Jackman-Atkinson: A positive trend

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Published on Thursday, May 8, 2014

By: Kate Jackman-Atkinson

myWestman.ca

Going back, probably to the beginning of time, older generations have worried about ‘the youth’. They worry about their morals, their music, their work ethic and their general ability to be, or become, upstanding members of society.

The elders worry about what, if anything, youth will contribute to the greater community and whether the legacy that they have built will be in good hands.

However these days, sitting at the news desk, I am seeing a positive trend. I am seeing more youth giving back and engaging in their community. I am seeing less hand wringing.

From where I am sitting, I see a tide of youth involvement that we should all celebrate and encourage.
The trend of youth volunteerism isn’t just something we are seeing here.  Statistics Canada shows a similar trend across Canada.

They have found that in general, younger Canadians are more likely to volunteer than older Canadians. In 2010, 58 per cent of people aged 15 to 24, 54 per cent of people aged 35 to 44 and 46 per cent of people aged 25 to 34 reported doing volunteer work. In comparison, those aged 55 to 64 had a volunteer rate of 41 per cent in 2010 and seniors recorded a rate of 36 per cent. The study notes that declining health limits the volunteer work of many older Canadians.

However, while younger Canadians are more likely to volunteer, Stats Can found that they devote fewer hours to their volunteer work. On average, youths aged 15 to 24 (130 hours) and younger adults aged 25 to 34 (109 hours) recorded only about one-half as many hours as seniors (223 hours).

In high schools across the area, we are seeing an increase in social justice and volunteer groups.  We are seeing high school students volunteer in soup kitchens and travel oversees to build schools. They raise money for school supplies and clean water projects. Today’s youth are cleaning up parks and collecting food and clothing for the less fortunate. They are attending conferences that encourage them to look beyond themselves.

It’s been a little over a decade since I graduated from high school and at that time, there was no such youth movement. There was little encouragement to look beyond our school and ourselves. Today, that isn’t the case.

I’m not entirely sure what’s behind this movement. To some extent, it is mandated, as many schools require students to complete volunteer hours in order to graduate. But that’s not all. The extent of involvement goes beyond just meeting a requirement.

Youth have always been interested in social causes and perhaps as technology has brought the world to our finger tips, seeing a need and organizing a response has become easier. Regardless of the reason, this is good news for rural Manitoba communities, which rely heavily on volunteerism.

Our community organizations are seeing dwindling volunteer bases as the old guard is ready to hand over the reins. For a number of organizations, there has been no one willing to step up and take over, which has led to the collapse of many organizations. 

Getting youth involved in volunteerism at a young age is important if we want to produce adult volunteers. They may drift away as school, work and families take up more of their time, but with a good foundation, they will come back.

A foundation of volunteerism and the knowledge that one person can make a difference will help our communities in the long run.