Volunteers On Call Launches Youth Service Fellowship

Volunteers On Call is now accepting applications to its new Youth Service in Action (YSA) Fellowship. The fellowship is an educational and experiential program for Fairfield County teenagers who want to build leadership skills, create a community around service, and change the world for the better.

Fellows will receive the guidance and resources necessary to design and implement a group service project, as well as an independent philanthropic initiative pertaining to an issue area of personal significance.

Throughout the program, students will learn how to fundraise, apply for grants, collaborate with partner organizations, and spread awareness to benefit a specific cause.

The fellowship will run through the 2014-2015 school year and meet once a week at the YWCA in Greenwich.

The YSA Fellowship is a program of Volunteers On Call, a non-profit organization that seeks to raise public awareness about the value of volunteerism and connect residents of Fairfield County with meaningful domestic and international service opportunities. Executive Director Juliana Collamer was inspired to start the YSA Fellowship after her own experience with youth service as a student at Greenwich High School.

“During my sophomore year at GHS, I realized that I wanted to be a force for good in the world, but didn’t know where to begin,” Collamer said in a release. “As a result, my early community service efforts were scattered and did not make the significant impact I desired.”

Collamer says she is thrilled to be launching a program to teach local teens how to constructively harness their passion for service and realize the change they wish to see in the world.

High school students who attend public or private schools in Fairfield County are eligible to become YSA Fellows.

Outstanding eighth graders may also apply. There are two rounds of applications, ending respectively on July 31st and August 31st. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so students are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

For more information on the Youth Service in Action fellowship, visit the Volunteers on Call website. Contact Juliana Collamer at [email protected] for additional questions or comments.

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