Royal Voluntary Service predicts student volunteering boom this summer

A volunteering boom among young people is being predicted for the summer by the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS).

It has released the findings of a survey that show that seven out of ten students aged 18-24 plan to spend their summer break volunteering.

The survey found that more than a third (34%) of students believe that volunteering “will give them a sense of purpose they are lacking.

A similar proportion (35%) want to ‘give back’ following a pandemic bit year for the country.

Schemes young people are looking to get involved in include the NHS Volunteer Responders Initiative, which is being delivered by the RVS and GoodSAM on behalf of NHS England.

This includes a call for students to help at Covid-19 vaccination sites as stewards.

RVS chief executive Catherine Johnstone said: “It’s great that students and other young people are now able to get their first dose – and by volunteering over the summer they can help the NHS protect many others too.

“Feedback from those who have stepped forward already has been fantastic, with people saying it has boosted their CV as well as being a great way to make friends.”

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