This Volunteers’ Week, organisations from across Wales and the UK have come together to celebrate the life-changing power of volunteering — and to call for action to make volunteering part of everyday life for more people, in every community.

At the Senedd the Bil Pob Plentyn / Law for Every Child legislative proposal has been launched — a new Bill that aims to strengthen and protect the rights of babies, children and young people in Wales.

The event brought together Members of the Senedd, youth organisations and young people themselves to share experiences and help shape the proposals. As Jane Dodds MS and Sioned Williams MS both emphasised, real change happens when young people’s voices are at the centre of policy, and when partnership working drives practical action.

That same theme continued later in Westminster, where a special parliamentary event brought together MPs, volunteers, and young people to back a campaign for a future where every employee can take 35 hours of volunteering leave each year. They argue that 140 million volunteer hours are currently left on the table each year. Unlocking that time could enable more people to give back to the community in ways that fit their lives.

Among those attending were representatives from ScoutsCymru, who continue to advocate for the transformative power of volunteering and the difference it makes to thousands of young people in Wales. “Partnership working is at the heart of everything we do,” said Kerrie Gemmill, CEO of ScoutsCymru. “When we give young people a voice, the confidence to speak up, and the opportunity to shape the world around them, we build stronger communities for the future. None of that would be possible without the incredible commitment of volunteers.”

The event also shone a light on the direct challenges facing youth organisations like Scouts today. In Wales alone, over 4,500 children are on the waiting list to join Scouts — young people eager for the skills, belonging, wellbeing and confidence that Scouting provides. But with volunteer shortages, many of those young people are still waiting.

ScoutsCymru argues that we must work together to break down the barriers to volunteering – barriers of time, cost and the demands of modern family. Volunteering is integral to a thriving society and needs to be open and accessible to everyone.

Innovative approaches like Tempo Time Credits are already helping to unlock time across communities, recognising and rewarding the contribution people make and helping build stronger, more connected communities.

Volunteering makes good business sense too. New research by the Royal Voluntary Service, launched alongside the campaign, estimates that enabling employer-supported volunteering could unlock up to £4.6bn in economic value each year, while delivering major wellbeing and skills benefits to individuals, businesses and society as a whole.

As Chief Scout Dwayne Fields said at the Westminster event, “One of the most important things we can do as citizens is volunteer. Volunteering is good for the person who does it and for those who receive it.”