Are you looking for a new volunteer opportunity? Here is the perfect option for you! YMCA Harris Leaders Club is a volunteer-based organization geared towards leadership and self-development in teens. Leaders Club is a great way to connect, meet new people, and get involved in your community.
Reese Stevenson, a senior at South Mecklenburg High School, is this year’s Leaders Club president. She’s been attending Leaders Club since she was a freshman at South Meck and loves to participate in many other activities around Charlotte. “Leaders is more about self-development than community development but you are developing yourself through lots of volunteering and helping in your community,” said Stevenson.
Stevenson is President and one of the five members of the executive board of Leaders Club. As President, she communicates with her team members to plan Wednesday evening meetings, talk about upcoming events, and offer volunteer outlets for those who would like to participate. “As president, I kind of do a little bit of everything. On the official paper, it says I’m supposed to oversee all of the various jobs and make sure everything is in order. I like to say that I plan a majority of the meetings. We all plan them together but I got through during the week to make sure they are perfected,” stated Stevenson.
During a meeting, members will start altogether or break up into smaller, more manageable groups called “families.” In that group, members do a “rose, bud, thorn” exercise; rose is something we are happy about, bud is something we are looking forward to, and thorn is something that didn’t go so well in the past week. Families are a place to develop a better relationship with peers but also allow a safe place to talk.
“In the beginning, we would do icebreaker meetings and get- to know you’s. Usually, we’ll have one or two bulk activities that will take longer. We try to stay away from doing it every week but typically we do a vespers which is like quiet time, introspection, or time of reflection. Then we’ll close out by doing announcements and a prayer circle.” Stevenson explained.
Leaders Club is held every Wednesday night from 7:00 to 8:30 PM and is open for anyone between the ages of 13 and 18. Registering for the club at the beginning of the year costs $75. Once you are a member, you are expected to show up to 75% of the meetings and complete a total of 100 service hours. You receive 1.5 hours of service just by showing up on Wednesday nights.
My favorite place to volunteer is participating in Homework Helpers. Every day after school, elementary school students take part in this program to get work done, do active outdoor games, and have just a little more time with their school buddies. Homework Helpers is available from three o’clock to six o’clock and open to all who would like to join. These hours will then get added to the volunteer log and will count toward the 100 hours of service.
100 hours of service may seem like a lot, but not when it is contributing to a good cause and adds even more fun to your summer! The reason why 100 hours is required is that it allows you to take part in Blue Ridge Leaders School. BRLS was created in 1922 and has successfully kept its structure by guiding teens to be leaders within the YMCA and for the rest of their lives. It’s a great way to continue acts of service throughout the summer months.
As a member of Leaders, Wednesday evenings are the highlight of my day. I get to see friends that I don’t see at school, participate in games that help me out of my comfort zone, and take part in activities that are not only fun but also help my city. Join today!