Oxfam survey of attitudes ‘Ethics girls and boys’

Today’s teenagers aspire to be ‘Ethics girls and boys’ rather than ‘Chavs’, an Oxfam survey of attitudes towards charities and volunteering has shown.

The research carried out by Oxfam to mark Volunteer Week, between 1-7 June, proves a desire among young people – underlined by the thousands expected to attend the Live 8 concerts in July – to use their time and energy to benefit others. Oxfam asked more than 300 people about giving time to a charity. The survey found that:

Ninety-two per cent of teenagers would consider volunteering for a charity, and over a third (36%) had volunteered in the last 12 months. Eighty-seven percent of the 16-24 year old interviewees cited Oxfam as a charity they would volunteer with.
Eighty-nine per cent of teenagers are prepared to make sacrifices in the name of charity. Sixty per cent stated they would give up ‘Watching Big Brother’ to accommodate volunteering in their lifestyle. ‘A night in the pub’ was cited as being a potential sacrifice by 43%.

The survey results show a clear altruism among young people. Over half (56%) gave ‘the chance to use your time to do something good and useful’ as their primary stimulus for wanting to volunteer. Enhancing their CV was only the fifth most popular motivation.

Kate Earl, 24, a volunteer at the Headingley shop in Leeds, echoed this, saying, “Young people aren’t all apathetic, hoody-wearing yobs. Volunteering means my spare time is used positively. I’ve gained the confidence to do other things and have actually got a new job as a result of it.”

The survey results also suggest that volunteering could be the solution to the hot political issue of ‘yob culture’, with over 51 per cent of the teenage respondents advocating its inclusion in the compulsory school curriculum. Sixty-four per cent believed the government should provide stronger incentives to their age group to volunteer.

Commenting on the findings, Oxfam’s Volunteering Manager, Carolyn Myers, said: “Teenagers have a bad image at the moment – they are pigeonholed as materialist, yobbish and celebrity-obsessed. However, our survey points to a backlash against this. Many young people want do something tangible to help those suffering from poverty or social injustice, and the idea of it being included in the school timetable is a positive suggestion.

“Volunteer Week is a the perfect opportunity for them to spend time in one of our 750 shops to see how their time is vital to our wider humanitarian and campaigning efforts, and that volunteering is something from which they will gain personal satisfaction.“

The survey was conducted across six UK towns and cities during March and April 2005, and sampled a diverse mix of social groups.

Oxfam’s shops are staffed by more than 20,000 volunteers, who give around 102,000 hours per week. Volunteer responsibilities commonly include selecting items for sale, pricing, and customer service. Full training is given. For more information on volunteering in an Oxfam shop contact your local Oxfam Shop, see: www.oxfam.org.uk/volunteer, or call 0845 3000311.