Volunteer vs youth care specialist

The differences between volunteers and youth care specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a volunteer and a youth care specialist. Additionally, a youth care specialist has an average salary of $38,955, which is higher than the $31,227 average annual salary of a volunteer.

The top three skills for a volunteer include child care, patient charts and patient care. The most important skills for a youth care specialist are customer service, patients, and CPR.

Volunteer vs youth care specialist overview

	Volunteer	Youth Care Specialist
Yearly salary	$31,227	$38,955
Hourly rate	$15.01	$18.73
Growth rate	12%	12%
Number of jobs	9,583	133,042
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	12	12

What does a volunteer do?

Volunteers are usually unpaid individuals who render their service to a company or organization. Most of the time, volunteers are skilled in specific areas needed by the organization but prefer to provide free service. They may be employed in another organization, but they lend their time and talent to another organization or company to give back to the community. They raise funds, create awareness, and work on the ground. Volunteers usually choose a cause or advocacy close to their heart, such as teaching children, taking care of the elderly, coaching sports teams, cleaning up communities, and caring for animals.

What does a youth care specialist do?

Youth care specialists are social experts who coordinate programs for children and young people who need care while being away from their own families for some reason. These specialists are required to maintain a safe environment in the community so that children will feel safe, cared for, and nurture. They must lead various seminars for youths about topics such as job readiness, financial literacy, and higher education. They must also communicate the concerns and other important information to a child's assigned social worker and provide back-up support to case managers if needed.

Volunteer vs youth care specialist salary

Volunteers and youth care specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Volunteer	Youth Care Specialist
Average salary	$31,227	$38,955
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $41,000	Between $24,000 And $62,000
Highest paying City	-	Annapolis, MD
Highest paying state	-	Maryland
Best paying company	-	Delaware State Government
Best paying industry	-	Government

Differences between volunteer and youth care specialist education

There are a few differences between a volunteer and a youth care specialist in terms of educational background:

	Volunteer	Youth Care Specialist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Most common major	Business	Psychology
Most common college	California State University - Fullerton	SUNY at Binghamton

Volunteer vs youth care specialist demographics

Here are the differences between volunteers' and youth care specialists' demographics:

	Volunteer	Youth Care Specialist
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 36.0% Female, 64.0%	Male, 37.4% Female, 62.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 7.3% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2%	Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 6.0% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between volunteer and youth care specialist duties and responsibilities

Volunteer example responsibilities.

Develop and manage web presence, including Facebook account and other social media business accounts!
Train staff members on managing contacts, scheduling programs, and running analytic reports with the Salesforce program.
Lead team-building exercises and facilitate group discussions on leadership topics.
Assist in achieving and maintaining DoD certification and national accreditation where applicable.
Supervise and maintain safe play for children's soccer games.
Teach GED to refugees and survivors of torture seeking to enroll in college.

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Youth care specialist example responsibilities.

Provide individualize intervention for problematic behaviors using TCI techniques such as de-escalation, to prevent and/or manage crisis.
Transport FEMA trailers and levele foundation using bulldozers and bobcats.
Maintain current credentials and certifications as required such as such as CPR and first aid certifications.
Provide everyday living activity for autistic individuals, pass medicine, dress patients, help with communication, and restrain patients.
Retain proper certifications for cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, first aid, driver's license and insurance.

Volunteer vs youth care specialist skills

Common volunteer skills

Child Care, 12%
Patient Charts, 10%
Patient Care, 10%
Front Desk, 9%
Community Outreach, 9%
Mathematics, 9%

Common youth care specialist skills

Customer Service, 18%
Patients, 13%
CPR, 6%
Direct Care, 6%
Social Work, 5%
Cleanliness, 5%

Volunteer vs. similar jobs

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Volunteer jobs by location

Updated January 8, 2025

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