Home| Idx | Terms Ref | Exc Sum | Recommendations | Chp 1 | Chp 2 | Chp 3 | Chp 4 | Chp 5 | Apx | Disclaimer | Copyright VOLUNTEERING AND UNPAID WORK PLACEMENTS AMONG CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN NSW COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE Ce CHAPTER TWO - EXISTING GOVERNMENT MEASURES TO PROMOTE AND SUPPORT VOLUNTEERING AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE C2 Chapter Two - Volunteering among young people Cd Introduction Ce Existing government measures to promote and support volunteering among young people THIS PAGE 2.2 Numerous contributors to the inquiry discussed the measures that have been put in place by the Government to promote and support volunteering among young people. Many of the Government’s actions to promote volunteering stem from its 10-year plan to guide policy making and deliver on community priorities, “NSW 2021 – A plan to make NSW number 1” (NSW 2021).6 2.3 Goal 24 of NSW 2021 is to make it easier for people to be involved in their communities. One of the targets under this goal is to increase the proportion of the NSW population involved in volunteering to exceed the national average by 2016. Actions to meet this target include developing and implementing the NSW Volunteering Strategy (the Volunteering Strategy).7 2.4 In May 2012, the Minister for Citizenship and Communities launched the Volunteering Strategy. The strategy includes initiatives that will be delivered over four years to 2015/16. NSW Education and Communities submitted that the strategy focuses on: 1 making it easier to volunteer; 2 broadening the volunteer base; 3 volunteering as a pathway to employment; 4 improving recognition and support for workplace volunteering; and 5 valuing volunteers and celebrating their contributions.8 2.5 The Commission for Children and Young People (the Commission) noted the measures contained in the Volunteering Strategy that are specifically targeted towards encouraging young people to volunteer. These include: 1 launching an annual competition for students to develop a media campaign aimed at increasing volunteering; 2 encouraging young people and employers to recognise the value of skills acquired through volunteering; 3 helping young people to demonstrate evidence of their community participation to future employers; 4 identifying opportunities to raise the profile of National Volunteer Week in NSW, particularly among key population groups such as young people; 5 initiatives around fostering cultural diversity and increasing volunteering among Aboriginal people; 6 using digital media and technology; 7 promoting new forms of volunteering; and 8 partnering with universities on a five year research plan which may impact on youth.9 2.6 The Commission stated that by developing and implementing the Volunteering Strategy, the Government has recognised that volunteering not only benefits recipients of services, but provides valuable mentoring and work experience for volunteers, along with personal fulfilment.10 2.7 NSW Education and Communities submitted that numerous school-based Government measures were also in place to promote and support volunteering among young people. The Department provided the example of student volunteering programs that operate in a number of public schools, which, it stated, contributed to building harmonious communities, increasing volunteer numbers, and providing opportunities to engage students with ‘real-life’ applications for their learning.11 2.8 The Department also referred to its development and implementation of a Student Volunteering and Service Learning web portal, which provides access to downloadable tools for stimulating ideas and discussion about student volunteering, and enabling students and school coordinators to record their volunteering activities.12 2.9 NSW Education and Communities submitted that, as of the last recorded data (2012), some 6,258 students from across 301 participating schools in NSW were actively logging their volunteering activities through the web portal.13 6 NSW Government, NSW 2021 – A plan to make NSW number one, NSW.gov.au, viewed 7 November 2014: 7 NSW Government, NSW 2021 – A plan to make NSW number one, NSW.gov.au, viewed 7 November 2014: . 8 Submission 13, NSW Education and Communities, p. 2. 9 Submission 22, NSW Commission for Children and Young People, p. 5. 10 Submission 22, NSW Commission for Children and Young People, p. 5. 11 Submission 13, NSW Education and Communities, p. 3. 12 Submission 13, NSW Education and Communities, p. 3. 13 Submission 13, NSW Education and Communities, p. 3. Cf Existing measures by volunteer organisations and other agencies to promote and support volunteering among young people 1 Committee Comment - Recommendation 1 Cg Best practice in other jurisdictions to support and promote safe and beneficial volunteering opportunities for young people 1 Committee Comment This is an example of how all Committee Information like Agendas, Minutes and Reports can be "On-line" with the RUBAC TM Electronic Committee Information Management [ECIM] Process and provide Committee Metrics including Participation and Contribution eCredits Home | Idx | Terms Ref | Exc Sum | Recommendations | Chp 1 | Chp 2 | Chp 3 | Chp 4 | Chp 5 | Apx | Disclaimer | Copyright