Once famed for their protesting socialism, and then derided for their capitalist me-ism, a new generation of students appears to be adopting ... volunteerism.
Hoping to channel that spirit is the University of Otago's Volunteer Centre which put out the welcome mat at the start of this year.
Sze-En Lau is co-ordinator of the University Volunteer Centre.
Ms Lau says the centre was set up to ''promote, support and celebrate volunteering among our students and staff''.
''Increasingly, students recognise not just their responsibility but also their capacity to facilitate positive social change at local, national and international levels,'' Ms Lau says.
To date, more than 800 students have taken part in voluntary work co-ordinated by the centre.
Projects have included putting together 15,000 goodie bags to help raise funds for the Disabled Citizens Society, one-on-one and small-group tutoring and mentoring with Dunedin intermediate school children, and creating a smart phone app to help Gisborne young people access information about health and social services in their area.
Ms Lau wants volunteering to become part of mainstream university culture.
''I hope that each student will be involved with UniCrew Volunteers at some stage during their time at the University of Otago,'' Ms Lau says.
