More young people than ever volunteering

Central Coast-based organisations seeking guidance on how to harness the skillsets and passions of young volunteers are encouraged to explore the recently published NSW Youth Volunteering Guidelines, an initiative of the NSW Volunteering Strategy 2020-2030.

The NSW Youth Volunteering Guidelines were devised in response to recommendations from the NSW Volunteering Taskforce to build capacity of volunteer organisations to recruit, train, manage and recognise young people as active volunteers.

Member for Gosford Liesl Tesch said it was pleasing to see the availability of practical guidelines for harnessing the diverse skillsets of young volunteers.

“Young people are valuable assets in our community,” she said.

“Our youth bring the energy, enthusiasm, curiosity and the fresh, bold thinking that is essential to the future health and sustainability of so many organisations here on the Central Coast.

“Through volunteering, our young people can develop important life skills, such as leadership, problem solving, communication and teamwork.

“Even more pleasing is that these practical guidelines have been shaped by young people and they offer a blueprint for engaging young people, using best practice principles.

“These new guidelines will provide advice and guidance to organisations on how to best strengthen youth participation in the volunteering sector, in particular tapping into the different skills they bring to encourage them to volunteer.

“What is exciting is that our young people are volunteering at fantastic rates – higher rates than ever, with 35 per cent of volunteers aged under 30.

“Seventy per cent of all people aged under 25 are engaging in some kind of volunteering activities.”

Ocean Beach Surf Life Saving Club’s 2024 Junior Club Person of the Year and passionate club volunteer, Ebony Falconer is an age manager for the club’s junior Nippers – working with children aged five to 14 who take part in a program of surf awareness, skills development, and fitness.

On Sunday mornings during summer, Ebony is down at Ocean Beach in the early hours, helping to set up the club’s 90m sprint track, club flags in the competition area, and meet with age group managers and parents who work with Ebony on surf education and surf awareness, taking them to patrol, and seeing them on patrol.

Ebony often joins in the kids’ sprints, racing alongside them and cheering them on.

“I love joining in with them, seeing the joy and the excitement on their faces when the little kids are racing,” she said.

“When I was little, my mum and dad enrolled me in Nippers and wanted me to have an understanding of the surf, and now the club is my family.

“They are supporting me and encouraging me in everything that I do.”

Students of all ages at Narara Valley High School are given opportunities to contribute their time and skills to volunteering projects within the Central Coast community.

“Our school takes great pride in offering volunteering initiatives,” teacher Brenda Gilmour said.

“We want students to understand that they have the capacity to contribute, and that connectedness with their community supports both their growth and development as well as the social, emotional and physical wellbeing of the people they are supporting.”

In 2024, students have organised and managed bake sales to raise funds for the Do it For Dolly and Wear It Yellow campaigns, participated in Clean4Shore, provided meals at Coast Shelter, collected donations for the Red Shield Appeal, facilitated Harmony Day celebrations and assisted with school-based occasions.

An active volunteer in Narara Valley High School’s Leadership Team, school vice captain Jarrah Fender-Waters’ most recent extracurricular activities have involved participating in a variety of community initiatives.

They included preparing, cooking and serving dinner to vulnerable community members at Coast Shelter and taking part in The Salvation Army’s Annual Red Shield Appeal.

“It is so rewarding to be able to give back to the community,” Jarrah said.

“My mother has been a real inspiration to me through her work at the Wyong Neighbourhood Centre.

“Through her work, and seeing her help others in need, I have been able to witness the real impact of volunteering in the wider community – helping our community be a better place.”