Youth volunteering fails to take off

Children & Young People Now

23 April 2008

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Youth volunteering levels have remained stagnant, despite the government spending millions to get young people volunteering, according to a survey of 11- to 25-year-olds.

The think-tank nfpSynergy surveyed more than 1,000 young people and found that, in the year to November 2006, 28.5 per cent volunteered for a charity. But in the year to November 2007 the figure actually fell, to 27.6 per cent.

The finding comes in spite of increased government spending to encourage young people to donate their time, which included the creation of youth volunteering charity v in 2006.

The charity was established after the Russell Commission outlined ways to get more young people involved in volunteering. Last November it received £75m from the government to fund the vinvolved scheme, in a bid to get more young people participating.

Joe Saxton, co-founder of nfpSynergy, said: "Our figures will make disappointing reading for both the government and the third sector. Whatever money, resources and efforts have been targeted at young people to engage them with volunteering have shown little sign of bearing fruit."

Charity v was unavailable for comment on the findings.

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