Global Youth Service Day ~ April 23-25, 2010
Youth Changing the World
Are you old enough to remember the year 1988? If you participated in the very first Global Youth Service Day — then called National Youth Service Day — you can remember (and you are now well into your adulthood!). At that time, it was not yet a global event, and it really was just one day. Today, the "day" has grown to span three days, to involve millions of children and youth, and is celebrated in more than 100 countries around the world.
The annual Global Youth Service Day event is organized by Youth Service America, with the National Youth Leadership Council, the International Organizations and National Coordinating Committees, and countless other partners; the presenting sponsor is State Farm Companies Foundation.
Video: Global Youth Service Day: Photos and stories from Global Youth Service Day events worldwide
The goals of GYSE are to:
- MOBILIZE youth to identify and address the needs of their communities; mobilize organizations to provide opportunities for youth engagement; and mobilize media and policy makers to promote and raise awareness of young people as assets and resources to their communities.
- SUPPORT youth on a lifelong path of service and civic engagement; and support schools and organizations through training and technical assistance, grants, and resources that enable them to engage youth.
- SUSTAIN community improvement through year-round engagement of youth as leaders and problem-solvers.
What are you planning?
The GYSD website has lots to help you generate project ideas, to recruit help, and to get the word out. Here are just some of the valuable resources you’ll find there:
- Plan your project: Fun ways to come up with new service ideas; links to grant opportunities, and other tools and information
- Media resources/Share your project: Ways to spread the word, including social media connections via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, and quick facts to share with others; photos, PSAs, and logos; and more
- Event map: See events already listed, near you or across the globe
- Post your event: Register your GYSD project — it’s easy!
Kofi Annan, former secretary general of the United Nations, said of the event:
The United Nations can never succeed alone. Only by forming partnerships with governments, the private sector, and civil society around the world, can it change lives, save lives, strengthen democracy and human rights, and offer support, comfort, and protection to the poor, the sick, and the dispossessed. Volunteers are some of our most valued partners, and Global Youth Service Day celebrates the efforts of the youngest of them. These young people are not only the leaders of tomorrow; they can play a leading role in the development of their communities today. Let us hope that their good works today blossom into lifelong commitments that will benefit all the world's people.
RESOURCES
No matter where you are in the planning process, there are even more resources to help. Dig in now and get excited about your Global Youth Service Day project for 2010!
Bibliographic Records
- Kid's Guide to Service Projects: Over 500 Service Ideas for Young People Who Want to Make a Difference
- Teen Guide to Global Action: How to Connect with Others (Near and Far) to Create Social Change
- Generation Fix: Young Ideas for a Better World
Effective Practices
- Planning a Global Youth Service Day project
- Generating a list of 100 ways teens can serve their communities
- Creating an exercise for youth on the importance of service
- Finalizing your service day project plan
Online Courses
Online Resources
- Global Youth Service Day Planning Toolkit
- Global Youth Service Day Service-Learning Curriculum Guide
Websites
