Five ways to champion young people during Volunteers' Week

This year Volunteers’ Week runs from 1 - 7 June while Power of Youth Day 2021 runs in conjunction on 2 June.

Youth social action movement the #iwill campaign, which is behind Power of Youth Day, is  calling on organisations to champion their young volunteers.

• Analysis: Step Up To Serve fails to reach most disadvantaged young people

• Blog: What's next for youth social action?

Here are five top ways you can get involved:

1. Champion young volunteers on social media using the hashtags #PowerofYouth and #VolunteersWeek

   Where would we be without our incredible young volunteers?! Today we celebrate 🎉 the #PowerOfYouth during #VolunteersWeek Thanks to @PearsFoundation for the initial support we now have a thriving community of dedicated young volunteers @cwpluscharity @ChelwestFT @iwill_campaign pic.twitter.com/R6Jur4znTV

   — Chelsea and West Middlesex Volunteering Team (@CWVolunteering) June 2, 2021

   Young people from @CATCHLeeds have been volunteering on a food bus - collecting food, sorting donations and distributing food parcels!
   
   Brilliant work from Petr, Kevin, George, Leo, David and Talanah 🙌#PowerOfYouth @will_campaign pic.twitter.com/24fp1aNfrv

   — UK Youth (@UKYouth) June 2, 2021

    

2. Ask a young volunteer to write a blog or make a video about why taking part in social action is so important to them

   On day two of #VolunteersWeek, we're looking back to when our Youth Volunteering Programme was up and running pre-pandemic.
   
   In a survey from 2019, 97% of young volunteers listed their top achievement as helping other people in our hospitals!#PowerOfYouth#iwill@iwill_campaign pic.twitter.com/Ti1vmiYn2z

   — Imperial Health Charity (@ImperialCharity) June 2, 2021

    

3. Encourage a young volunteer to takeover your organisation’s social media for a day like Naomi at #iwill:

   Hey! I’m Naomi (@IsThatNaomiL) and I’m going to be taking over this account until 5pm! I’m an #iwill Ambassador, Welsh young rep on the #iwill Partnership and Founder of @ylprojecthope✨
   
   I’m really passionate about youth volunteering and leadership! #PowerOfYouth #VolunteersWeek pic.twitter.com/52OPkAmX8s

   — #iwill - Naomi (@iwill_campaign) June 2, 2021

    

4. Sign #iwill’s Power of Youth Charter which provides a framework for your organisation to empower more young people to shape decisions, take social action and make a positive difference

5. Nominate your young volunteers as CYP Now Covid-19 heroes

What are you doing to champion young people during Power of Youth Day and Volunteers’ Week? Tag us on social media @cypnow or email fiona.simpson@markallengroup.com and let us know.