4 Troubled Teens Blog

A study of more than 300 white middle-class teenagers found that most believe participation in civic activities is an obligation. However, girls in the study believed it should take the form of volunteer service, whereas boys thought political involvement, such as voting and taking part in public demonstrations, was more important.

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 0 Comments

In 1990, Peter and Sharyn Kovalesky launched the NEO Teen Helpline, a peer-to-peer phone bank where troubled teens could call for help. Today, the helpline is going strong, but the volunteer base has dwindled to almost nothing.

"Kovalesky, 65, and his wife handled virtually [all] of those [more than 500] calls [last year]. The program, which depends upon teen volunteers, has been in a severe drought for several years. 'We've gotten only one real volunteer out of the last four trainings and we had to cancel two of them - only one kid showed up,' he says."

The training covers 42 hours of "classroom"-style learning, followed by two shifts during which the new volunteer listens in on actual calls. It's intensive, but the work is rewarding and the experience can be of great benefit in college and beyond. The Kovaleskys hope to continue the helpline for at least 5 more years, if they can get a few much-needed volunteers who are willing to help them.

Therapeutic boarding schools, like the Academy at Swift River, can help your child with their emotions while preparing them for college.

Labels: volunteering, helpline

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments