Dr. Aaron Metzger of the University of Illinois in Chicago performed the research, which was published in the journal Child Development.
Dr. Metzger said that adolescent involvement in civic and community activities is thought to lead to increased civic activity in adulthood. Teens who participate the most often usually come to believe that such activity is an obligation, not a personal issue.
Community service is a component of many wilderness programs and therapeutic boarding schools -- not as a punitive experience, but rather as a means of connecting struggling students with the world around them, and fostering a sense of service to others.
Labels: teenagers, community, volunteering
Posted By: Aspen/CRC