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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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TASH -
submitted 9/03/2010
PROBLEM: Youth participation
Young people don't have volunteering opportunities that are:
- relevant to their interests/passions (volunteers have different motives for being involved);
- easily accessible (time commitment needs to work around lifestyle; volunteering costs money [eg: transport, food, etc.]);
SOLUTION: Access
Provide easily accessible volunteer opportunities with incentives to be involved
- actively encourage young people from low-SES backgrounds; considered to be at risk; have a disability, etc.
- build capacity (eg: leadership skills) to make it worth the time and effort of volunteering
- acknowledge the hard work and committment of dedicated volunteers (eg: with NGOs)
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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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Mikaela -
submitted 1/03/2010
•I've volunteered overseas (Romania), and now I'm volunteering as a homework/English tutor for kids from refugee backgrounds.
•Initially I found volunteering here too daunting, because I thought it was a really long term, high effort thing. I also knew that overseas, when working with children who have nothing, I would see the benefit of my work.
•Young people need to be aware that volunteering does not have to be a lot of work. The volunteering I'm doing now is 2 hours a week - and anyone can do that. There's definitely a perception out there that volunteering is boring, not really going to make a difference, or limited to planting trees or working in an old persons' home. Encourage young people by showing that there are really fun and worthwhile things that we can do. Also, many young people I talk to about volunteering don't believe they have anything to offer.
•Get uni lecturers to tell their students about volunteering opportunities related to their fields.
•Use TV, commedians, and school/uni teachers. Make the state volunteering websites cooler. And then promote them.
•I disagree with other ideas about monetary support (then it isn't volunteering) and awards. To me, that defeats the purpose. People feel good when they do things for others, as soon as you give them something, you take away the uniqueness of volunteering. Then it becomes work.
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Claudia -
submitted 3/03/2010
It is not easy for under 18s to get volunteering opportunities. We are seen as an insurance liability and I know of many people like myself who try relentlessly to get volunteering positions but are constantly knocked back by organisations. I think that there needs to be more support offered to organisations to assist them in taking under 18s on board in a volunteering capacity. It's not a shortage of volunteers, it's a shortage of positions and willing organisations!
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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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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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Brooke -
submitted 5/03/2010
I was strongly encouraged to volunteer at school for things like talking to old people at nursing homes.. but since school it is not really encouraged by anyone at all. i know that is no excuse.. but if young people are not getting encouraged (by media, friends/word of mouth) its not something that comes to your mind.
I heard about the Joblink Plus Driver mentor program.. this involves sitting in a car with someone who is on their L's and teaching them how to drive so they build up enough hours and can go for their P's. Disadvantaged people usually get involved in the program i.e someone who does not have access to a vehicle. I found this mentor role to be extremely satisfying. Having access to transport is so important for anyone including young people so i really felt like i was making a difference in someones life. One of the comments above is spot on- not many people think they have something to offer and think of volunteering as fun/exciting.
A Media campaign on the benefits of volunteering may be useful.. show images of the types of things people can get involved in -exciting things (not elderly people) such as fire fighting, driving programs, art programs etc.
Volunteers play a massive role in society and the truth is as people get older, our volunteers are dropping off the perch so we need to be replacing them... otherwise society and the community will suffer enormously as a result.
Media campaign and the HECS idea above both get two thumbs up from me!
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Adam Cooper -
submitted 23/02/2010
Having worked with young people for over 10 years I believe young people volunteer when:
-theres a practical & easy way for them to engage in something they love or are passionate about
-theres an accreditation of some kind for giving their time
-their participation involves a social aspect with like minded peers
-theres an easy application process with training and support that gives them confidence to undertake their role successfully
-its clearly articulated how the experience can be a stepping stone to future goals.
What needs to happen to foster this more fully is:
-someone to centrally co-ordinate well organised and structured volunteer programs
-having a clear start and end date for the role
-having roles available that are relevant to young people
-Co-ordination by youth friendly organisations.
Many volunteer organisations tend to have a focus on volunteering for and with more senior residents. There are only a limited number of organisations that can take on young volunteers as it takes resources that many don't have.Local Government is well placed but doesn't have the funds to do this as much as it would like.NGO's are often too stretched to take on volunteers also.Structured, funded programs such as Victorias FReeZA program are excellent examples of high quality volunteering programs, but they too are under more pressure with limited funding.Provide opp's to link with schoolwork that extends beyond school hours.