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What is 'Youth Philanthropy'?
The term youth philanthropy is often used both in terms of:
- philanthropic giving to projects that benefit young people; and
- the involvement of young people in the practice of philanthropy.
For the purpose of this page, Philanthropy Australia is adopting the second definition.
How can young people get involved in philanthropy?
When defining philanthropy as the voluntary planned donation of money, time and services for the public good, there are many opportunities for young people to be involved in philanthropic practices regardless of personal wealth. Some ways young people may want to become involved in the joy of giving include:
- Becoming involved in your family's philanthropic organisation
- Volunteering your time
- Offering your professional skills pro bono (i.e. at a heavily discounted rate or free of charge)
- Forming a group of peers and pooling funds to make a significant donation (also known as a 'Giving Circle')
- Planning your donations as an individual
- Donating goods instead of money
Browse the Getting Involved section for further information.
Useful resources
Young people looking to become involved in philanthropy, as well as others looking to better involve youth in their own philanthropic work, will find the following resources useful:
Philanthropy Australia Membership
Philanthropic bodies involved in Youth Philanthropy will find Membership with Philanthropy Australia beneficial. To find out which other Youth organisations are Members, browse the Members List.
The News and Events pages may also contain information relevant to Youth Philanthropy organisations.
Youth on Board - 14 Points to Successfully Involving Young People in Decision Making
This is a comprehensive handbook for anyone who is interested in working with young people in decision making roles. Includes case studies, worksheets and handouts to help organisations work through the process of engaging young people.
Members may borrow this publication from the Philanthropy Australia Library.
ActNow.com.au
ActNow.com.au is an initiative of The Inspire Foundation, who are also behind the extremely successful ReachOut program.
ActNow is an web-based service that helps young people take action on social issues that affect them and their community.
ActNow is driven by young people and responds to their desire to understand issues, articulate their opinion, and take action in their community. ActNow provides timely, relevant and interesting calls to action that are suggested by and resonate with young people.
ActNow addresses the fact that young people often feel overwhelmed and disengaged by the quantity and quality of information available to them. It responds to young people's need for relevant, simple and reputable information, and demonstrates that the action taken to create a better world is undertaken every day by people just like them.
The ultimate objective of the program is to increase the number of young people who get engaged in the issues that affect them and their community - and to improve their skills, confidence and experience of being involved.
ActNow also aims to support and showcase the work of social, civic and community organisations by creating a unique online resource that acts as a broker of information and action opportunities for young people.
ActNow has received support from a range of philanthropic and government bodies including Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation, Foundation for Young Australians and Bokhara Foundation.
The Foundation for Young Australians
"The Foundation for Young Australians is an independent national grant-making organisation, funding and working in partnership with youth-led initiatives which aim to positively contribute to young people and their communities."
Oaktree Foundation
The Oaktree Foundation is an entirely youth run aid and development organisation, driven by young people under the age of 26. Its mission is to empower developing communities through education in a way that is sustainable.
Common Cents (USA)
Common Cents New York was founded by journalist and author Teddy Gross to promote the Penny Harvest, the first of what would become an annual campaign of students collecting pennies to help feed and clothe homeless people in New York City. In partnership with the New York City Department of Education, Common Cents has integrated Penny Harvest into more than seven hundred public schools, growing it into a year-long program of community action, engaging students in resource mobilization, youth philanthropy, civic engagement, and peer mentoring. In 2004-2005, the program mobilized close to a half-million students in 720 schools and raised nearly $627,255 — all in pennies; since its inception students have collected more than $4.5 million and donated it to hundreds of community-based organizations for student-led service projects. Common Cents is expanding the program nationwide.
Young Professionals for Charity (YP4C)
Young Professionals for Charity is "a group of people with education and money to burn and use their energies to make a difference". The group has over 110 members, including lawyers, doctors, teachers, artists, actors, management consultants, and more. Average earnings of the group are $40,000-$80,000, and the average age is 27.
YP4C runs extremely successful fundraising balls, and has recently teamed with Our community to connect "the growing army of young professionals who love the idea of changing the world and making some kind of contribution, to the not-profit sector."
SchoolAid
SchoolAid is a national schools-based philanthropy network empowering kids to help kids in crisis. Their purpose is to promote a world where Australian children live the values of care and compassion and so develop a lifelong sense of moral and social responsibility.
With the inaugural Kids Helping Kids Awards, for the first time Australian schools will have the opportunity to be acknowledged and rewarded for their excellence in school based philanthropy. Entries for the Kids Helping Kids Awards open on 30 April 2010 and close on 15 September 2010.