community center. Be sure to check yours out and see what they have to offer for you, your teen and your family.
A community center is featured in Shawn’s Way
Shawn’s Way is the second book in The Way Series. In the story, Teens Helping Teens (THT) is introduced as a teen organization that Paul Jones gets involved in. It meets and offices at the Manor City Community Center where local teens and young adults can find many activities to participate in.
The Way Series is a coming-of-age series for teens and young adults. It focuses on challenges that teens can face while growing up. The Hard Way is the first book, and it is a relatable story about peer pressure and Shawn’s Way is a relatable story about bullying. These books may help you to start a conversation with your teen about these issues or may give them a story they can relate to about something they may be facing. Here is a link to my books page for more information and a link to purchase a copy of the book. Selma’s Books
