Multiplying the spirit of volunteerism

Students from Lac Hong University’s Green Summer Volunteer Campaign are painting and repairing playground equipment at Tan An Kindergarten. Photo: Nga Son

Through these activities, young people have affirmed their vitality, pioneering role, and volunteer spirit in taking on new and challenging tasks.

Nguyen Minh Kien, member of the Provincial Party Committee, vice chairman of the Dong Nai Fatherland Front Committee, and secretary of the Provincial Youth Union, said this year’s Summer Youth Volunteer Campaign took place in a particularly significant context, as the country is undergoing a sweeping “revolution” in restructuring its administrative apparatus and units at all levels. However, this situation has become an opportunity for the Youth Union to demonstrate its role.

One of the highlights of this year’s SYVC was supporting two-level local governments. Starting from July 1, when the two-level local government model came into operation, 100% of Youth Unions at commune and ward level established volunteer teams to assist at communal Public Administrative Service Centers (PASCs). During the two peak months of supporting the new model, the Youth Union branches deployed more than 1,800 volunteer teams with over 15,000 youth union members and volunteers, assisting hundreds of thousands of citizens and businesses in carrying out administrative procedures at communal PASCs.

Although equipped with a smartphone by her children, Mrs. Dinh Thi Kim Huong (living in Quarter 4C, Trang Dai ward) only used it for calls and was not familiar with other functions. Recently, she came to the ward’s PASC to apply for social allowance for her husband. The process required online submission, which she could not manage. She asked local youth volunteers for help.

“They are really quick with technology. In just a few minutes, my application was successfully submitted,” Mrs. Huong shared.

In addition to supporting local governments, the SYVC, the Youth Union branches in Dong Nai also helped build nine houses for disadvantaged families, youth union members, and children. These efforts contributed to completing the provincial program of eliminating makeshift and dilapidated houses. Volunteers also repaired 30 km of roads and built 15 km of new rural roads, planted nearly 267,000 trees, provided startup training for thousands of young people, supported four startup projects, and coordinated to introduce jobs to more than 7,500 youth.

Beyond free swimming classes for rural children, the Youth Union also launched “Blue-shirt tutors” to provide summer tutoring for children. These initiatives contributed to building new-style rural areas, civilized urban areas, ensuring social welfare, and caring for and educating young people.

In this year’s SYVC, the Provincial Youth Union set 12 targets. As of now, all 12 have been met or exceeded, with some more than doubling the original goals.

Alongside meaningful youth projects addressing local issues, another highlight of this year’s SYVC was the large participation of youth union members.

According to the Provincial Youth Union, through the Exam Support Program, four campaigns, Green Summer, Red Flamboyant, Pink Vacation, Green March, and the Digital Literacy Movement, this year’s Summer Youth Volunteer Campaign attracted 450,000 youth participants. Of these, the Exam Support Program mobilized 7,500 youth members to assist candidates during the grade 10 entrance exam and the 2025 high school graduation exam. The four campaigns engaged 9,100 youth members. The strong appeal of the campaign reflects the enthusiasm and volunteer spirit of young people in addressing emerging and challenging local issues.

Secretary of the Provincial Youth Union Nguyen Minh Kien noted that beyond active participation in the SYVC, what stood out was the initiative and creativity of youth members in approaching tasks, locations, and communities, ensuring effective implementation and contributing to the Union’s success in meeting its campaign goals. “The SYVC has ended, but I hope each young member continues to uphold the volunteer spirit, ready to take on new and challenging tasks to further contribute to the development of their localities and units,” Kien said.

As an active participant in this year’s SYVC, Nguyen Dinh Tien, a third-year Automotive Engineering student at Dong Nai University of Technology, shared that to foster youth volunteerism, the Youth Union should continue diversifying its volunteer activities. Only then can young people have more opportunities to contribute their energy to their homeland and the nation.

By: Nga Son

Translated by: M.Nguyet - Minho