Volunteerism is an important, and increasingly popular, mechanism for young people to bring about positive change in society, and it is becoming more and more relevant as a mechanism to engage young people in global peace and sustainable human development.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Youth contribute over $35 billion per year in volunteer hours and are more likely than any other age group to have volunteered informally in the past years.

• Volunteering is associated with a 27% higher chance of employment, and the effect is especially strong for those without a high school diploma or who live in rural areas.

• Young people are supporting UNDP in Ghana, by strengthening internal and external communications via websites, social networks and an intranet.

• Every year, more than 6,500 online volunteers between the ages of 18 and 30, representing 65% of all online volunteers, are mobilized.