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 Ci CPT 3-MEASURES TO PROMOTE VOLUNTEERING TO YOUNG PEOPLE - THIS PAGE C3 Chapter Three - Promoting and Supporting Volunteering for Young People C3 Chapter Three - Promoting and Supporting Volunteering for Young People h Introduction i Measures to promote volunteering to young people 1 Increasing awareness of Volunteering Opportunities 2 Formal Recognition of Students' Volunteering 3 Academic Rewards 4 Committee Comment - Recommendation 2 5 Committee Comment - Recommendation 3 MEASURES TO PROMOTE VOLUNTEERING TO YOUNG PEOPLE 3.2 The Committee heard evidence from inquiry participants on measures to promote volunteering to young people. These included: increasing awareness of volunteering opportunities among young people; formal recognition of students’ volunteering; and academic rewards for volunteering. Increasing awareness of volunteering opportunities 3.3 A common theme in the evidence was that many young people were not aware of the volunteering options available to them. The NSW State Emergency Service (NSW SES) suggested that measures to increase awareness of volunteering opportunities among young people may include providing information to school career advisors and youth workers, or developing a dedicated youth volunteering website targeted to young people.22 3.4 The Centre for Volunteering recommended that measures such as an education program or a DVD providing introductory information about volunteering should be developed for NSW schools.23 Formal recognition of students’ volunteering 3.5 NSW Education and Communities submitted that the Premier’s Student Volunteering Awards, which were discontinued in 2012 and replaced with school-level awards, had provided State-level recognition of volunteering among year 9 and 10 students in NSW schools. Prior to the program being discontinued, 22,000 students had received an award.24 3.6 The NSW Youth Advisory Council (the Council) stated that recognition of young peoples’ volunteering is fundamental to encouraging participation and sustained commitment. The Council submitted that State-level recognition of these efforts, through the Premier’s Student Volunteering Awards, should therefore be reintroduced 25 The Council also identified certificates of recognition as an additional incentive to young people to volunteer 26 Academic rewards 3.7 The Council advised that a number of universities have popular volunteering programs that are recognised on students’ Academic Higher Education Graduate Statement. Due to the current highly competitive job market, the Council suggested that this is a strong incentive for students to volunteer 27 Inquiry contributors suggested that this incentive could be extended to high school students through the ATAR system. 3.8 The ATAR is a rank that allows students who have completed different combinations of Higher School Certificate courses to be compared. It is calculated for institutions to select school leavers for admission to tertiary courses. Other selection criteria may be used in conjunction with the ATAR 28 Universities may offer bonus ATAR points to students for a range of reasons, for example, where they live 29 3.9 The Council recommended that high school students’ volunteering could be recognised by providing a bonus ATAR point to students with a strong track record of volunteering. According to the Council, this would act as an incentive for students seeking to undertake tertiary studies to participate in their community through volunteering, as opposed to focusing solely on studying for the Higher School Certificate: Different universities offer ATAR bonus points to students for a range of reasons, including where they live and the subjects they undertook at high school. Council members support the argument that participation in the community is a strong indicator of capacity to engage with a subject and with other students. They feel the high school students’ volunteering in their community should be recognised by offering an additional bonus point to students with a strong track record in volunteering. This would act as a strong incentive to students attempting to get into university to broaden their focus from just studying for the Higher School Certificate and participate in their community through volunteering 30 3.10 The Council also noted concerns about equity in providing incentives of this kind, due to the potential for exclusion of groups of young people who are unable to undertake formal volunteering due to family or personal commitments, for example, young people with carer responsibilities. The Council members suggested that a broad definition of volunteering should be adopted in order to ensure that these groups are not disadvantaged by incentive programs 31 The Council submitted that the definition of volunteering could also encompass online activities, such as maintaining a website or a Facebook page for a charity 32 Committee comment 3.11 The Committee recognises the importance of promoting volunteering to young people. The Committee notes that recognition of volunteer work through measures such as awards highlights and acknowledges the efforts of individual volunteers, raises the profile of volunteering, and encourages a sustained commitment to volunteering from young people. 3.12 The Committee understands that certificates of recognition can be included in a young person’s portfolio and may assist them in securing a job, making them good incentives for young people to volunteer. 3.13 Accordingly, the Committee recommends that the Commission works with the Minister for Citizenship and Communities to consider State-level recognition of school student volunteering, and to promote volunteering to young people, for example, through reinstating the Premier’s Student Volunteering Awards program. RECOMMENDATION 2 The Committee recommends that the Commission for Children and Young People works with the Minister for Citizenship and Communities to consider State-level recognition of school student volunteering, and to promote volunteering to young people, for example, through reinstating the Premier’s Student Volunteering Awards program. Committee comment 3.14 The Committee also considers that programs that provide academic recognition of students’ volunteering will be effective in encouraging young people to participate in volunteering activities throughout their school lives and into the future. However, the Committee sees the importance of adopting a broad definition of volunteering which encompasses many different types of contributions. 3.15 The Committee believes that a narrow definition of volunteering may unfairly exclude young people who have domestic, family and community responsibilities which may preclude them from undertaking traditional volunteer work and place them at a disadvantage. 3.16 The Committee therefore recommends that the Commission works with NSW Education and Communities to consider schemes that recognise young peoples’ volunteer work. For example, this may be recognised through additional points for students’ ATAR and RoSA (Record of School Achievement), with consideration being given to the definition of volunteering to ensure that young people with personal commitments are not unfairly excluded. RECOMMENDATION 3 The Committee recommends that the Commission for Children and Young People works with NSW Education and Communities to consider schemes that recognise young peoples’ volunteer work, with consideration being given to the definition of volunteering to ensure that young people with personal commitments are not unfairly excluded. 22 NSW State Emergency Service, Response to questions on notice and additional questions, 9 October 2014, question 1, p. 3. 23 Submission 8, Centre for Volunteering, p. 8. 24 Submission 17, NSW Youth Advisory Council, pp. 1-2. 25 Submission 17, NSW Youth Advisory Council, p. 2. 26 NSW Youth Advisory Council, Response to additional questions, 18 July 2014, question 1, p. 2. 27 Submission 17, NSW Youth Advisory Council, p. 5. 28 University Admissions Centre website, viewed 28 October 2014: