National Youth Volunteer Week — young volunteers are making 2026 their year to lead

National Youth Volunteer Week runs from 10 to 16 August 2026, and this year's theme, Your Year to Lead, could not be more fitting for 16-year-old Haylie Staunton.

Whether it is umpiring a school netball game, serving on the SRC, or, like Haylie, coordinating a disability advocacy group, young South Australians are showing up for their communities in big and small ways.

From lunchtime karaoke to community leadership

Haylie was named Young Volunteer at this year's SA Volunteer Awards, and her story shows just how far you can go if you take the first step.

It all started with lunchtime clubs and karaoke activities in primary school. Since then, Haylie's volunteering journey has grown to include event coordination, project management, leadership and facilitating group discussions.

Recently, she established the first SA branch of We Are Not Alone in the Barossa Valley, a group that connects and amplifies the voices of young people with disability, chronic illness or who are neurodivergent in regional Australia. It is something she counts among her proudest achievements.

"Volunteering benefits you more than you may realise," Haylie says. "It's opened many doors for me and continues to do so."

A seat at the table

Haylie's leadership does not stop there. This year she was one of 90 participants in the 31st SA Youth Parliament, taking on the role of whip and getting a genuine taste of the democratic process while helping shape issues that matter most to young people.

She is also a member of the Youth Minister's Advisory Council, helping ensure young people's voices are represented directly to government.

For Haylie, the message to other young people is simple: just give it a go.

"Start small if that's what feels right to you," she says. "Because volunteering is extremely rewarding, in high demand, benefits you more than you may realise, and is a much broader field than many people see it to be."

A generation ready to lead

Haylie is not alone. South Australia's second State of Volunteering Report shows that around one million South Australians, or 63.7 per cent of people aged 15 and over, volunteer each year. Participation among 15 to 24 year olds sits at 73.3 per cent, second only to the 25 to 34 age group. The data shows that young South Australians are willing to volunteer, and the trend is growing.

"The rewarding feeling it provides gives me much more energy and passion than I'd have without it," Haylie says.

Thank you to our young volunteers

Thank you to Haylie and every young volunteer making a difference across SA and around the country. Your year to lead starts with a small step, so why not take it?