'It's just part of what they do': Habitus, social class and youth volunteering policy

Encouraging young people to volunteer has emerged as a government priority over the last 15 years. Highly expensive schemes, such as the £200m invested in v, have been implemented to build on the existing volunteering infrastructure, develop community cohesion, social capital, and provide young people with the flexible skills and experiences they need to succeed in the jobs market. Drawing on research from two juxtaposed areas in England - one a deprived industrial town in the West Midlands called Eastwood, the other a prosperous borough called Croft in the South East - this paper and presentation offer initial conclusions as to what extent a government can mould its citizens into behaviours of voluntarism, especially those young people from hard to reach backgrounds.