Frederick Douglass’ advice is a blueprint for a brighter future for men in America. Unfortunately, fewer and fewer men are volunteering in the lives of young men, and the number of male educators has been dropping consistently over the past 30 years. According to the American Institute for Boys and Men, only 27% of men volunteered in 2023, five points lower than women. At the same time, the share of male teachers has dropped from 30% in 1988 to 23% in 2022. 

According to professor and author Scott Galloway, “The single greatest point of failure when a young boy comes off the tracks is when he loses a male role model.” With boys falling behind in schools while struggling with anxiety and depression at home, we are reaping the effects of the lack of male volunteers in our communities and schools. 

April is National Volunteer Month, an opportunity to celebrate the men and women who sacrifice their time to support a worthy cause. And as the world celebrates the 50th Anniversary of National Volunteer Month, we not only recognize the impact volunteers have on others, but we also appreciate the lasting benefit giving one’s time has on the volunteer. 

Americans increasingly support mandatory national service, with more than two-thirds of Americans backing it for 18-22 year-olds. Surprisingly, that support is even higher among young people ages 18-24, three-quarters of whom back mandatory national service. Parents support requiring their children to serve with such programs as the Big Brothers Big Brothers of America, AmeriCorps, Teacher For America, City Year or the United States Peace Corps. The largest group of parents with children expected to serve (ages 38 to 44) endorse mandatory national service at a rate of 62%. 

Volunteering also benefits the volunteers, especially for men who are reporting to be more lonely and less connected to their communities. The data is clear, volunteering will give men more social connection, positive health outcomes, and better mental health. The irony is that while young boys need male mentors and teachers, programs that offer volunteer opportunities are reporting less and less participation by men. 

In March, I celebrated Peace Corps Week and my time as an education volunteer in South Africa. Peace Corps Week honors how the service opportunity fosters connections and contributes to meaningful change — in the United States and around the world. Since 1961, over 240,000 American men and women have dedicated over two years of their life to serving in more than 60 developing countries around the world. Today more than 3,000 Peace Corps volunteers are serving: 56% of them are female, while about 44% are male. 

The shortage of men volunteering is not limited to international work; women are outpacing men at home too. Big Brother Big Sisters of America reports that more than 70% of children on their waitlist are boys because of a lack of Big Brothers. Similarly, only 32% of AmeriCorps volunteers, 34% of Teach For America members, and 39% of City Year volunteers are men. 

My time as a Peace Corps volunteer over 25 years ago sparked my career in education. My own experience makes me believe that targeting male volunteers could be the answer to closing the gap of male teachers in America. Nearly 40% of all Peace Corps volunteers are focused on the education sector in their host country, the largest group among all the programs. Men who serve as education volunteers are trained to teach subjects like English as a foreign language , math, science and special education in a foreign country. 

The experience these men gain serving in their host communities is often brought home and applied locally when they return. Nearly two-thirds of volunteers who serve as teachers in the Peace Corps work in the education section in America upon completion of their service. Similarly, more than half of the men and women who complete their City Year service work in education. 

States are already leading. Maryland requires 75 hours of community service for students to qualify for graduation and has just launched a “Young Men and Boys Initiative” to increase mentor recruitment and create pathways for young men. 

Other states have worked to promote volunteering as well, including: 

• California launched a statewide initiative seeking 10,000 men to serve as mentors, tutors and coaches to combat rising suicide rates, social disconnection and declining college attendance among young men. 
• Washington enacted a National Mentoring Month campaign to address the need for male mentors.
• Virginia created a Boys to Men Mentoring Network with local chapters focusing on young men.
• Arizona partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America to launch a statewide campaign to recruit male mentors.
• Wisconsin organized events to help recruit Black male mentors for young boys.

Nonprofits and male membership organizations have begun taking the lead as well. Big Brothers Big Sisters of America are partnering with greek letter membership organizations like Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi and Omega Psi Phi to increase the number of African-American male mentors.

In Georgia, the National Parents Union celebrates their NPU Parent Week of Action by encouraging men to volunteer in local schools. Through NPU and Black Male Educators, fathers and father-figures serve as bus monitors and crossing guards. The program has been a tremendous success leading to volunteers even becoming bus drivers. In other instances, these organizations are connecting fathers with opportunities to volunteer in classrooms reading to students. Introducing fathers into their children’s schools as volunteers could be the first step to them becoming teachers. 

We can do this, we can connect men with volunteer opportunities that give them meaning and purpose. For men who volunteer and find passion in mentoring young men and boys, opportunities to transition into teaching should be easier and less expensive. We need more male teachers; being laser focused on partnering with volunteer programs could be a silver bullet.

With more than $680,000 in grant funding available this year for Arkansas schools and the launch of a volunteer program to help students complete new graduation requirements, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has brightened its spotlight on conservation education.

Both efforts help to build long-term support for conservation, which is one of the parameters the commission uses to measure its success, spokesperson Randy Zellers said.

“Right now there are boys and girls who want to know more about the outdoors, but their schools may not have the resources available to truly devote toward anything outside of core curriculum,” Zellers said. “These grants and volunteer opportunities give them the means to expand their educational offerings and capture the interest of some of those students.”

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The $682,472 in available funding comes from boating and wildlife fines collected in fiscal year 2024 and any unspent money from schools in previous years. The funds stay within the county where the fines were collected and the .

The variance tends to correlate to the public recreation opportunities offered in each county, Zellers said.

Arkansas County, which includes Stuttgart, a renowned duck hunting destination, accrued the most fines at $36,170, according to the Game and Fish Commission. The next highest amount, $26,563, was collected in White County where bass, crappie, bream and catfish are popular catches in Bald Knob Lake.

“However, increased opportunity doesn’t always lead to an increase in wildlife violations or fine money collected,” Zellers said. “One egregious incident with a poacher being caught with multiple violations at once may result in thousands of dollars in fines on its own.”

In the coming weeks, applications for grants will be available through the , which is part of the Arkansas Department of Economic Development. Grants can be used to fund programs such as and .

The money can also be spent on projects like butterfly habitats and field trips to nature centers, hatcheries or wildlife management areas.

“The experience may vary from student to student, but teamwork, leadership and long-term commitment are all traits developed through conservation education opportunities,” Zellers said.

Approximately $537,000 was . Approved items included bee houses and hummingbird feeders for a pollinator garden at Dewitt Elementary school, construction materials for an outdoor classroom at a Bradley County school and animal skins, track and skull replicas in Franklin County.

Current applications are open through Oct. 3.

Volunteer program

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission also recently announced a new volunteer program aimed at helping high schools students complete 75 hours of community service hours, which is now a graduation requirement under the .

Along with many other changes the sweeping education law brought upon Arkansas schools last year, the LEARNS Act implemented a community service requirement for all students, unless they secure a waiver. Reasons for obtaining a waiver could include major illness, homelessness or if the student is a primary contributor to their household income.

, Arkansas Department of Education Deputy Commissioner Stacy Smith said the new graduation requirement would help students build pride in and connection to their communities.

Each district is allowed to define what community service can include, though the policy must be posted to the district website, require an adult to sign off on the student’s community service hours and include preparation, action and reflection components required for a student to receive credit.

The Arkansas Game and Fish program opens the door to students who are “interested in giving back to conservation as well as their community,” according to a press release. School district officials will need to to register for opportunities before students can participate.

“We’re trying to offer a variety of experiences so students can find something they can enjoy doing and feel like they contributed once the work is done,” said Leah Hughes, the commission’s volunteer program coordinator. “Having worked at many of our events myself, I can tell you that it can be so fun and fulfilling that you might have a hard time stopping at those minimum hours required.”

Volunteer opportunities will give students a peek into the everyday tasks of those who work for the commission with activities such as trail cleanups, fishing derbies and archery tournaments.

“Conservation education is paramount to the [commission’s] mission of conserving and enhancing wildlife and their habitats while promoting sustainable use, public understanding and support,” Zellers said. “It’s not just about hunting and fishing, but about all aspects of conservation, responsible water usage, understanding our role in the world around us and how what we do affects everything downstream from us.”

is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Arkansas Advocate maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sonny Albarado for questions: info@arkansasadvocate.com. Follow Arkansas Advocate on and .

Even after we moved out of the shelter, there were times I feared we would have to return. It was a scary ordeal because we lived with different people each night. Sometimes those people were not happy and made life difficult. That experience made me appreciate having food and a permanent home. It also made me want to give back and help others.

That’s why, when I was 9 years old, I created a nonprofit organization to supply many of the things students experiencing homelessness may need. I started the because I saw a lady and her children begging for food outside a grocery store. After learning they were homeless and hungry, I knew I wanted to do something to help because I had been in their shoes before I was adopted. 

Now, my organization fills Ziploc Gallon storage bags with food that can be eaten right out of the bag and toiletry items that they need to have good hygiene. I also include words of encouragement such as the Daily Bread, which is a booklet that gives inspirational readings for each day, or handwritten notes to give recipients hope that better days are coming and can help their mental well-being.

Before school starts, we give out book bags and school supplies so youth experiencing homelessness have what they need to be ready for school.  We also give socks, hats, gloves, coats and scarves to help them prepare for the cold weather. I wish I could help more but I do know that what I do does make a difference and that makes me feel good.

But my work is not enough on its own. It is important for the schools to understand the challenges faced by youth experiencing homelessness or living in temporary housing. They need help to navigate these challenges and support them through these tough times. This is what I think leaders and educators should understand, based on my personal experiences and my volunteer work.

Some of the problems homeless students face are not having shelter so they have issues with feeling insecure and they also experience a problem with absences. Since attendance issues are something they deal with, it leads to other problems. These students usually lack emotional support from parents or guardians because they are so overwhelmed. The parents or guardians sometimes do not know what they are going to eat or where they will sleep. This causes students to feel like they don’t belong and can negatively impact their mental health. Students experiencing homelessness report feeling depressed at than students who have homes and loving families. 

Being homeless can also lead to behavioral issues, causing problems in school, especially if people know your situation. Sometimes behavioral problems arise because students are ashamed to be around others, especially when they have poor hygiene and don’t smell so good. Students are often bullied, talked about and shunned because of their poor hygiene. Poor hygiene can also lead to issues like bad breath, body odor and poor health. 

One of my most memorable experiences with my organization was giving out book bags, and toiletries at a hotel that temporarily housed some homeless residents. A little 6-year-old girl ran up and hugged me really tight and kept thanking me because in her bag, she received some deodorant. She was so excited that she would have deodorant to put on and did not have to worry about people talking about how she smelled.

Homeless students may suffer from illnesses and accidents more than their peers. Since they do not always get the right health care, their bodies may not be in good shape and they may have dental issues. These students often face hunger issues. For many students living in poverty, schools are not just a place for learning but also for eating regular meals. Many students dread the summer months because they know they will not have regular meals like when school is going on. This also can contribute to them feeling depressed at higher rates than students who are not homeless.

Their living situations can lead to academic challenges. These homeless students do not have stable situations to learn and study. Sometimes they are moved from school to school. Many times they lack school supplies, which also affect their grades.

School leaders can support these youth by keeping a close check on them to assist them with any needs they have. It is important to make sure they have the materials necessary to complete school assignments. It is also important to make sure that the mental and emotional needs are met as well. If we pay attention to these things, we will help even our homeless youth to have some amount of success.