generationOn is the global youth service movement igniting the power of all kids to make their mark on the world.  As the new youth division of Points of Light Institute, its mission is to inspire, equip, and mobilize youth to take action that changes the world and themselves through service. 

generationOn has brought the nation’s leading youth service organizations and programs under one umbrella including New York-based Children for Children, The League, Learning to Give and Points of Light’s KidsCare Clubs, HandsOn Schools and HandsOn Network’s youth-driven programs.  By partnering with teachers, parents, schools, community organizations and businesses, generationOn gives kids the opportunity to see firsthand the issues in their communities and the tools and resources they need to respond and become part of the solution. 

The resources, curriculum and programs of generationOn represent the collective best practices, created from more than 20 years of work in the youth and family service field. This includes over 30 youth programs and 1,800 Kids Care Clubs that engage more than two million young people in all 50 states and abroad.

Defining Youth Service

What do all these terms such as "volunteering", "giving", "service-learning", "community service" and "youth service" mean? Is it important to distinguish them? 

"Volunteering" is typically understood to mean giving one's time and talent to help others. "Giving" is often used to refer to contributing money or other in-kind resources to help others. "Community service" is any project or activity that is performed for the benefit of the public or its institutions. "Service-Learning" combines service objectives and learning objectives with the intent that the activity benefits both the recipient and the provider of the service. This is accomplished by combining service activities with structured opportunities that link the task to self-reflection, self-discovery, and the acquisition and comprehension of values, skills, and knowledge. "Youth service" encompasses both service-learning and community service. When generationOn uses "youth service," we include the concept of giving resources, as well as hands-on volunteering.

Who benefits from generationOn?

Through service-learning and volunteering, generationOn's programs give young people the skills they need to become leaders in their communities.

generationOn's Programs

• Help young people learn to volunteer and give from an early age by providing and promoting meaningful service opportunities that accommodate a wide range of ages, abilities and interests.
• Generate valuable resources for schools and teachers in underserved communities, and engage youth and families in helping their broader community.
• Provide a continuum of youth-service projects, lesson plans, and curriculum that span the full breadth of development - from early childhood through high school.
• Reach out to kids, families, schools, educators and community youth organizations.