CREATING TOMORROW'S COMMUNITY - The role of young people in local volunteer organisations

Paul MacAdams

The structure of society is formed by many components, all of which are ultimately dependent upon the productivity of the people. One of these components is volunteer work; a vital facet of every healthy community. It is essential that we continue to establish an outreaching culture to provide the foundations for the next generation of volunteers, ourselves. In the coming years, many important volunteering positions will become vacant, and we must take every opportunity to encourage young people to fill the ranks.

Schools are integral to our early development, and it is fitting that they allow students to directly participate in their communities. St Patrick's College at Sutherland has a policy of involving senior students with various programs, one of which is associated with residents of the nearby Nagle apartments. Each student must complete a certain amount of volunteer work before officially graduating. Of course, it isn't the first college to adopt this stance, although it would be ideal to see more schools linking their students to similar systems. A recommended incentive for such work might be to establish an annual award commending young volunteers. Encouragement and recognition of voluntary work would doubtless inspire many other students to pursue the same objective.

Even with this in place, individual initiative must be demonstrated on a community level. Fundraising, whether conducted independently or as part of a larger group, is an example of this. You could become a volunteer for your favourite charity, collecting donations in large-scale public venues. Alternatively, you might arrange a raffle competition which directs its proceeds towards the funding of a local event. Your work might not be for a well-publicised cause; the most important thing is that you are offering valuable assistance, free of charge.

Aged care is an area of volunteering which is often underappreciated or ignored. It is possibly more reliant on youthful assistance than any other type of voluntary work. Workers in this field may perform household chores, provide home-cooked meals and above all, serve as a link between these people, and the society which has left them behind. You may even personally know someone who feels isolated from their community; your companionship might be just the thing they're looking for.

Understandably, most people prefer to volunteer for pre-existing organisations rather than starting their own or volunteering independently. If you share this preference, environmental events such as Clean Up Australia Day are easily accessible, and highly beneficial to the cause of conservationism.  Minimum effort is required to register, and even a couple of hour's worth of service can make a notable difference. Sutherland Shire Council runs a program called Bushcare, which, as its name suggests, is dedicated to the preservation of local bushland. It has literally hundreds of volunteers, who are guided by a group of qualified Bush care officers.  However, levels of youth participation in this form of voluntary work are relatively low, and as the environment faces further threats in the future, we will need to increase them.

If you're thinking of undertaking voluntary work, you'll be far more likely to gravitate towards something you have a passion for.  If your heart lies on the beach, working as a lifeguard may attract your interest. The Sutherland Shire Animal Centre has positions available for those with a desire to rehabilitate injured wildlife. Even something as low-key as coaching a sporting team can be considered volunteering, as it's no secret that most young children listen much more closely to younger adults. Those with advanced organisational skills could join a local community hall committee; presiding over bookings, encouragement of potential hirers, and general management. While all of these services demand a high level of responsibility, the experience they provide you with is invaluable. You don't necessarily have to be part of an organisation to be a volunteer worker- these are just some of the ways in which you can help out.

So you now know of many different methods of volunteering, and you have a solid understanding of why it is essential that youth remains a constant practitioner of this activity. But what exactly are the benefits?  If financial gain is your primary motivation, then obviously this isn't for you. Nonetheless, whatever you don't obtain in monetary measures will be compensated for by the tremendous feeling of personal satisfaction you receive from sacrificing your time for something you believe in.  Whether you're protesting at a political summit or doing housework for a frail neighbour, you can feel safe in the knowledge that these efforts are aiding the strength of your community, while serving as a terrific endorsement for your generation. And that alone is worth giving time for.