Opinion

Incentives do work in youth volunteering

1 min read Youth Work
There is a current trend of getting young people into volunteering by giving them some sort of an enticement: a voucher, a gig ticket or some other compensation.

This way of engaging young volunteers is considered by some as payment, thereby invalidating the voluntary aspect. But some young people are enthused by high-profile, "glitzy" volunteer schemes. These projects can serve as an entry point for young people who would not otherwise have considered volunteering in the first place. They raise the profile of volunteering and go some way towards altering the perception that it is dull or outdated.

However, incentives are not the be all and end all of making volunteering attractive. At Envision we are well aware that the word "volunteering" itself can have negative connotations. That's why we don't pitch our youth programme as volunteering. Instead, we say it is more about young people taking the lead. On our programme, young people identify the problem they want to tackle and are supported in designing and delivering a youth-led project tackling these issues. This kind of ownership of both issue and solution is what makes a lasting difference. This is much more effective than offering a quick reward. And it works, as demonstrated by the large number of young people who choose to stay involved with us once they have finished their projects, myself included.

Register Now to Continue Reading

Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's Included

  • Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month

  • Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector

Register

Already have an account? Sign in here

Posted under:


More like this

Hertfordshire Youth Workers

“Opportunities in districts teams and countywide”

Administration Apprentice

SE1 7JY, London (Greater)