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Joe -
submitted 19/02/2010
Personally I believe that Volunteering is not advertised enough, if is more publically shown that volunteering is a brilliant way to help people out, and put a smile on someones face. Many of the younger generation around me, just can't be bothered volunteering, because mainly the reconition is very low. Even if the volunteer work is formal and can be put on a resume, not many employers think much of it. it just seems that the ones who work their buts off, aren't getting rewarded for their hard and timeless work. therefore I think that if employeers were more willing to hire people who also volunteer than there would be more volunteers.
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Jade -
submitted 19/02/2010
I volunteer at two n/p orgs: focused on aid and development work. Roles included: Personal Assistant, Schools Road trip Manager: tasks include organizing promotions and logistics for concerts and festivals, learning admin tasks and networking. I volunteer because I connect with the cause. It gives young people the opportunity to invest in something they're passionate about, whilst gaining experience in the non-profit sector which can be transferred into most career paths. Volunteering activities that appeal to me encompass something worthwhile (i.e. making a difference) and something fun (i.e. combining it with something fun/entertaining) Encourage volunteering? Making it financially sustainable: Volunteering can take up a lot of time which leaves little for socializing or paid work; reasons why a stipend/support" would be encouraged. Personally, I need a financial subsidy to carry out my roles. I am passionate and enjoy my volunteer work and am considering it as a potential career, but it needs to be financially sustainable while I’m learning. Something similar to a paid internship/traineeship with non-profit organizations that volunteers could apply for. Otherwise more funding for ops costs: pay staff wages. The best way to link young people and volunteering opportunities is through promotion at Educational facilities: Tafe, Uni, High school and having a centralized space either a website or a database which lists current volunteering positions and how to apply for them.
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ev -
submitted 21/02/2010
I volunteer at my church, looking after the children. I was attracted because it meant I was giving back to the church and using my talents, and you can see through volunteering that you become part of a group, and you feel as if you get more out of going to church. At my school there are many opportunities to volunteer for special events, and that can be attractive as well, because many of those events are compulsury, and if you are actively involved, you can appreciate the events, rather than just being a spectator.
I think the best way to encourage young people is to add an incentive to it, such as points towards your WACE/HSC or equivilent, by increasing your opporunities in the workplace, or by gaining freebies (movie tickets, concert passes etc.). The social side of volunteering should also be advertised, as many people look for social things to do, particularly if they are not the most social people.
I believe there should be some sort of portal specifically for young people where people looking for volunteers can advertise for volunteers. School teachers and councillors can also help in this by making young people aware of what's out there and what they can do.
I think volunteer work to do with sports attracts people, especially people with siblings, because they feel involved with the sports. Things like art workshops and things to do with cooking attract people as well.
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Basha -
submitted 22/02/2010
I volunteer with youthtree, an organisation in WA about making volunteering as common as "cheeseburgers and breathing" particularly through an initiative called Big Help Mob. The concept is simple get together 100+ young people and do something useful in the community i.e tree planing, renovating. Follow this up with a flash mob.
We are constantly looking for new ideas for volunteer projects so check us out at - http://www.youthtree.org.au/bighelpmob.html
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Murad -
submitted 22/02/2010
I volunteered while at university for AIESEC, for two reasons - first, that I could see the growth and development that I was undergoing by having responsibilities that I wouldn't have otherwise had in a 'normal' university experience and career path, and secondly, that I could see the impact of the work on other people (in this case, students that we were sending to work and volunteer overseas). I think it's important to connect with the vision of the organisation, but if you really want to get involved seriously (i.e. spending 10+ hours a week), then it's important to be learning and developing out of the experience. Young people have multiple competing demands on their time and attention these days, so it's important that volunteering is a priority for them. Often NPOs are able to sell their vision and get people to connect and maybe even volunteer some of their time, but without at least some kind of benefit to the volunteer involved, they often don't make a substantial contribution to the organization. It’s easy to help out now and then and get a warm fuzzy feeling, but this kind of volunteering is not as impactful to the individual or the organization as the more serious commitment based kind.
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Jade-Bianca -
submitted 22/02/2010
I have volunteered in a range of different events/activities and organisations including schools. I am currently volunteering on a long term weekly basis for a volunteer run organisation. I have always found the work to be rewarding, as my volunteering has been within my field of passion. After conversations and personal experiences I have come to believe that young people don't volunteer as much as older people because
1. It doesn't pay and doesn't often lead to paid employment
2. When used on a resume, volunteer work is often ignored by employers
3. Centrelink make it difficult for people to engage in volunteer work depending on their payment types
Some ideas I have had to encourage more young people to do volunteer work is to have some kind of database that volunteers register with, which after a certain amount of time allows the volunteer to recieve a nationally recognised certification in volunteer work. This may help with the resume issue.
A scheme whereby volunteers can enter into an unpaid traineeship or the like with government covering the relevant study fees, allowing the volunteer to get industry related training while studying but not having to struggle so much financially
And of course, to relax centrelink's regulations regarding volunteer work with some of their payments.
I believe that implementing something like these ideas would increase the liklihood of young people volunteering in our community
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Annie -
submitted 22/02/2010
Following on with other's ideas, I think that the different kinds of volunteering should be better advertised. A lot of younger people probably don't realise how many different kinds of volunteering there are out there, or the difference that it makes. I am involved in Scouts, where I volunteer reguarly for various things, as well as sitting on several school committees and other bits and pieces. Of course, the kind of volunteering that I do isn't suited to everybody. In year 9, we had a compulsory several days spent volunteering at various organisations through school. Of all the comments that I heard, nearly every one was positive. Some helped out at op shops, some, like my self, at primary schools, and quite a few at a factory for run by an organisation for disabled people. If all students in all schools were to do a bit of this, and then were given easy ways to follow it up, and maybe go back to that organisation, or others, if they wanted to, to continue to volunteer, I think that there would be a lot more budding young volunteers.
On top of this, apart from mentions on resumes, I think that volunteering, particuarly at places like primary schools, looking after young children, has the potential, with the right people, the right supervision, and the right situation, to greatly improve the behaviour of students- one thing that a lot of secondary schools would jump at.
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Siobhan -
submitted 22/02/2010
It has already been discussed, but volunteering definitely needs to be promoted more. Also, in my expierence, there are a lot of young people who think about volunteering but never quite get around to it. For that reason, I think the suggestion by Kevin Rudd that was in the news in January/February that there be a national scheme for young students to be encouraged to do volunteer work with the incentive of working off a portion of their HECS debt should be implemented. I think such a scheme, if well-executed, could do great things for Australia as a whole and Australian youth. Volunteering is such an important part of an integrated life experience, and contributes so much to the personal development of young people and their capacity for leadership in the future. Volunteering as changed the way I see the world and the way I see that I can make a difference in the world. To give that to thousands of young people through such a national scheme would be truly ingenius.
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Meagan -
submitted 23/02/2010
I work for The Duke of Edinburgh's Award in Australia and am also completing my Gold Award, and from my experiences I believe that there aren't enough ideas generated in the public for what can be a form of volunteering, the benefit that young people can get out it other than "it looks great on your resume", and most importantly, not enough ideas which can get youth passionate about things they are genuinely interested in! It is the getting them interested which is key to expanding the volunteering community amongst young people.
E.g. Coach younger soccer teams in your spare time for free
Youth volunteering needs to become a mimetic, where it is a norm in society and the question won't be "Do you volunteer at all?" but "What do you volunteer for?"
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Sharron Jones -
submitted 23/02/2010
To encourage yp-Make it fun, opportunity to meet new friends, gain new life skills and offer a reward system ie Certificate of acknowledgement which could be of value to their resumes.
Raise awareness- Role models especially if they are sports or other yp in the community. Use their IT processess for promotion. Promote different kinds of volunteering opportunities ie Leeuwin Voyager, Fairbridge Village, Art and Events opportunities to vol. Have well known people talk about their volunteering experience in the past or as a young person.
What kinds of Vol activities appeal-Ones that give them skills, fun, and would need a framework for how adults work with young people. Could have vols in the area of Environment,Tourism, Sports and Events, Community etc...If having specific topics could then market under each topic.
Best way to link yp-Have a mentor alongside of them, Have Local Governments or Telecentres or Volunteer organisations "audit" what is available in their communities and put on a website and other links ie school websites, government websites etc so yp have access. Plus make sure promotions give the opportunities for young people with disabilities to volunteer, CALD and Indigenous Young people to volunteer.
Greater participation: Positive stories back to the community so others can see what yp are getting out of volunteering. Could also promote Volunteering overseas so that yp can see a bigger picture to volunteering. It has to be a 2 way process.