Local Youth VOICE/SVP Volunteers Honored for Summer Work

's summer youth development programs Volunteer Outreach in Communities Everywhere (VOICE) and Summer Volunteer Program (SVP) celebrated the conclusion to a successful summer campaign last week at an informal banquet at the .

According to YFS, the VOICE and SVP programs provide structured service learning and group volunteer opportunities to Mercer Island high and middle-school aged youth. 

"It's important to me and a lot of our staff that they learn to expand their worldview, and what that means," said Derek Franklin, a program administrator with YFS.

The programs also offer local youth the opportunity to explore leadership roles and apply principles of teamwork in real-world environments, such as working at Operation Sack Lunch or Angeline's Center for Homeless Women in Seattle. One of those teenagers in training was 13-year-old Erin Coffey, who was designated a Project Leader in Training (or "P-Wit", as the volunteers called them) and was mentored by other volunteer project leaders.

"I am truly thankful to have been a part of the volunteer experience and to have worked alongside you as I watched you bond with each other and grow as young adults."

During the summer of 2011, youth in the VOICE and SVP programs volunteered 10,582 hours, served 19,225 meals to the hungry, and directly impacted 10,835 people while working with 55 different non-profit organizations on Mercer Island and in neighboring communities.

In addition to the measurable impact on under-served populations, youth in the program also gained valuable life experience. "Beyond the numbers, it is the relationships I see youth forming with people outside Mercer Island that they might not have had the opportunity to interact with in a meaningful way before--elderly adults, low-income children, homeless youth and adults, and people with disabilities," says Youth Development Coordinator Tambi Cork.