The Power of young people in volunteering – and how we’re supporting them at Dudley Volunteer Centre

At Dudley Volunteer Centre, we’re keen to support young people aged 16 to 25 to volunteer in diverse and engaging roles. This cohort makes up 20% of our volunteer registrations, with many looking to give back to their local community, gain experience, support their current studies, improve their mental and physical health, or help them to reach their future aspirations.

It’s clear across local and national findings that volunteering consistently provides a crucial pathway for improving a young person’s health, wellbeing and future career prospects. Research across statutory and voluntary organisations highlights that young people who volunteer gain practical, valuable experience while strengthening their skills. In particular, those aged 18 to 24 have reported improvements in their communication, teamwork, confidence, problem-solving and leadership skills by engaging in volunteering, all which enhance their health, wellbeing and career readiness.

Volunteering also supports young people to transition from education into adulthood and the relevant workplace by providing training opportunities and fostering confidence, a sense of community and belonging, and reducing social isolation. Together, these benefits can significantly boost employment perception and develop skills that they can carry into future roles.

At Dudley Volunteer Centre, we’re actively finding ways to engage younger people in volunteering. This includes partnering with local colleges to develop volunteering pathways with local good causes, as well as developing our flexible and one-off volunteer opportunities through ‘Time to Give Where You Live’. Despite this, identifying suitable roles and supporting young people in meaningful, relevant and long-term volunteer opportunities can still be a challenge.

So why do we need to engage young people in volunteering?

Simply put, young people are essential to the sustainability and health of the voluntary sector. Bringing young people into the sector through volunteering helps good causes remain sustainable, brings fresh skills and perspectives, and supports the sector to adapt to emerging  challenges in creative and relevant ways.

“Just wanted to let you know that I introduced the young person to a local Scouts group. Their lead volunteer said “please find more people like him” when I checked in to see how it was going” – West Mercia Scouts

There is also a clear demographic shift across the UK, with many volunteers currently coming from older age groups and lower engagement from younger adults. This trend is reflected in parts of Dudley Borough, where some good causes report difficulties in engaging younger volunteers. There are also more older adults registering with the Dudley Volunteer Centre than those in younger age groups. Yet recruiting and retaining young volunteers is crucial for the long-term sustainability of the voluntary sector, meaning good causes are starting to find ways to intentionally target younger cohorts.

Through our recent Volunteer Strategy co-production sessions, a range of good causes, statutory partners and volunteers further identified this as a trend that needs to be considered within the strategy. Young people were recognised as a priority group for engagement in volunteering, particularly to continue the valuable services that good causes currently deliver. Volunteering was also identified as something that should be embedded within the education sector, helping to strengthen connections and encourage cohesion between young people, communities and the voluntary sector.

In response to this, we are working with local colleges across the borough to develop opportunities for young people to engage in volunteering. A range of good causes have connected with us, each offering different projects or potential roles for college students to get involved with.

“Thank you for all you have done with linking us up with local colleges in the borough – it would be fantastic if we could get a couple of these projects running!” – Friends of Wrens Nest National Nature Reserve.

It is important to continue to nurture volunteer opportunities that are meaningful and aligned with young people and their interests. This will support the volunteer sector to find ways to remain dynamic, relevant and sustainable for future generations.

If you would like to learn more about linking with a local college to promote your volunteer opportunities, or if you would like to get involved in our upcoming Volunteer Strategy co-production sessions, then email our Volunteering Development Officer: grace@dudleycvs.org.uk.