One of the things that we learned in doing some focus groups with youth volunteers is that there is, unfortunately, some ageism in the non-profit sector at some points. I remember a youth who was saying how concerned he was about food security, so he went to a meal program wanting to participate in providing meals and interact with people who were participating. He was put alone in a room, asked to fold tea towels with the floral pattern outside for hours. Someone came in and criticized that some were not folded the right way. It was so boring and so demeaning. What a heartbreaking story for someone who was so passionate about food services. Sometimes there's an assumption that youth don't have a lot to offer in terms of their passion and compassion. I would say that's one thing we have heard and really encourage people to think about: the whole person, no matter what age, has a lot to offer.
The second thing we learned is that those who have a chance to reflect on their experience and make sense of it gain much more. It's one thing to work in a shelter or to interact with folks who are having difficulty, but to then have the opportunity to make sense of it, to think about what you've learned about yourself, about community, helps you then integrate it, whether it's for your life or for your career.