Youth Engaged in Service
"Not too young to lead the way." — ManaTEENS
Never underestimate the persistence—or the impact—of a 12-year-old. That's one of the lessons learned from the ManaTEENS Club, a program of Volunteer Services of Manatee County in Bradenton, Florida. In 1994, young Laura Lockwood wanted to help her community but was turned away by volunteer organizations because she was "too young." Undeterred, Laura got 23 gallons of paint, recruited her sister and her friends, and offered to paint seniors' homes in a low-income neighborhood. This youth-led grassroots effort gave birth to ManaTEENS, a project that receives funding from Learn and Serve America. Today, ManaTEENS mobilizes thousands of teen volunteers who donate more than 1.5 million hours annually.
ManaTEENS provides youth volunteers (ages 8-21) to hundreds of Southwest Florida organizations. But the most successful and creative service projects are those that youth design and run. Adraine LaRoza, Executive Director of Volunteer Services of Manatee County offers an example: "About two months ago, a middle school student came to us and wanted help in building a beach-accessible wheelchair for her brother. We helped her do research and found a place in Southern California that makes them out of PVC pipe. We connected her to the company, and got the plans. Now, ManaTEENS has created 12 of these wheelchairs and they're at lifeguard stations throughout the community." The kids haven't stopped there either: They're producing a toolkit to help others build their own chairs.
Kid-led initiatives run the gamut from starting an adopt-a-grandparent program to rebuilding coral reefs to offering respite care and babysitting. ManaTEENS operates a pet emergency shelter, which filled a critical need during the unusually severe 2006 hurricane season. And 1,800 ManaTEENS members serve as school-based mentors to younger and same-aged peers.
While ManaTEENS is called a club, there are no general meetings and not a lot of rules. Members must participate in a volunteer activity every four months to stay active. Members receive newsletters as well as e-mails about scholarships and award opportunities. Any youth enrolled in a public, private, or alternative school in Manatee County can participate. "Kids come from all over the county and from all different faiths, schools, and cultures," says LaRoza. "All work together equally—a 12-year-old has the same responsibilities as a 17-year-old. The younger kids (under middle school age) must have a parent or guardian volunteer with them."
Volunteers are empowered to identify needs and develop programs to address those needs—just as Laura Lockwood did more than 13 years ago. Today Lockwood is still working to make a difference in the community: After attending college, she returned to ManaTEENS as the paid director.
