1 / 12

The Importance of Volunteering in Australia: Insights and Benefits

Volunteering plays a vital role in Australian society, with over 5.2 million Australians participating. Volunteers contribute 713 million hours annually, enhancing community life and personal development. A significant 98% believe their work makes a difference, while 86% feel a stronger sense of community. Organizations benefit from volunteers’ energy and fresh perspectives. This guide outlines volunteer rights and responsibilities, offers preparation tips, and highlights different volunteer positions to help individuals find meaningful ways to contribute to their communities.

nayda-hines
Télécharger la présentation

The Importance of Volunteering in Australia: Insights and Benefits

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Volunteer Centre Networkpresentation The Value of Volunteering

  2. Statistics: • 5.2 million Australians (34% of the population) aged 18+ volunteer • 713 million volunteer hours p.a. • 44% of those aged 35-44 yrs volunteer • Queensland and ACT have the highest volunteer participation rates Australian Bureau of Statistics – 2006 Voluntary Work, Australia 4441.0

  3. The 2008 National Survey of Volunteering Issues • 98% of volunteers feel their volunteer work makes a difference • 86% of volunteers feel that volunteering increases their sense of community belonging • 34% felt their volunteer training provided skills useful in current or future employment • 38% of organisations provide accredited training or modules towards a qualification

  4. Formal volunteering in Australia is defined as an activity that takes place through not for profit organisations or projects & is undertaken: • To be of benefit to the community ; • Of the volunteer’s own free will & without coercion; • For no financial payment; • In designated volunteer positions only.

  5. Why Might an Organisation involve volunteers? Involving volunteers provides opportunities to: • tap into the energy & time of people who want to contribute. • increase awareness & understanding of situations & issues. • improve the quality of community life. • assist people to develop their skills. • enhance, humanise and extend services. • bring fresh ideas and insights into the organisation. • encourage mutual help and self help. • break new ground with committed and spontaneouspeople.

  6. Volunteer rights: • To work in a healthy and safe environment. • Know what the job is before starting. • Decide when and how long to be available. • Negotiate job, times and days (where possible) • A meaningful job or activity • Supervision, instruction and training • Have the right tools for the job • Not to fill a position previously filled by a paid worker

  7. Volunteer Responsibilities : • Do the best job they can • Be punctual • Let the coordinator know if they are unable to work • Maintain confidentiality • Support other volunteers • Be a team member • Know their limitations

  8. Personal Benefits of Volunteering • To meet new people • To develop new skills or maintain existing ones • To increase confidence and self-esteem • To have fun • To add variety to your work experience • To meet personal needs and goals • Gives you a sense of purpose • Enables you to feel commitment to an organisation or job. • Gives you a feeling of making a worthwhile contribution. • Provides an opportunity to be active & involved in community activities.

  9. Volunteer Positions can include: • Administration • Customer service • Transport • Food services • Working with people with disability • Gardening or landcare • Tutoring • Retail • Working with the elderly

  10. Find the reason: Why does your client want to volunteer? What would they like to get out of their volunteer experience?

  11. Preparing to volunteer: • Why do I want to volunteer? • How much time can I spend on a regular basis? • What kind of volunteer work do I want to do? • What kind of work will I NOT do? • What I hope to get from volunteering in the short-term is……. • What I hope to get from volunteering in the long-term is………

  12. Contacts available on www.coverrs.org.au In this region: Volunteer Link 8558 4000 Liverpool 9821 6825 Macarthur 4647 5241 Nepean 4731 6523

More Related