Building the Next Generation of Volunteers

In 2026, the United Nations has declared the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development, recognising the vital role volunteers play in strengthening communities and advancing a more sustainable future.

Across the world, volunteers support vulnerable groups, respond to local needs, and drive positive social change. But recognition alone will not sustain volunteering into the future. If communities want volunteering to thrive, it must be intentionally cultivated.

One of the most effective ways to do this is through planned and structured youth volunteering programmes that make participation accessible, meaningful, and routine.

Volunteering doesn’t happen by accident

A strong culture of volunteering is not created spontaneously. It develops when schools, youth organisations, and community groups consistently provide opportunities for young people to get involved.

When volunteering is built into everyday environments such as classrooms, youth clubs, and local projects, it becomes something young people expect to do rather than something they might do occasionally. Participation becomes normalised, and civic engagement becomes part of how communities function.

Organisations like ourselves here at Localise Youth Volunteering have demonstrated how structured programmes can introduce young people to volunteering in a supportive and meaningful way. By working with schools and youth groups, these programmes provide guided pathways that help young people take their first steps in contributing to their communities.

The power of early volunteering experiences

Many lifelong volunteers first discover the value of giving back when they are young. Early experiences can shape how people view their role in society and help them develop confidence in their ability to make a difference.

These experiences do not have to be large or complex. For many young people, volunteering begins with practical, local projects such as visiting hospitals,  coordinating a fundraiser, or helping run an intergenerational community event.

In Ireland, youth volunteers have taken part in projects ranging from community support initiatives to environmental action. Through programmes developed by Localise, young people design and lead projects that respond to genuine needs in their communities while developing skills such as teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving.

Localise projects highlight how youth volunteering can bring communities together. In one example, students involved in the Localise Classroom to Community programme partnered with Suzanne House in Tallaght, a respite center for children with life limiting and complex medical need, to prepare the sensory garden for Santa. The students cleaned, weeded, scrubbed, painted, and decorated the space, transforming it into a welcoming environment. The garden looked resplendent just in time for Santa to meet the children and their families, helping to create memories that will last long into the future.

Experiences like these help young people see that their actions matter.

Learning through service

Structured volunteering programmes also transform simple acts of service into meaningful learning experiences.

With the support of teachers, youth workers, or volunteer coordinators, young participants can reflect on what they have achieved and the impact their work has had. This reflection helps them understand the wider significance of their contribution while developing important life skills.

Through volunteering projects, young people learn collaboration, leadership, communication, and resilience. These transferable competencies, often referred to as transversal skills, are increasingly recognised as essential for education, employment, and active citizenship.

Importantly, structured programmes ensure that volunteering is safe, inclusive, and accessible. Careful planning allows organisations to provide safeguarding, guidance, and support so that young people from all backgrounds can participate with confidence.

From volunteering to lifelong civic engagement

When young people engage in volunteering regularly, it gradually becomes part of their identity. Giving time and effort to support others stops feeling exceptional and begins to feel natural.

This is how lasting habits of civic participation are formed.

Initiatives like MyVP – The National Youth Volunteering Portfolio, devised by us here at Localise, reinforce this process by allowing young people to document and reflect on their volunteering journey. The platform enables participants to record projects, recognise the skills they develop, and connect their volunteering experiences to future education and career pathways.

By combining action with reflection and recognition, programmes like these encourage young people to view volunteering not as a single event but as an ongoing journey.

Looking beyond 2026

The International Year of Volunteers offers an important opportunity to celebrate the contribution of volunteers worldwide. But its real legacy will depend on what happens next.

If communities want volunteering to remain strong, they must invest in the systems that make participation possible. That means supporting programmes in schools and youth organisations, creating inclusive opportunities, and recognising the value of youth participation in shaping stronger communities.

The volunteers we celebrate today are important. But the future of volunteering will be defined by the young people who are discovering, right now, that their actions can make a difference.

And when volunteering becomes part of everyday life for the next generation, giving back will no longer be the exception.

It will simply be the norm.