EDM 1753: Intergenerational volunteering and sustainability initiatives

That this House recognises the vital role of intergenerational volunteering in advancing environmental sustainability, enhancing community cohesion and empowering young people through civic engagement; celebrates the success of local initiatives, such as the Empowering Change project led by Roehampton University and Sustainable Merton, supported by BIG South London, which demonstrated the impact of structured student-volunteer collaborations on climate action, wellbeing and social inclusion; notes that such partnerships engaged undergraduate and postgraduate students from diverse national and international backgrounds, and have proven effective in increasing youth engagement in sustainability, improving volunteer retention through research-informed strategies, and supporting local policy through evidence-based recommendations; and calls on the Government to increase investment in university-community collaboration models nationwide, institutionalise student involvement in environmental volunteering, and formally recognise intergenerational action as a key driver of civic responsibility, climate resilience and inclusive community development across the UK.