Young people are to be placed at the centre of the Russell Commission’s new national volunteering framework it was announced today, after results from its consultation found that 95% of 16-25 years olds want an active part in shaping their own volunteering opportunities.

The consultation process, which ran for 12 weeks, revealed that young people are committed to developing their own volunteering experiences, which in turn, is more likely to engage them throughout their adult life. It was also widely felt that if opportunities were led by people in their own age group volunteering would be more appealing and accessible to them. On the basis of these results, volunteering commissioner, Ian Russell, has confirmed they are to be involved in every stage of the framework’s design.

Russell, who is also chief executive of Scottish Power, said: “By responding to the needs and aims of young volunteers themselves, the national framework aims to make volunteering the norm among young people and help establish a pattern of lifelong engagement which will be to the mutual benefit of the individual, the local community and Britain as a whole.”

The proposals, which are to be presented to the Chancellor and Home Secretary next month, aim to get one million more young people involved in volunteering over a five year period.