While volunteering can have a significant impact on the lives of anyone volunteering, young people, in particular, can reap the benefits.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award released some very interesting statistics, the most telling of all being that 97% of young volunteers feel happier when they are volunteering. With issues like depression and stress at an all-time high among young people, this can be a great outlet for them to learn and grow.

83% said that volunteering also makes them feel more responsible, while 97% of young volunteers stated that regular volunteering gives them a sense of achievement

Volunteering can have longer-term benefits over the course of their life as well. 92% of young people said that they felt satisfied with the way their life was heading and 88% stated that regular volunteering helps towards achieving that life satisfaction they seek.

We all know that volunteering can help improve an individual’s confidence on many levels. 77% commented on the fact that volunteering has contributed to improving their confidence while 46% said their self-esteem had benefitted as a result.

Surprisingly, 48% said that some leisure pursuits don’t bring young people as much enjoyment as volunteering with 48% saying that they get more out of volunteering than buying new clothes.

When it comes to why they volunteer, the results are clear. Approximately one-third said they volunteer to feel good about themselves. A staggering 50% of young people said their main motivator to volunteer was to help others. Today’s young people want to have a cause to support. A volunteer position enables them to do more than support an NFP or charity, but gives them the opportunity to lend their time, their experience and their knowledge. It can be one of the most important things they do in their lifetime.

The University of Nevada said that young people learn a number of skills from their volunteering efforts. These include learning to respect others, be helpful and kind, understand people who are different, develop leadership skills, become more patient and better understand what citizenship means to them. These are all important life skills to attain, at any age.

Volunteering is a great way for young people to build on their professional skills which can aid them in future career paths. But more than that, volunteering will also benefit their personal life and society as a whole.