WASHINGTON D.C. – First Lady Laura Bush today joined a group of local high school students at a service-learning project to announce a new federal study that finds 55 percent of American teenagers volunteered last year – nearly double the rate of adults.

“I think it's really, really good news, and I'm very, very proud. I'm proud of this generation. I knew anecdotally that they were volunteering everywhere because I see young people volunteering wherever I go, but now this confirms it with the results of these studies,” said Mrs. Bush. “We know that volunteering can be taught, that helping people is something you can learn to do. And now we know that so many young people in the United States have learned that.” (Click here to read her full remarks.)

The national study, conducted by the Corporation for National and Community Service in collaboration with the U.S. Census Bureau and Independent Sector, found that 15.5 million teenagers volunteered during 2004, contributing more than 1.3 billion hours of service. That translates into a rate of 55 percent compared to the adult volunteer rate of 29 percent as established by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A copy of the study, titled “Youth Helping America – Building Active Citizens: The Role of Social Institutions in Teen Volunteering,” can be found at http://www.nationalservice.gov.

“This study suggests that the 9/11 generation may offer the antidote to declining levels of civic participation in our country,” said David Eisner, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service. “Too often, young people are seen as the recipients of service. Instead, they should see themselves -- and be seen-- as leaders and assets, who can make powerful contributions to their communities. By starting early and unleashing the energy and idealism of young people, we can help meet pressing needs and create a generation of lifelong citizens.”

Mrs. Bush released the report during a visit to the Church of the Epiphany in downtown Washington D.C., where she joined students from Cardozo High School as they prepare sandwiches for homeless women. The students are volunteers in the Youth Service Opportunities Project, which combines academic instruction and community service, a teaching method known as service-learning. The project receives funds from Learn and Serve America, a program of the Corporation that is celebrating its 15th anniversary this week.

According to the new survey, approximately 10.6 million youth – or 38 percent of the youth population -- have engaged in community service as part of a school activity. Of those, 65 percent have also participated in related activities typically associated with service-learning, such as planning the service project or writing about it in class. The survey found that only 5 percent of youth attributed their volunteer activities to a mandatory school requirement.

“When young people are engaged in service opportunities, they are less likely to engage in risky behavior and are more likely to feel connected to their communities," said Desiree Sayle, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the USA Freedom Corps. "We're encouraged by this level of youth volunteer serviceand will continue workingtosee numbers grow among Americans of all ages."

“Our past research shows that adults are twice as likely to volunteer if they began participating when they were teens,” said Diana Aviv, president and CEO of Independent Sector. “We are delighted to find that teenagers are now volunteering at higher rates than adults, and we hope charitable organizations will find ways to engage teenagers in their work.”

The Youth Volunteering and Civic Engagement Survey was conducted between January and March of 2005. In telephone interviews, a cross-section of 3,178 American youth between the ages of 12 and 18 were asked about their volunteer activities and experiences with school-based service and service-learning projects. In addition to information on youth volunteering, the survey gathered information on youth religious involvement, academic achievement, family relationships, and ties to community groups.

The survey found that the likelihood that young people will volunteer is directly related to their connections to the social institutions of family, religious congregations, and schools. Among other key findings, the survey found:

• 74 percent of youth who volunteer do so at least in part through a religious organization, a school-based group, or a youth leadership organization such as Scouts or 4H, while 64 percent do so primarily through one of those three institutions.
• Students who volunteer do better in school than their counterparts who don’t volunteer.
• A youth from a family where at least one parent volunteers is almost twice as likely to volunteer as a youth with no family members who volunteer, and nearly three times as likely to volunteer on a regular basis.
• Among youth who attend religious services regularly, 64 percent also volunteer.

Robert Grimm, director of the Corporation’s Office of Research and Policy Development, noted that the social institutions of family, school, and religion are not only critical factors in whether youth will volunteer but also the extent of their commitment to volunteering. “Our analysis suggests that these social institutions encourage volunteer activities among youth, and also influence the frequency and intensity of their service” Grimm said.

More results from the survey, including a closer look at the connections between service-learning and youth volunteering, will be published in a forthcoming full report.

The Corporation for National and Community Service provides opportunities for Americans of all ages and backgrounds to serve their communities and country through three programs: Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America. Together with the USA Freedom Corps, the Corporation is working to build a culture of citizenship, service, and responsibility in America. For more information, visit http://www.nationalservice.gov.

Independent Sector is a nonprofit, nonpartisan coalition of approximately 500 charities, foundations, and corporate philanthropy programs, collectively representing tens of thousands of charitable groups in every state across the nation. Its mission is to advance the common good by leading, strengthening, and mobilizing the independent sector.

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