<p>I'm making this thread somewhat impulsively, but I thought that I might as well see if I could acquire any opinions/ideas regarding this concept. </p>
<p>I recently started attending an online school, and while I love it, I'm not as exposed to other people outside of online communication. I've been able to develop friendships with some of the students at my school (both in classes and in high school clubs), but the lack of "real" local interaction has served as somewhat of a detrimental factor. </p>
<p>Thus, my question is, what are some possible ways for me to get more involved in my community/be around others? I'm still friends with some people from my old school, but I haven't been as intimate with them ever since I switched schools. I've considered volunteering more, though the amount of volunteer programs and opportunities that I'm aware of in my community are limited.</p>
<p>Have you looked very hard for volunteering opportunties? I ask because often we find out all kinds of things when we start digging hard for info. Have you begun to ask around? Ask the people you know in your community (all ages) for volunteering ideas. You may be surprised to learn about opportunities that you didn’t know existed. Have you gone to your local town hall and asked? They may not publish some opportunities because there are so few, but would be happy to share opportunities with a teen who is brave enough to ask. </p>
<p>You may also need to think outside the box a bit. Also, there are clubs for kids who are not in school. Scouting and 4-H come to mind. Also, there are sports opportunities for teens who are not in a public school - swim team, martial arts classes/leagues, town sports (you may try joining an adult league - a homescholing teen I know did this and had a blast), community theater (theater is not just for actors as there are many behind the scenes jobs - but everyone goes to the cast parties!). I’m sure that others will have even more ideas.</p>
<p>I receive a teen guide in the mail that includes a list of volunteer activities, so I usually participate in those. However, the majority of other volunteer positions seem to be oriented around adults. That could be because most students are in school though.</p>
<p>I guess that’s what I’ll have to do then. I’ve just been doing some basic research in my area and going through our local guide. I didn’t realize that I could go directly to my local town hall. It usually just seems empty when I visit that area but maybe there are opportunities posted or listed somewhere in the building.</p>
<p>Would you advise that I go to one of their meetings? I’m not sure if teenagers are allowed to attend but perhaps I could email them. </p>
<p>I’ll try to concentrate on digging deeper, in addition to sending emails to local organizations though. Thanks for your suggestions!</p>
<p>You probably have a local United Way that knows about opportunities with social service agencies. Your school system may require community service and keep lists of places. Idealist is an online site that lists nonprofit volunteer and job options all over the world. Before you start, think about your own interests. People? Animals? Old? Young? Sick? Do you want to learn new skills or improve a current one?</p>
<p>My online school doesn’t require a certain amount of community service hours, but I’ll try to search for a local United Way.</p>
<p>I’ll consider those questions as well. I was thinking about volunteering at a terminally ill center, but I’m not sure if I could cope with that opportunity on an emotional level. Perhaps I could volunteer at some senior events instead.</p>
<p>Thanks for your assistance!</p>
<p>Not sure if it’s possible where you live, but my kids although homeschooled were still involved with extra-curricular activities at the local high school. Also, you might want to consider adding a community college class or two, and that would be a way to also check out student activities at the community college.</p>
<p>The local public schools in my area don’t enable homeschool students to participate in their clubs, but I might consider taking some community college classes. I didn’t realize that they offered student activities.</p>
<p>Thanks for your help.</p>