Year of Student-Action - Student Volunteer Foundation

Vital Stats

Josh C

Saint Paul, MN

people helped50000
People Doing It 20

The Problem

All too often, adults overlook youth when searching for solutions to our society's injustices. Two years ago a group of twenty high school students changed my life forever. I was a senior in college and had just completed the first event for the nonprofit I had created on a whim the summer before, called the Student Volunteer Foundation® (SVF). I wanted to confirm an assumption I had that students would answer the call of service if they knew where to look. Sure enough, the group came and had a great time volunteering at a Special Olympic event. But the transformation for me took place two weeks later when I received a call from the student leader of the group. I was surprised by the call, and even more so when she asked when the next event would be taking place and if they could bring more students. I ran to my computer and frantically looked up the next opportunity with great excitement. As I hung up the phone an overwhelming sense of joy and purpose came over me. I had just impacted the lives of over 20 students, who in turn impacted the lives of over 200 developmentally disabled athletes. Now these students are perpetuating the action of service on their own; they simply needed to be informed of the opportunity in their community to help out. I knew right away that I had found my calling. I created SVF to give students a voice through their participation in major service initiatives. SVF aims to change the negative mindset some youth have toward service, by connecting them with opportunities where they can see the changes they’re capable of making. Will you join me?!

Plan of Action

I plan to address this issue by continuing to be a voice for youth at national meetings and conventions that address major social and humanitarian issues. In September 2008, I launched the Year of Student-Action program to test the demand for SVF’s services. Within three weeks, 125 student groups across the state had pledged over a quarter of a million hours of service to the state of Minnesota. During the 2008 ServiceNation Day of Action event held at the Minnesota state capitol, I was the only organization that represented the service commitments of Minnesota students, and we pledged the third highest amount of hours of all organizations present. I’ve spent the last 2 years taking advise from those older and wiser than me, and building up a strong support network of partners including Ashoka’s Youth Venture, Youth Service America, Children for Children, National Youth Leadership Council, the United Way, Student Councils and National Honor Societies, Campus Compact, and the Minnesota State Student College Association. I feel confident in having this support network of like-minded individuals and organizations, and am excited to continue developing SVF with their help. Last November, SVF distributed over 30 Student Action Grants™ for Campus Compact’s non-partisan effort to engage college students in the election. As a brand new organization, I was told by Campus Compact that SVF had accomplished the most significant impact of any state. We continue to gain support from our partners and plan to launch our programs in 11 states across the Midwest next fall. My goal is to inform 1,000 different student groups and mobilize over 100,000 students to impact the lives of over 1,000,000 people by next fall. Overly ambitious and slightly naive? Maybe. Possible? Absolutely!