Image Credit - © Salty Dingo 2023
About Young Volunteers
70.7% of young people in New South Wales volunteer. Altogether, they make up more than one third (35.6%) of the volunteering community.
The Centre actively develops and provides resources to support and encourage youth volunteering.
Why Engage Young People?
Young volunteers possess many strengths that organisations can benefit from, including:
- Passion, energy and enthusiasm
- Openness to new ideas and innovation
- Adaptability and willingness to change
- Ability to grow into roles and assume greater responsibilities over time
- Familiarity with technology, social media, and diversity and inclusion
For volunteer involving organisations, looking to engage young volunteers is a fantastic goal, but it’s important to understand best practice to avoid risk and improve outcomes for everyone involved.
Young people are volunteering at higher rates than ever, with 35.6% of volunteers in NSW being under the age of 30
The Centre for Volunteering CEO Gemma RygateYouth Volunteering Resources
While many young people are active in the community, some still face barriers to volunteering. To empower both volunteers and volunteer involving organisations to break these barriers, The Centre offers the following free resources:
Bridge to Volunteering Workshops
Bridge to Volunteering Workshops
Running weekly on Fridays, The Centre offers free introductory workshops to support young people to start volunteering.
Breaking Down Barriers eLearning
Breaking Down Barriers eLearning
The Centre has developed, in partnership with SoulGen, a free eLearning course on how to engage, retain and redesign for young volunteers.
Find a Volunteer Role
Find a Volunteer Role
The Centre advertises hundreds of volunteer roles on its website. Volunteer involving organisations are pleased to welcome young volunteers.
Increasing Volunteer Participation for Student Migrant Communities
Student Migrant Volunteers
The Centre partnered with the AusLEAP program (University of Technology of Sydney) for the development of a free eLearning package to support volunteer leaders to engage newly arrived migrants as volunteers. It especially focuses on engaging international students.
The modules included cover:
- The demographics of migrant volunteers
- Common challenges faced by student migrant volunteers
- Overcoming barriers to student migrant volunteers
- Strategies for creating a successful volunteer journey
"Out of Work and Into Volunteering" Resources
“Out of Work and Into Volunteering” Resources
In partnership with The Centre, South Eastern Community Connect (SECC) has developed 4 eLearning modules with marketing strategies to encourage people aged 18-24 in a season of unemployment to volunteer.
The eLearning includes:
- Course Introduction
- Marketing Methods
- Creating Content
- Tools and Resources
Voices of Volunteering Podcast Channel
Voices of Volunteering
The Centre hosts two series on the Voices of Volunteering podcast channel:
- Let’s Talk Volunteering, covering best practice for volunteer managers to ensure the best experience for all volunteers
- The Local Legends podcast, showcasing volunteer stories and opportunities for young people to get inspired
Working With Children Check
Working With Children Check
Working with young people sometimes requires a Working With Children Check (WWCC). On the Knowledge Base, we break down the specifics for volunteer involving organisations in New South Wales.
National Student Volunteer Week
National Student Volunteer Week (5-11 August 2024) is a great way to acknowledge and celebrate young volunteers.
Historically, students have always taken an active interest in the wellbeing of others. This year’s theme, Generation Impact, perfectly captures the powerful ways young people are making a difference in their communities.