Being involved in clubs is a great way to make new friends!

Want to learn about a certain issue? Want to get involved in your community? You could always read books or volunteer on your own, but things like this can be much more fun when other people are doing them too!

Perhaps your school already has clubs or student organizations that meet after school. Don’t be afraid to join a club even if you don’t know anybody else in it. Groups like this can be the perfect way to both make friends AND make a difference.

If your school doesn’t have any clubs that relate to what you are interested in, start one! There are many different kinds of clubs you could try to get going. Your club can be whatever you, your friends and other kids in your school want it to be. Here are some different sorts of clubs you could start, but don’t be limited by these suggestions. Use your imagination!

• Community service: Volunteer as a group on Saturday mornings or after school. You could pick a specific organization to volunteer with for a whole school year, or you could go to a different nonprofit each week.
• Social justice: Meet after school one day a week to talk about a particular issue. Everyone could bring in a news article to share with the group, or perhaps you could take turns teaching each other about something you know.
• Environmental: As a group, plan a service project such as cleaning up a local park or making posters about water conservation. Then get all your friends to help!

Ask your teacher or your parents about starting a club at your school. They might have ideas of their own, or they might even want to be a part of it! You might be surprised how many people will be interested in your club.