Youth service refers to non-military, intensive engagement of young people in organized activity that contributes to the local, national, or world community. Youth service is widely recognized and valued by society, with minimal or no compensation to the server. Youth service also provides opportunities for

youth development Positive youth development (PYD) programs are designed to optimize youth developmental progress. ''Youth.gov'' states that "PYD is an intentional, prosocial approach that engages youth within their communities, schools, organizations, peer groups, ...

youth voice Youth voice refers to the distinct ideas, opinions, attitudes, knowledge, and actions of young people as a collective body. The term youth voice often groups together a diversity of perspectives and experiences, regardless of backgrounds, identi ...

and

reflection Reflection or reflexion may refer to: Science and technology * Reflection (physics), a common wave phenomenon ** Specular reflection, reflection from a smooth surface *** Mirror image, a reflection in a mirror or in water ** Signal reflection, in ...

. This may take the form of a

youth program Youth programs are particular activities designed to involve people between the ages of 10 and 25. Activities included are generally oriented towards youth development through recreation, social life, prevention, intervention, or education. During ...

where young people are recruited, offered leadership opportunities, participate in activities that improve the community, and are trained and mentored.

Definitions

The general definition of

community service Community service is unpaid work performed by a person or group of people for the benefit and betterment of their community without any form of compensation. Community service can be distinct from volunteering, since it is not always performe ...

does not vary; however, the understanding of what

youth Youth is the time of life when one is young. The word, youth, can also mean the time between childhood and adulthood ( maturity), but it can also refer to one's peak, in terms of health or the period of life known as being a young adult. Yo ...

is varies by country. The most common age group defined as ‘youth’ is 15-30 years of age. The United Nations defines youth as 15-24 years of age. The variation of whether or not youth service is "long range" depends on the setting. Some communities regard long-range youth service as being from six months to two years of service; however, this time range can vary with each country’s national youth service policy.

Configurations

There are various types of youth service programs worldwide. Servicio Social in

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

is a required community service program for all Mexican university students. Students must serve 480 hours of voluntary activity over the course of a four-year undergraduate education. The goal is to build solidarity among youths and increase collaboration in community development. The National Youth Commission in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

is a national youth service program and government-sponsored national youth service program that enlists youth in combating the spread of HIV/AIDS and in reducing youth unemployment.National Youth Commission
Retrieved 4/26/09. Servicio País in

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...

is a competitive selection civil service program for university graduates with the goal of decreasing rural poverty. Select professions are recruited to the program such as lawyers, engineers, and medical professionals. If chosen, graduates serve 13 months in a rural area. They practice their professions and also build relationships with local people. Other programs includ
Servicio País

YouthBuild USA YouthBuild is a non-profit organization which on a voluntary basis provides education, counseling and job skills to unemployed young American adults (between ages 16 and 24), generally high school dropouts. There are 273 YouthBuild programs in ...

and

City Year City Year is an American education nonprofit organization founded in 1988. The organization partners with public schools in 29 high-need communities across the US and through international affiliates in the UK and Johannesburg, South Africa. Ci ...

References

{{Youth empowerment Youth culture

Definitions

Configurations

See also

References