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Younger people change the face of volunteering ... International Volunteer Day - Monday 5 December
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They take it seriously, they're out there, and they're keen ...
Young people are volunteering in increasing numbers, and research suggests that there are many more out there willing to offer their time; organisations just need to be savvy about attracting them with the right range of programs.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, one of the biggest growth areas in volunteering is people aged between 18 - 24, with an increase from 17 per cent in 1995 to 27 per cent in 2000.
Other research findings indicate that youth volunteer rates may be even higher, with 52 per cent of respondents to a National Youth Affairs Research Scheme (NYARS) report stating that they participated in community volunteer work.
Australian Red Cross CEO Robert Tickner said the Red Cross strongly encouraged people of all ages to volunteer. But he noted the organisation was attracting more and more young volunteers for a range of diverse community programs.
'Contrary to popular belief, many young people are community-minded and want to contribute something meaningful to their community. |
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Adrian Ling enjoys getting out
outside the square he lives in
by volunteering with Australian Red Cross
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'The key is providing volunteering opportunities that are flexible enough to fit into their busy lifestyle of juggling work, study and social commitments, while also giving them a sense of belonging and the opportunity to meet other volunteers their age.'
Australian Red Cross estimates that nearly 20 per cent of its volunteers are under the age of 35.
When young people consider volunteering, most of them look for three aspects in particular:
- Activities that engage their passions and interests and give them opportunities to put their values and convictions into action;
- Activities that involve other young volunteers and / or young people as the object of the volunteer activity, and
- Activities where they can see that their help is needed and their efforts have an impact.
Australian Red Cross has found that younger people often tend to be active in more sensitive areas or with marginalised groups - such as its yconnect? Juvenile Justice Program in Victoria (where volunteers played sport with young people in Juvenile Justice Centres), or Save-A-Mate, which works to prevent and reduce the harms associated with substance use, particularly among young people.
In Victoria, yconnect?, provides meaningful and rewarding volunteer opportunities for 18 - 35 year-olds. The group has had a more than 60 per cent increase in volunteers over the past year, bringing the total number to 420. Volunteers participate in activities such as a school holiday program for young refugees and asylum seekers, visiting children in hospital over Easter, Christmas and Halloween, and playing sport with young people in Juvenile Justice Centres.
The spirit of yconnect? is evident in 29-year-old Adrian Ling of South Yarra. Not content just to work 12-hour days as a surgical registrar / trainee surgeon, he volunteers with Red Cross, starting out fours years ago as a volunteer at the Red Cross Herald Sun Murray Marathon.
Since then he has volunteered in most of the yconnect? programs and organises the annual fundraising trivia nights. On top of that, this year he completed his first Melbourne Marathon.
'It's also good to be part of a respected worldwide organisation such as the Red Cross. Young people often do lead busy lives, but we still need to gain a bigger understanding of the world around us, and volunteering helps us do that.'
Monday 5 December is International Volunteer Day, a day in which organisations can thank their volunteer staff.
For information about volunteering with Australian Red Cross, phone volunteer development coordinator Lisa Baker on (03) 8327 7738 or go to our Volunteering Page or yconnect? page.
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