Editor’s note: This is the third of a five-part series on volunteer opportunities in Ames. Anyone interested in volunteering can call the Volunteer Center of Story County at 232-2736, the ISU Volunteer Placement Center at 294-5254, or Heidi Heilskov of YSS at 232-4331. Also, a new project by the ISU chapter of Habitat for Humanity will be announced at 9 a.m. Wednesday at the intramural fields east of Jack Trice Stadium .

For students looking to volunteer their free time, Youth and Shelter Services (YSS) offers opportunities to work with troubled youth.

YSS, a private nonprofit organization, works with youth in crisis situations. This includes runaways, chemically dependent teens and young moms and dads.

Heidi Heilskov, volunteer coordinator for YSS, said she receives an average of five to 10 calls per week from ISU students interested in volunteering. Heilskov also said that at any one time, there are 20 to 25 ISU students working as YSS volunteers.

Heilskov said most ISU students work in the residential facilities. These include the Seven-12 House, which provides treatment for chemically dependent teens, and Rosedale Shelter, a temporary home for teens estranged from their families.

“Students serve as mentors — positive role models,” Heilskov said. “They help with homework; they’re kind of a listening ear. Many of these kids haven’t had too many people listen to them before.”

Alienor Gilchrist, junior in biophysics, volunteers at the Youth Recovery House, a secondary treatment center for substance abuse.

Gilchrist said she volunteered with YSS while in high school and decided to volunteer again when she transferred to ISU last spring.

Volunteers are required to work a minimum of four hours a week, and Gilchrist said she prefers to work all four in one shift.

“Four hours is a good amount of time [to spend with the residents],” Gilchrist said. “You feel like you’re actually getting something done and getting to know people.”

Gilchrist said she was not always as confident about her role with YSS, however.

“At first I felt out of place, and kind of useless,” Gilchrist said. “I didn’t understand my role as a volunteer.”

Gilchrist said residents at the shelter have their activities structured, including supervised study, family group meetings and free time.

“Mainly what I do is interact with the residents,” Gilchrist said. “At first I thought we had nothing in common, but the more I hung out with them, [the more] I realized we had things to talk about.”

Gilchrist said that making time to volunteer is very important to her.

“I was getting annoyed at myself for being so self-absorbed [before I started volunteering],” Gilchrist said. “I wanted to give my time to others instead of always focusing on myself.”

Gilchrist said volunteering may be difficult at first, but the result is worth a few moments of discomfort.

“I think people volunteer because of guilt,” Gilchrist said. “I think getting started is usually the hardest part.”

Gilchrist, who plans to volunteer at the free clinic in Ames, said that it is important to find a volunteer project you enjoy.

“It’s important to volunteer doing something you like doing,” Gilchrist said. “If you’re doing something you don’t like it’s a disservice to you and the people you’re with.

“People think volunteering will automatically be boring,” Gilchrist said. “You can find fun volunteer opportunities where you hang out with people and have a good time.”

Being involved in the community is another important part of volunteering for Gilchrist.

“It’s easy when you’re in college to get absorbed in campus life and not establish ties with the community,” Gilchrist said. “[When you volunteer] you get to see some of the injustice and need in society. You see firsthand the issues facing people in need.

“It benefits a lot of people,” she said.