New research explores young people’s experience of environmental volunteering
During 2018 Traverse worked on a research project for Defra #YearOfGreenAction exploring young people’s experiences and attitudes towards taking part in environmental volunteering.
They found that people from more deprived backgrounds are significantly less likely to have taken part in environmental volunteering, as are those who lacked early and positive experiences outdoors with their families. Young people have very limited free time and they are focused on maximising the benefits of taking part. They are prepared to shop around for the most rewarding and relevant options.
Young people also have motivations that are not specifically linked to environmental causes or to the volunteering activity, such as a desire to be outdoors, to have new and exciting experiences and to make new friends. This points to the value of positioning environmental volunteering as a ‘platform’ where young people can flourish and pursue the things that matter to them.
Read more about the research here
Young people participating in one of the 16 focus groups
that were held across England as part of the research (Defra)
They found that people from more deprived backgrounds are significantly less likely to have taken part in environmental volunteering, as are those who lacked early and positive experiences outdoors with their families. Young people have very limited free time and they are focused on maximising the benefits of taking part. They are prepared to shop around for the most rewarding and relevant options.
Young people also have motivations that are not specifically linked to environmental causes or to the volunteering activity, such as a desire to be outdoors, to have new and exciting experiences and to make new friends. This points to the value of positioning environmental volunteering as a ‘platform’ where young people can flourish and pursue the things that matter to them.
Read more about the research here