SINGAPORE - Non-profit groups need to beef up their volunteer management capabilities if they want a constant stream of volunteers, said Minister for Culture, Community, and Youth Lawrence Wong on Friday morning.

He said young people typically have "a strong sense of idealism and...a strong desire to want to do something for the greater good".

However, if they are allowed only to carry out menial tasks, he said, they may think that is what volunteering is about and choose not to return.

"We do know for a fact that volunteer management capabilities are quite uneven across our non-profit sector," he added.

"It's easy to say 'I want volunteers', but what do you do to provide a meaningful opportunity for the person who wants to volunteer?"

Mr Wong was speaking at this year's Global Social Innovators Forum held at the Institute of Technical Education's College Central. The forum brings together social entrepreneurs, and was started by Singapore-based non-profit Social Innovation Park