Coldplay, U2 and Madonna all did it at Live 8! Davina McCall went to Africa to do it. Princes William and Harry spent their gap years doing it - and hundreds of thousands of you lot have signed up to get involved in the last four and a half years alone. teentoday.co.uk caught up with top DJ Trevor Nelson to find out why volunteering is proving to be the coolest vibe of the new Millennium!

Trevor, isn’t volunteering just for old people?
Volunteering is no longer an old fashioned word – it’s not just something for older people with plenty of time on their hands. Young people have loads of energy and as the 176,000 16-24 year olds who have been Millennium Volunteers (MVs) show, many of them want to make a really positive contribution to their local communities.

But what if you don’t just want to dig up gardens and help local charity shops?
Volunteering really allows you to follow your passions and build on what you want to do. My passions are music and DJing - and I love to share this with as many people as possible.

I have volunteered my time in the past and feel that it is important to provide opportunities for others to do the same. It is a great feeling to make a difference to the lives of people around you - whilst at the same time gaining from the experience yourself.

Just look at Melissa, she has done a fantastic job, and thoroughly deserves to be named as MV of the Year. Through her passion for art she has earned the trust and respect of young people who are dealing with a range of issues - and because of her dedication and support they have really started to believe in themselves.

But do the volunteers get much out of it?
Volunteering gives young people the chance to develop really important skills that not only benefit the projects they are working with, but also add to their CV. You also get to meet loads of like-minded, cool people through MV – so what’s stopping you?

How can I get involved?
Check out www.millenniumvolunteers.gov.uk to find out more. Here you can find out who your local MV co-ordinator is, who will then set you up with a project you really want to get involved in – and then you just go from there!