Arkansas Youth Volunteer Network

Youth across the state are volunteering through many different avenues - maybe through a school or after school program, their church or faith-based congregation, a youth advisory council, or extra-curricular clubs like 4-H, scouts, or Beta Club.

Imagine if we could harness the power of these groups to make a collective volunteer impact throughout our entire state! For example, Arkansas has one of the highest rates of senior hunger and food insecurity in the country.  If youth volunteering with their school, faith congregation, after school program, or club all mobilized in every region of the state to make a difference in senior hunger on a particular day of service, the impact would be huge!

The Arkansas Youth Volunteer Network was created to leverage the many diverse avenues for youth service, focusing on addressing critical needs in Arkansas through collective impact volunteering on special initiatives and days of service. It is also a space for those who lead and work with youth volunteers to share resources and best practices. Contact Ashley Rietschier to receive email updates with service project toolkits, youth volunteer related resources, and announcements of special initiatives and days of service. You can also check back here for toolkit uploads and special announcements.

YVN Resources

• Arkansas Family and Community Engagement Toolkit

• Service Works Online Curriculum

• Arkansas Youth Councils Fact Sheet

• Service-Focused Scholarships and Awards

• Service-Learning Toolkit (resources for identifying community needs, planning service projects, and service reflection)

• Pathways to Public Service Careers (resources for career exploration, internship programs, and interactive learning)

• Careers for the Greater Good: Linking College Degrees to Nonprofit Careers

Service Project Toolkits 

• Family Volunteer Day 2017 Toolkit, State and Local Police
• GYSD 2017 Arkansas Toolkit, Senior Hunger Projects
• Family Volunteer Day 2016 serving AR Veterans
• August 2017 Family Service Day, Literacy Projects
• 9/11 Service Day Toolkit (CNCS)
• 9/11 Day: Service-Learning Toolkit (National Youth Leadership Council)

Create Your Own Project Guides

• Service-Learning Toolkit (resources for identifying community needs, planning service projects, and service reflection)
• Youth Changing the World Toolkit ages 13-25 (Youth Service America)
• Kids in Action Guide ages 5-12 (Youth Service America)

Guides for Educators

• Semester of Service Toolkit for Educators (Youth Service America)
• Classrooms with a Cause (Youth Service America)

External Resources