Monday 9 August marks the start of this year’s National Student Volunteer Week, a week-long celebration to acknowledge the impact that student volunteers make through volunteering.
National Student Volunteer Week 2021 celebrates and promotes volunteering to students and young people across Australia. This year, universities, schools, and volunteering organisations will host activities across the nation, many of which are virtual due to the COVID-19 lockdowns. We invite everyone to get involved on social media using the hashtag #NSVW2021.
According to the 2020 Mission Australia Youth Survey, volunteering was the 4th most commonly reported activity for young people in 2020, with 43.3 per cent of respondents aged 15-19 being involved in volunteering.
Recent research from the ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods has shown that the decline in volunteering during COVID-19 has been substantial and the number of people aged 18-24 years who volunteer fell from 36.5 per cent in late 2019 to 25.6 per cent in April 2021.
According to the Household Impacts of COVID-19 surveys, youth volunteering has yet to show signs of recovery and young people (18-34 years) are the only age group in which volunteering rates continued to decrease month-on-month during the first half of 2021.
Volunteering Australia CEO Mark Pearce said, “National Student Volunteer Week gives us the opportunity to highlight the significant contribution that student and young volunteers make to organisations and communities around the country. Volunteering doesn’t just help others, it is a fantastic way to gain meaningful experience, improve mental health, boost confidence and can provide potential pathways to employment.”
Find out more about National Student Volunteer Week at www.nationalstudentvolunteerweek.org.au. Follow on social media #NSVW2021.
References and additional statistics can be found in the Youth Volunteering Key Statistics fact sheet.
