Young people really just want to help
A recent Ipsos Mori poll from November 2014 has found that young people in the UK really do care. Apparently four in every ten young people have been involved in some kind of meaningful social action in the last year. This often involved participating in local communities, with activities including fund raising and volunteering.
The study also found that 70% of those who volunteered enjoyed helping other people and found their lives to be more satisfying than those who did not take part.
#iwill campaign
The survey was carried out to celebrate a year since the launch of the #iwill campaignin November 2013. The aim of the campaign is to have half of the UK’s young people involved in some form of social action by 2020. The campaign has got off to a flying start, with over three million young people in the UK involved in some kind of local or larger community activity.
Already over 100 companies in both the public and private sphere have got involved in supporting the campaign. This has provided a number of opportunities for young people who are looking to get involved in a worthy cause or social initiative. You can find out more by visiting www.iwill.org.uk/get-involved.
What can you do?
There are all sorts of ways young people can get involved over a wide range of causes. Whether that’s working with people with learning disabilities, raising awareness about eating disorders or supporting people with physical disabilities in daily activities. HRH The Prince of Wales is a patron of the Step up to serve organisation, which is behind the #iwill campaign, and he has done lots to promote the cause.
What else did the survey show?
The survey also identified that even more young people would love to get involved but felt they didn’t have access to opportunities or the right levels of support.
However, the fact that they are keen to participate and help out those less fortunate is very good news indeed. The younger generation are the future and if they can be encouraged to care from an early age, that only bodes well for our society in the future.