Young people urged to give volunteering a go: Minister

Communities and Youth Minister Lindy Nelson-Carr has today launched a statewide Experience Volunteering campaign to encourage more young people to experience the benefits of volunteering.

In Gladstone for the Bligh Government’s 12th Community Cabinet meeting, Ms Nelson-Carr announced the volunteering campaign while visiting the Roseberry Community Service youth development project called “Branchout”.

“About one third of young people in Queensland, aged 18 to 24, are already making a difference as volunteers,” Ms Nelson-Carr said.

“Young people become volunteers for a variety of reasons such as to reach out to other people in their community, develop new skills to put on their resume, or even to make new friends,” she said.

“Volunteering has so much to offer and it is getting more flexible, with the option of web-based volunteering as well as short-term activities, one-off events or ongoing projects on offer.

“It would be wonderful to have more young Queenslanders involved in volunteering as they not only have lots to offer, with bounds of enthusiasm and energy, but they bring with them new ideas.”

Ms Nelson-Carr said increasing the number of Queenslanders involved in volunteering was an important target in the Toward Q2: Tomorrow’s Queensland vision.

“A specific Toward Q2 target is to increase the proportion of Queenslanders involved in their communities as volunteers by 50 per cent,” she said.

“For anyone interested in volunteering, this is a great time, with many community organisations looking for young volunteers to get involved and share their expertise over the Christmas-New Year period.”

For more information on volunteering visit www.getinvolved.qld.gov.au or to find local volunteering opportunities contact Volunteering Queensland on (07) 3002 7600 or visit www.volqld.org.au

Media Contact: Minister Nelson-Carr’s Office 3235 4280