Volunteering

Volunteering is an essential part of a socially inclusive society in which all Australian people feel valued and have opportunities to fully participate in community life.

More than six million Australians contribute their time, energy and expertise to volunteering, doing everything from helping disadvantaged children learn to read to providing companionship to the elderly. Their assistance in times of natural disaster is crucial and so too is their contribution to preserving our environment. Volunteers contribute more than 713 million hours of unpaid work each year to their communities. The value of volunteering in the not-for-profit sector is more than $14.6 billion per year.

The proportion of people who volunteer in Australia has grown consistently over the past decade across all age groups, from 24 per cent in 1995 to 36 per cent in 2010. However the median number of hours per volunteer has declined from 74 hours per year in 1995 to 56 hours in 2006.

The increase in the number of people volunteering shows a growing interest and commitment by Australians to contribute to their community, but the decline in the average number of hours per volunteer reflects factors such as busier lifestyles and changing expectations which are impacting on volunteering behaviours and opportunities.

There is growing evidence that social connectedness increases for those who volunteer and that this improves wellbeing. When asked whether volunteering increases their sense of community belonging overwhelmingly volunteers report positively. This is consistent with other known research that says volunteers tend to have higher levels of wellbeing than those who do not volunteer. Volunteering provides opportunities to meet new people, build new skills, use existing skills, and can alleviate social isolation, boredom or depression.