Skip to main content
Create an account for suggestions personalised to you and your organisation
Create account
Articles & Reports
1 minute read

Young People as Volunteers: A guide to moving beyond traditional practices

Meeting National Standards and Strategy Seal Meeting National Standards and Strategy What's this?

Introduction

This document provides valuable insights and strategies for organisations looking to attract, retain, and motivate young volunteers aged 18 to 25. It emphasises the importance of making volunteering relevant and meaningful, offering leadership opportunities, and fostering a youth-friendly culture.

Summary

This report by Volunteering Queensland offers strategies for engaging young volunteers, highlighting the importance of a flexible culture, networking, and partnerships. It includes case studies of successful organisations and emphasises the benefits of youth involvement in community activities.

Benefits for Organisations

This resource is beneficial for volunteer organisations and management practitioners as it provides practical strategies to enhance youth involvement, leading to personal growth for volunteers and community benefits such as:

  • Making Volunteering Relevant

  • Leadership and Decision-Making

  • Youth-Friendly Culture

  • Networking and Partnerships

Application

Volunteer organisations can apply these strategies by creating engaging, leadership-oriented, and flexible volunteering opportunities, and by leveraging social networks and partnerships to connect with young volunteers.

Downloads and sources

Visit source (opens in new tab)

More about the author

Volunteering Queensland has for 41 years been the state’s peak body for advancing and promoting volunteering. It represents over 300 member volunteer involving organisations and support thousands more through a wider network, encompassing hundreds of thousands of volunteers, who contribute their time, money, and skills to the benefit of all Queenslanders.
reception@volunteeringqld.org.au 07 3002 7600
Visit website (opens in new tab)
(opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)

Contribute to the Gateway

Leave feedback

Was this resource useful?

Make a Suggestion

If you find a great resource that isn't in the directory or want to provide feedback on the Volunteering Gateway, drop us a line!

More like this

e-learning

BeConnected Program

Be Connected is a Australian government initiative designed to bridge the digital gap and equip older volunteers with the skills they need to thrive in today's online world.
1 minute read
Be Connected
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD), Older Volunteers +2 more
Information

Money, volunteers and disability

Resource exploring the economic context for people living with disability and how this can impact participation in volunteering.
1 minute read
Volunteering Victoria
Disability
Information

Not-for-profit Insurance

This guide explains different insurance options for not-for-profit (NFP) organisations in Australia. It covers property, cyber, volunteer, management liability, public liability, and more.
1 minute read
AoN
General
Emergency Support Volunteering website
Tech

Emergency Support Volunteering website

The Emergency Support Volunteering website allows volunteers in Western Australia to register to help in emergencies, organisations needing support can also register to contact volunteers for assistance.
Volunteer database Recruitment Reporting
MyPass
Tech

MyPass

MyPass is volunteer onboarding and compliance management software centred around a digital Skills Passport, designed to help volunteer involving organisations (VIOs) reduce their risk and cost of operations.
Volunteer database Recruitment Rostering / scheduling Onboarding / training Communication / engagement Compliance Reporting Resource management Event management
VIKTOR Lite
Tech

VIKTOR Lite

VIKTOR Lite enables volunteer involving organisations to recruit volunteers via a range of websites run by local governments, state peaks, local volunteer resource centres, Volunteering Australia and SEEK Volunteer.
Volunteer database Recruitment Onboarding / training Reporting
scheduled

Future-Ready Volunteering Workshops

These workshops create space for local conversation, shared learning & connection that online sessions can’t match. You’ll unpack what the findings mean for your organisation, test ideas with peers, and leave with practical approaches to use straight away
Volunteering Victoria
–
Free
scheduled

Volunteering Rights and Responsibilities

This workshop is designed to build an understanding of volunteer and organisational rights, responsibilities and expected practice.
The Centre for Volunteering
–
Free
scheduled

What Matters Most to You? Identifying Skill Development Priorities for Volunteer Managers in the NT - ONLINE

Volunteering SA & NT is planning a Learning and Development Roadshow across the NT. This session invites volunteer managers to share priorities to shape relevant, practical training. Learn the proposed roadmap, and help define future development needs.
Volunteering SA&NT
–
Free