Volunteering must be voluntary - the clue is in the name

Today marks the first day of?Volunteers' Week, a celebration of all the good that happens across the UK thanks to people giving up their time to serve their local communities and be a part of something bigger than themselves. Over 8 million people in the UK volunteer at least once a month, and the most popular reason for doing so is "I wanted to improve things/help people." ??

Recently, there's been?much chatter about whether young people should be compelled to volunteer when they turn 18. While I favour facilitating volunteering opportunities, I'm against forcing teenagers to give up their time, as they won't get the same benefit from serving their community as if they had?chosen?to do so of their own volition. The?right?time to volunteer is when someone?wants?to give back?and?has the time and the means to do so. That might not be age 18 - it might not be ever - and that's OK.

Sure,?I volunteered as a teen and got a lot out of it.?I chose to teach groups of younger pupils ICT, do?paired reading, help in a museum tea room and volunteer as a sales assistant in a busy charity shop. Some of the invaluable lessons I learned were as follows:

?? Volunteering with younger children taught me the importance of showing up regularly, considering other people's needs and learning to see the world from someone else's perspective.

???The museum tea room taught me I'm terrible at balancing things and should never work in hospitality! ?? More importantly, the wise auld Doric-speaking quines taught me that it was OK to be different.

???As well as the?basic?customer service lessons you would expect, the charity shop taught me about networking, mergers and acquisitions and...?compassion.

?? Finally, I learnt?that volunteering is a two-way experience. You get as much out of it as you put in. Volunteering as a child paved the way for me to continue volunteering throughout adulthood.

However, not all school-age children are in the same position. Some already work to support their families, some are too ill to volunteer, and some are busy looking after loved ones. (There are approximately 187,750 young carers in the UK, and I sincerely doubt that any of them need the concept of duty and service explained.) As transformative as volunteering can be, there's a?huge?amount of privilege involved in being able to volunteer, and that should not be overlooked.

It's usual to spend this week thanking volunteers, and of course, I'd like to say a massive thank you to all the other volunteers out there. I see them, and I appreciate them. ?? However, in light of the recent national service proposals, I'd?also?like to celebrate all the young people who are doing their best but cannot volunteer for valid reasons. ?? They don't need any guilt or obligation to do more.

As for the young people who could volunteer but don't want to, I hope they won't be forced into it now and will one day have the opportunity to give back in a way that resonates more with them. Everyone has their?own?path to contributing positively to society, and respecting individual choices and circumstances is?important.