A newly released NSW Youth Volunteering Guidelines will help support and boost youth volunteering in the state.
Launched today during ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Volunteer Week (20 to 26 May), the guidelines are underpinned by 3 overarching pillars- Recruit, Retain and Recognise.
Extensive research and consultation were undertaken by the NSW Government, including gathering information from young people and volunteer organisations to ensure the guidelines are a valuable and useful resource.
The are an initiative under the NSW Volunteering Strategy 2020-2030, which is focused on engaging young volunteers to strengthen the sector’s future sustainability.
The NSW State of Volunteering Report 2023 showed that young people are volunteering at higher rates than ever, with 35% of volunteers under the age of 30, and 70% of all people under the age of 25 engaging in some form of volunteering activity.
The guidelines were developed in response to recommendations made by the NSW Volunteering Taskforce set up to build the capacity of volunteer organisations to recruit, train, manage and recognise young people as active volunteers.
The new guidelines will provide advice and guidance to organisations on how to best strengthen youth participation in the volunteering sector, in particular tapping into the different skills they bring to encourage them to volunteer.
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Minister for Youth Rose Jackson said:
“We need to foster the next generation of compassionate, socially conscious individuals to lead the charge in the volunteering sector.
“We want to encourage more young people to reap the benefits of volunteering and effectively engage with them to recognise their valuable contribution. These guidelines provide guidance, strategies, and ideas around how to do this.
“It’s especially important to increase participation of young people from diverse backgrounds, including from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities, which will effectively result in volunteering having a greater impact on the people and communities it supports.”
Minister with responsibility for Volunteering Jodie Harrison said:
“The NSW Government is committed to increasing opportunities for youth-led volunteering initiatives that forge supportive, community-based partnerships between young people and volunteer organisations.
“Young people across NSW are talented, highly capable, and full of fresh ideas, all of which are valuable assets to our volunteering sector.
“We want to achieve growth in participation by young people, support continued active participation and acknowledge and showcase the contribution young people make to the volunteering sector.
“We need to develop and invest in young people now, so they become the leaders of today and tomorrow. By harnessing the skills and qualities of our young volunteers, we can create a dynamic volunteering sector that is forward-thinking, innovative and embraces everyone’s unique skills.”
Youth Leader with St John’s Ambulance’s Bankstown Cadets Division Trist Wang said:
“When I started volunteering with St John Ambulance, I had 2 things in mind. I wanted to engage in community work and meet people outside of school. But it quickly became so much more.
“My role right now involves leading and mentoring young people who are the same age I was when I first started volunteering. I tell them that volunteering is about enacting a scalable impact on your community. It’s fulfilling and fun, and but also builds character, friendship and growth.”
