The importance of young volunteers.

Written by Haylie Staunton.

Let me start by asking you a question – what do you consider as volunteering?

According to Volunteering Australia, ‘Volunteering is time willingly given for the common good and without financial gain’. By that definition, you might think of many ‘common’ forms of volunteering, such as helping at a sporting club, a food bank or with community projects. But then there’s some that people don’t commonly think about that are more important than people realise.

I began volunteering back in year 5, running lunchtime activities in primary school. In year 7 I joined my high school’s SRC, but wasn’t successful when re-applying for year 8. Still looking for opportunities, I reached out to my local Member of Parliament who linked me in with other local volunteers and community leaders to continue my journey.

From there I began working on small projects with my new contacts, exploring the needs of young people in the Barossa region and how to address them. Before long, I had found and joined many different committees and groups consisting of volunteers keen to tackle these issues. Eventually my volunteering experience in the community led me to running my own local branch of a group, and becoming a regional coordinator for another statewide group.

A lot of young people start volunteering through, is student leadership programs, as they tackle issues that are very important to them. Whilst yes, there are plenty of opportunities that do provide honorariums, which then start to lean away from being volunteering, there are still plenty that have no financial gain and are purely for common good. Outside of school, this could include sitting on a group that works towards goals in their community, such as planning events or giving feedback on ongoing discussions.

But inside of school, which is somewhere a lot of people don’t usually think about when discussing volunteering, is programs such as Student Representative Councils (SRC), or equivalent groups. There is no financial gain from participating, and students are taking time out of their day regularly to speak up for their peers and work towards improving aspects within the school community.

Student voice is a very important aspect of volunteering because it ensures programs are considerate and inclusive of young people, whilst also empowering young people by making them feel heard and important in the process. Student voice in volunteering has a strong benefit on the mental health of both those directly involved and those utilising the opportunities that the volunteers provide. It puts students in a better position to support themselves and those around them, creating better communities as a result. These opportunities for young people to contribute to their communities early aren’t just a skill-building opportunity, they’re a way to support themselves and their communities to thrive together.

Student voice provides very beneficial insights and engagement for volunteer programs by having young people actively involvedacross all areas of their communities, including mental health and belonging – as well as encouraging further volunteering. Our wider communities benefit just as much as schools themselves as more young people become aware of and connect with them – this may be from hearing about opportunities to expand on volunteering outside of school, or as a result of connections made during school volunteering.

My experiences with volunteering have connected me with many new communities and taught me a variety of new skills. My organisation and time management skills have improved, I’ve learnt and practiced networking and collaboration, and I’ve had experiences that I otherwise would not have gotten to do, or even learn about.

My advice to you?

To schools: when there’s room to, or ways to make more room to, get young people involved in volunteering opportunities, such as having extra helpers at sports games. Within student leadership, restructuring SRC’s to have topic-specific groups, or running a few groups simultaneously (e.g. an advocacy group), means more young people can be encouraged to volunteer and give back to their community. For any opportunity, removing additional barriers, such as popularity votes for SRC’s or having carpooling options to get to games, will also go a long way.

To organisations: whenever your work is affecting young people in some way, whether they are the direct focus or one of many groups, engage and consult them in your work. The best way to know that your work is effective for the target demographic is to hear from them directly and regularly.

To young people who aren’t sure where to begin: start small, such as helping out with a school event or at a sibling’s sport game and work your way up from there. Volunteering is a much broader term than many people realise and, with enough trying, you’ll be able to find a way that suits you. Don’t be afraid to talk to other people about it, as they can help you come up with ideas or connect you with potential opportunities.

And to groups already involved with young volunteers: check in often. The best way to grow and keep going strong is to make sure your volunteers are happy and take on any advice they may have. Lived experience and observations are very important, regardless of the setting or age, as everyone has something to share if they’re given the right environment and people to share it with.

Keep volunteering if you are already and, if you’re not, give it a shot, even if you’re unsure.

Haylie Staunton is the South Australian 2026 Youth Volunteer Award recipient.
National Youth Volunteer Week is celebrated from 10 to 16 August 2026.