U3 Mandatory Volunteer Work For Teens - Career Development

Define

Guidance counselors will tell you that career development involves building skills, determining interests,
exploring possibilities, setting goals, and taking action. As you find and develop interests, you may decide
to look for opportunities to gain experience to see if an interest might turn into a career path.
Volunteering is one way to strengthen existing skills and develop new ones, gain job experience, and
even “try on” possible careers. Regardless of whether you are applying for a volunteer position or a
paying job, two skills are vitally important: 1) knowing how to write a simple business letter that shows
interest in a position, and 2) knowing how to fill out a job application effectively. The first step to a
career is getting your foot in the door, and understanding how to write effectively is key.

Identification and Application:

●To write a successful business letter seeking a position:

○Locate a basic acceptable model of a business letter to follow before beginning your own letter.

○Be clear in your own mind why you are seeking the position and what you have to offer.

○Do research to learn as much as you can about an organization or company before writing.

○Find out the right person to whom to address the letter, such as the person responsible for filling positions.

○Start your letter by explaining your interest in the organization and how you came to learn about it.

○Briefly describe what you have to offer in terms of experience and skills, as well as what you would like to learn more about.

○Express your interest in interviewing or applying for the position and your availability.

○Provide contact information.

○Carefully type, reread, edit, revise, and proofread your letter before mailing.

●To complete a successful application for a job or a volunteer position:

○Provide clear, accurate, and complete information for all requested information.

○Stress your experience. If you don’t have direct experience, stress how your life experiences are valuable and applicable.

○Stress your skills. Think about what knowledge and technical skills, organizational and problem-solving skills, and people skills
you could bring to the organization. Be honest—don’t undersell or oversell yourself.

○Applications often include questions designed to help organizations get a feel for an applicant’s strengths, weaknesses, and
goals. Take these questions seriously, and be genuine in your answers. Organizations want people who want to be there and
believe they can make a contribution.

Model

Business Letter

In the model business letter, Alicia Kahn is applying for a volunteer position at City Zoo. She has done some
research and knows whom to contact:

Ms. Gloria Ramos

Volunteer Coordinator

City Zoo

414 Zoo Park Road

Woodsview, CA 00000

By addressing her letter to Ms. Ramos, the volunteer coordinator, Alicia ensures that her letter will be read by
someone who makes actual decisions about selecting volunteers.

Model

In her first paragraph, Alicia clearly states what volunteer position she is seeking and why she is interested in
the organization:

I am interested in an opportunity to volunteer as a Zoo Teen camp counselor at City Zoo. I have experience
with the zoo’s program, having attended Zoo Camp several times while in elementary school. The Zoo
Teen volunteers greatly enriched my experience through their enthusiasm, teaching, and storytelling. Now
I would like an opportunity to do the same for this year’s campers.

In the very first sentence, Alicia states which volunteer position she is interested in: Zoo Teen camp counselor.
Notice that she goes on to add details that explain why she is interested in volunteering at the zoo: She
attended the Zoo Camp when she was in elementary school, so she has experience with the camp. This lets Ms.
Ramos know that Alicia understands what she would be asked to do as a volunteer counselor. Alicia then adds
an even more compelling reason: Her experience at camp was enriched by the Zoo Teen volunteers. Now she
wants the opportunity to enrich the experiences of campers. This point not only shows appreciation for the
zoo’s program, but provides proof to Ms. Ramos that volunteers play an important role. Alicia’s gratitude and
desire to help others make her letter stand out.

Model

In the next paragraph, Alicia briefly outlines her volunteer experience and what it has taught her:

I have some volunteer experience. I have participated in the annual Give Back Day at the Wildlife Center for the
past three years. The experience has taught me the value of working as a team. I currently volunteer at the
Animal Shelter in the dog socialization program. Once a week, I take my assigned dogs to the play yard, work on
commands, and brush and comfort them. In addition, I volunteer as a reading tutor at my neighborhood elementary
school during the school year. This, and the fact that I have three younger brothers, has taught me how to
interact effectively with younger children.

Notice that Alicia lists both past volunteer experiences and current ones. Even though it is only one day a year, the
fact that she has volunteered for three years on Give Back Day at the Wildlife Center shows that she is committed to
helping the community and showing her appreciation for what the center provides. Her work at the Animal Shelter is a
weekly commitment and shows that she loves animals and is skilled at handling dogs. Her work as a reading tutor also
shows commitment. In addition, it is evidence that she can effectively work with younger children—a point that she
makes explicitly. This is a good point to stress, given that she is seeking a volunteer position that will require her to
work with younger children. Notice that Alicia has included mention of her younger brothers. Adding examples of life
experiences is a valuable way to show your qualifications.

Model

Alicia closes her letter by again expressing her interest in a volunteer position:

If the zoo has a need for a dedicated Zoo Camp volunteer, I would be thrilled to have the opportunity to assist. My schedule

over the summer is flexible. I am available to work any or all of the camp sessions.

Sincerely,

Alicia Kahn

111 Elm Street

Woodsview, CA 00000

[phone]

[e-mail]

Alicia’s closing paragraph does two important things: It politely but enthusiastically restates her desire to volunteer at the zoo. In

addition, it clearly states her availability. Notice that Alicia has provided information about three different ways she can be

contacted: by mail, by phone, and by email.

Application

Alicia’s letter caught the interest of Ms. Ramos, and she was asked to fill out an application. Alicia carefully filled out the contact
information and availability sections. When it came to the section titled “Previous Volunteer or Work Experience/Skills,” she thought
out how best to organize the information. Some applications will specify the sections for particular kinds of information, and in addition
may only want applicants to list items briefly. In this case, because the application allowed room to share more information, Alicia decided
to organize the information under three of her own headings: Previous volunteer experience, Work experience, and Skills. Here is the
information she provided:

Previous volunteer experience: I have participated in the last three Give Back Days at the Wildlife Center. My contributions
included repairing hiking paths, repositioning stepping stones across creeks, creating nature trail information signs, and helping to
repaint the visitor center. In addition, I currently volunteer at the Animal Shelter once a week, where I help with dog socialization.
My duties include taking my assigned dogs to the play yard, helping them practice their commands, and brushing and comforting
them. During the school year, I also tutor first and second graders in reading at my neighborhood elementary school.

Work experience: My paid work experience consists of babysitting, and I have several references available upon request.

Skills: I am a hard worker, organized, and a good problem-solver. I listen to instructions and ask questions if I’m not sure about
assignments or the best course of action. I am good with technology, including computers, tablets, mobile phones, and many apps. I
am also good with people. Being a big sister to three younger brothers, a reading tutor, and a babysitter have taught me a lot about
relating to and guiding younger children.

Application

Alicia had outlined her volunteer experience in her letter. She knew it was important in the application to restate
her experience and to add details. Notice that Alicia added details about what she did when she volunteered on
Give Back Days at the Wildlife Center. She repaired hiking paths, repositioned stepping stones across creeks,
created nature trail information signs, and helped to repaint the visitor center. These details show both her
willingness to work hard and point to a variety of skills. In the application, she listed babysitting as work
experience, presumably because she is paid for her time. Babysitting is relevant because it is another indication
that she works well with younger children. She also states that she can provide “references,” or the names of
people for whom she has babysat who would give her a good recommendation. Under Skills, Alicia stressed that
she is a hard worker, but also that she is organized and a problem-solver. These are skills that are valuable to
organizations. In addition, she has pointed out her technology skills. Nearly every job today will require these
skills, and they are important to develop and note on applications. She also made the point that she is a good
listener and is not afraid to ask questions for clarification. This shows that she wants to do a good job and realizes
that she may be asked to do unfamiliar things. Finally, Alicia once again stressed that she is good with younger
children. This is a good note to end on, since dealing with younger children will be the major part of her volunteer
experiences.

Application

The application also included this question: “Why do you want to be a Zoo Camp Counselor?” Before writing her letter,
Alicia had thought about why she wanted to be a volunteer. This question gave her the opportunity to state her reasons:

I attended Zoo Camp during the summers following third, fourth, and fifth grade. The experiences at camp helped
spark my deep love of animals and my interest in animal conservation. I hope one day to be a veterinarian or to work in
wildlife rehabilitation or wildlife land management. The enthusiasm and knowledge of two Zoo Teen volunteers
strongly influenced my desired career path. I want the opportunity to do that for some other young animal lover.

Alicia built on what she said in her letter, adding details. In her letter, she credited the Zoo Teen volunteers with enriching
her experience. In the application, she stressed their lasting influence on her by noting that they helped spark her deep love
of animals and interest in animal conservation. She went on to outline her possible career goals, noting that she wants to be
a veterinarian or work in wildlife rehabilitation or wildlife land management. She makes this point because it will likely set
her apart from other applicants. For her, this is not just a chance for summer fun, it is a step along her career path. She
closed by reinforcing the idea that she expressed in her letter: She wants to be a Zoo Teen volunteer so that she can
influence campers in the same way as she was influenced. By putting thought, enthusiasm, and genuine interest into her
application, Alicia has increased her chances of being considered for a volunteer position.

Your Turn

Read Alicia’s answer to the following application question: “How would Zoo Camp benefit from having
you as a volunteer?”

In addition to being a hard worker, organized, and a good problem-solver, I am also knowledgeable about
animals. Much of my pleasure reading is about animals, animal behavior, and animal biology. Since I tutor
young children and have younger brothers, I’m used to explaining things in easy-to-understand ways.
This means that I will be able to pass on some of my knowledge to younger learners. But possibly most
of all, I am enthusiastic about the zoo and its goals of animal conservation. I think I can pass along some
of that enthusiasm to the campers. Maybe one day, a camper will apply for a volunteer position because
of something I sparked in him or her.

Multiple Choice

Part A

Volunteer positions are limited. If the goal of the application question is to assess whether Alicia might make a better volunteer than another applicant, which of the following points might best set her apart?

• Alicia is knowledgeable about animals.

• Alicia works well with younger children.

• Alicia is a hard worker, organized, and a good problem-solver.

• Alicia appreciates the goals of Zoo Camp and thinks she can make a difference.

Multiple Choice

Part B

Which of the following details from Alicia’s writing best supports your answer in Part A?

• “In addition to being a hard worker, organized, and a good problem-solver, I am also knowledgeable about animals.”

• “I think I can pass along some of that enthusiasm to the campers. Maybe one day, a camper will apply for a volunteer position because of something I sparked in him or her.”

• “This means that I will be able to pass on some of my knowledge to younger learners.”

• “Since I tutor young children and have younger brothers, I’m used to explaining things in easy-to-understand ways.”