Simple Acts: A Busy Teen's Guide to Making A Difference

Simple Acts The Busy Teen’s Guide to Making a Difference by Natalie Silverstein

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Young people can make a difference in the world no matter how busy they are. Simple Acts shows them how, with easy and practical tips, activities and resources that will inspire teens to add intentional acts of kindness and service to their everyday lives.

Simple Acts equips ‘tweens and teens with the hands-on tools and know-how they need to make small but meaningful change, such as:

discovering their passion and purpose
honoring happy occasions by giving back
raising money and awareness for the causes they care about
harnessing the power of social media to spread positive messages
understanding social entrepreneurship

A passionate advocate for family and youth service, Natalie Silverstein, MPH, wrote Simple Acts to inspire a more realistic approach to service for young people, a more organic way to make the world a better place: one simple act at a time.

Reviews

“When I was looking for ways to engage in service and acts of kindness with my family, I turned to Natalie Silverstein and Simple Acts. The Busy Teen’s Guide to Making a Difference inspires the next generation of changemakers to find their passion for service and provides the tools they need to make a meaningful difference in the world, one small act at a time.”
–Laura Benanti, Tony Award-winning actress, author and activist

“In this follow up to her Simple Acts: The Busy Family’s Guide to Giving Back, Silverstein encourages and inspires teens that – even with their busy schedules – they still have time to do simple acts of kindness and giving that make a positive difference. She makes it seem not only possible, but incredibly simple (as the title suggests!). Let’s get this book into the hands of teens everywhere, because it’s their turn to make a positive difference in the world.”
–Audrey Monke, Camp Director, Speaker, Podcaster, Author of Happy Campers: 9 Summer Camp Secrets for Raising Kids Who Become Thriving Adults

“Research tells us that not only does giving back help our communities, it also our helps our tweens + teens manage their stress and anxiety. This is the perfect roadmap for our adolescents to do good in order to do well.”
–Vanessa Kroll Bennett and Dr. Cara Natterson, Co-hosts of The Puberty Podcast

“Simple Acts: The busy teen’s guide to making a difference is a gift to any family who values raising a teen with kindness, generosity, and a sense of community. This book is not only inspirational, it helps aspirations become a reality by including actionable ideas and practical resources to get started and sustain a life of giving and empathy.”

–Dr. Sheryl Ziegler, author, Mommy Burnout: how to reclaim your life and raise healthier children in the process

“As teenagers figure out how to become the purpose-driven leaders of the future, perhaps the most important thing they can do is find ways to engage in volunteerism and philanthropy. Natalie Silverstein’s new book, Simple Acts: The Busy Teen’s Guide to Making a Difference is a great tool to help them get started on this journey. Covering topics like social entrepreneurship, fundraising, and social media as a force for good, it is an approachable, actionable resource guide for today’s busy teen’s who care about making an impact on the world.”
–Lindsey Pollak, NYT best-selling author, speaker and multi-generational workplace expert

“Natalie Silverstein’s Simple Acts: The Busy Teen’s Guide to Making a Difference should be in the hands of every teen who wants to lead through their values and build a purposeful life. Silverstein shows teenagers (just like my own) how they can harness their passion for purpose into giving back and social entrpreneurship—preparing the leaders of tomorrow to make work and life better for us all.”
–Erica Keswin, workplace strategist and bestselling author of Bring Your Human to Work and Rituals Roadmap

“As the parent of two soon-to-be teenagers, this book is perfectly timed for our family. Simple Acts: The Busy Teen’s Guide to Making a Difference is aligned with my goals of encouraging my kids to live with authenticity and intentionality. Filled with tools, tips and resources to help busy ‘tweens and teens figure out their “why” – their purpose and passion – Simple Acts empowers young people to use their time, skills and energy to help others.”
– Fran Hauser, speaker, investor and author of The Myth of the Nice Girl and Embrace the Work, Love Your Career

“I have never seen such a comprehensive, step-by-step guide that connects all of the dots: helping others, volunteering and making kind acts part of daily lives. Simple Acts: The Busy Teen’s Guide to Making a Difference puts actionable steps and resources at the teens’ fingertips and provides clarity with overwhelming. Simple Acts should be required reading for all middle and high school students. I recommend it to all proactive parents who want to raise teens with kindness and purpose. Excellent resource for families!”
–Kimberly King, sexual abuse prevention expert and author of I Said No! A kid to kid guide to keeping private parts private

“As a mother of two teenagers and a little one living in New York City, finding time for service can feel daunting, often like another thing on the endless checklist. Silverstein helps reframe service in this book, helping teens identify which issues matter to them, how they can most effectively help and why it’s so important to act now. She offers practical advice, substantiated by thorough research, that helps teens integrate service into their lives in a meaningful and organic way. This is a book every teen should read, then read again, then pass it to a friend.”
–Elyssa Friedland, bestselling author of Last Summer at the Golden Hotel, The Floating Feldmans and The Intermission

“Do you want your teen to get involved in worthwhile endeavors but don’t want to nag? Let this inspiring book, Simple Acts, chock full of hundreds of ideas do the talking. It’s laid out in user- friendly chapters that speak to tweens and teens to help them identify how they can contribute to our planet in meaningful, fun, and personal ways. Silverstein has distilled it all down for teens so they can just peruse chapters and answer some self-reflection questions to find as many (or as few) ways that they can contribute to both their home and greater community whether local or worldwide. Simple Acts appeals to both teen leaders and teen worker bees. What an excellent and well researched resource! Help your teen get off their device or the couch or out of bed and invest time helping others in ways they will enjoy. And in our new world there also loads of ways to work virtually if that is more appealing to them, too! It’s all here!”
–Cynthia C. Muchnick, speaker, educational consultant, and author of six education-related books and co-author of The Parent Compass: Navigating Your Teen’s Wellness and Academic Journey in Today’s Competitive World