Media Release
Tuesday 12 August 2025
Today, on International Youth Day, the Volunteering Peak Bodies across Australia are proud to announce the evolution of National Student Volunteer Week into National Youth Volunteer Week.
This change recognises the full breadth of young people who give their time, energy, and passion to causes that matter. By expanding beyond students, National Youth Volunteer Week includes all young volunteers as they contribute to their communities and strengthen volunteering in Australia.
"This important change better reflects the diversity of young people volunteering in Australia today," says Volunteering Australia CEO Mark Pearce. "This inclusive language opens the door to wider participation, greater partnerships, and deeper community impact for the next generation of volunteers."
Since its inception, National Student Volunteer Week has celebrated the vital role students play in shaping a better world. This evolution builds on that legacy, welcoming all young change makers into the fold under a new, inclusive banner.
“In 2023 in Queensland alone, an incredible 68.5% of young people aged 15 to 24—that’s around 474,000 volunteers—actively gave their time to strengthening communities. This is not a small pocket of youth doing good; it’s a movement,” says Volunteering Queensland CEO Jane Hedger.
National Youth Volunteer Week will continue to spotlight youth-led volunteering efforts, highlight the personal and collective impact of service, and connect young people with opportunities to lead, grow, and give back.
“Youth volunteering delivered an extraordinary $16.4 billion in economic and social value to Queensland in 2023, a figure that speaks volumes about the essential role young people play in building a more connected and resilient state,” says Ms Hedger.
We invite everyone to take part in National Youth Volunteer Week 2026, an inclusive future for youth volunteering in Australia.
More announcements will be shared in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for further updates.
Media contacts
Jane Hedger
Volunteering Queensland
0439 502 399
Kylie Hughes
Volunteering Australia
0460 852 336
Youth Volunteering Key Statistics: Australia
- 29.7 per cent of people aged 18-24 years volunteered formally (through an organisation or group) in 2023. This is around 680,000 volunteers aged 18-24.
- Volunteers aged 15-24 are more likely than those in other age groups to volunteer for fewer hours. However, the proportion of young volunteers who volunteer for 100 hours or more increased significantly between 2019 and 2020.
- Volunteers aged 18-29 years are more likely than average to volunteer for particular types of organisations, accounting for 37.8 per cent of volunteers in Animal Welfare organisations and 28.8 per cent of volunteers in Health organisations.
- Younger people are relatively more likely to volunteer in the field or over the internet, whereas older people are more likely to volunteer in person at the organisation.
Sources
https://stateofvolunteering.org.au/
Youth Volunteering Key Statistics - Volunteering Australia
Youth Volunteering Key Statistics: Queensland
- 68.5% of young people aged 15 to 24 volunteered in 2023, that’s around 474,000 volunteers.
- Youth volunteering delivered an extraordinary $16.4 billion in economic and social value to Queensland in 2023.
- On average, young Queenslanders contributes 22.6 hours every month adding up to 1.284 billion hours in 2023.
Sources
State of Volunteering in Queensland 2024 – Youth Report
