Australian Volunteer Issues Revealed
22 September 2008 at 2:09 pm
Volunteering Australia has released the finding of the 2008 National Survey of Volunteering Issues.
The survey aims to identify issues that affect volunteers and may impact on their ability to volunteer, as well as issues that challenge volunteer based organisations.
Volunteering Australia CEO, Cary Pedicini, says that some results are not surprising.
Some 28% of volunteers surveyed said that the costs of volunteering had a negative impact on their volunteering, whilst nearly half (47%) said they do not receive any reimbursement for the volunteering expenses.
The cost of fuel and telephone expenses were identified as the two major areas of expense for
volunteers.
Pedicini says fundraising continues to be a key role for volunteers with 32% reporting they had some
involvement in fundraising for their organisation, second only to administrative duties.
The survey did identify that 86% of volunteers believe their volunteering increases their sense of
community belonging.
Pedicini says 98% of volunteers believe their work as volunteers makes a difference to their organisation and its work.
The survey also looked at Corporate Volunteering for the first time. 38% of volunteer involving organisations surveyed utilized corporate/employee programs. “57% of those respondents reported that corporate volunteers made an extremely valuable contribution to their organisation.
Pedicini says corporate volunteering is a major growth area as organisations develop their corporate social responsibility agendas and Volunteering Australia is developing a range of services to support this growing
volunteer asset.
The survey identified that community welfare and emergency services have the largest number of volunteers, 27% each.
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68% of volunteers surveyed also have full time or part time work.
5.4 million Australians volunteer with that figure representing approximately 35% of the population.
The estimated value of volunteering is $70 billion.
The complete survey report is available at www.volunteeringaustralia.org
