On The Power of Youth Day and Day 2 of National Volunteers Week, Kumuna, Volunteering Kingston’s Incredible Volunteer Officer, reflects on the unique power of younger volunteers.
National Volunteers Week is always an opportunity to reflect on trends. Over the last couple of years Voluntary Sector professionals, especially those working in Volunteer Services, have reflected how in the post pandemic world there had been a seismic shift in registrations away from “time-rich” volunteers and towards younger volunteers. That phenomenon was partly explained by health worries from the older volunteers but equally importantly a new wave of enthusiasm for supporting the community from the younger end of the volunteering spectrum. This introduces a plethora of mediums we are able to use to communicate effectively with young people. Whether it is school assemblies, Fresher’s Fairs, the usual social media avenues or the latest apps, young people have never been as accessible as they are today.
Face to face still has its place; we know from experience that visits to local schools how the registration numbers rocketed in the days following that outreach. Not only do our team enjoy presenting to a Sixth Form assembly they also appreciate the feedback they get. Volunteering, as an experience, has to evolve constantly to the changing world we live in. On the digital side, the excellent work of our team ensures we maximise our reach and that effort is demonstrated by the profiles we receive. If there is a new digital app on the block we should take advantage of it, the days of Twitter/X and Facebook domination are long over.
Young people want more control over their time; the trend is towards bite-sized volunteering that makes a difference on the ground. Dozens of administration roles on our Team Kinetic base do not interest younger volunteers so volunteer centres need a full range of opportunities to entice applications to succeed with this cohort. Similarly, Saturday shifts at a charity shop, whilst useful for those looking to experience work environments for the first time, are not always attractive to these energetic young volunteers.
I am not going to say everything in the garden is rosy when it comes to finding young people opportunities. Duke of Edinburgh opportunities for 13/14 year olds are very difficult to secure, mainly because the insurance industry makes life difficult for VIOs to be open to under 16s (and a few VIOs who mistakenly think safeguarding measures are too much bureaucracy) and work is needed to turn that around. Work continues to allow those making that mistake to understand and utilise the value of younger volunteers.
Proper reflection of younger volunteers indicates that as of National Volunteers Week 2025 it is a good period in the Volunteering sector for bringing in new blood. With their enthusiasm, a wave of committed young people who will always create a positive impact. The future is looking bright. Young volunteers bring their energy, ideas, and commitment are also vital to our communities. At Volunteering Kingston, we’ve seen how youth involvement builds skills, confidence, and real change. Young people aren’t just the future – they’re making a difference now.
Thank you to all our young volunteers.
Kumuna Kamasoh, Volunteer Officer, Volunteering Kingston.