Volunteering in Australia 2022

Volunteering Australia has published landmark research presenting a full picture of volunteering in Australia as told by volunteers and organisations. This major research project provides new and exciting insights into the contemporary state of volunteering in Australia. The launch included the release of two reports:

• Volunteering in Australia 2022: The Volunteer Perspective
• Volunteering in Australia 2022: The Organisation Perspective

The Volunteering in Australia research draws on two major surveys undertaken earlier this year: one of the Australian population (including volunteers and non-volunteers) and one of volunteer involving organisations.

The launch event included presentations by lead researchers from the Australian National University Centre for Social Research and Methods, Curtin University, Griffith University, and the University of Western Australia, and a Q&A session.

Visioning Workshops

The National Strategy for Volunteering Visioning Workshops came to an end this week with our final session in Canberra. Thank you to everyone who shared their vision for the future of volunteering in Australia.  

The workshops provided an opportunity for rich and diverse input from across the country. The next step is to synthesise and make sense of this diversity to build a draft national strategy that is meaningful for the whole volunteering ecosystem. 

Volunteering Research Papers Initiative Launch

Over 200 people attended the online launch of the Volunteering Research Papers Initiative. An initiative of the National Strategy for Volunteering Research Working Group, the Volunteering Research Papers summarise important research on volunteering and outline key insights for policy and practice. These insights will feed directly into the development of the National Strategy for Volunteering.

The first round of publications from the Volunteering Research Papers Initiative includes eight papers, each of which addresses a key area of research on volunteering.

The launch event was introduced by the Chair of the National Strategy for Volunteering Research Working Group, Professor Melanie Oppenheimer, and included a series of brief presentations in which contributing authors highlighted the findings and policy and practice implications of their research.

Visioning Workshops

We are delighted to announce we have scheduled our first Visioning Workshops for the National Strategy for Volunteering project!

The workshops are designed for everyone – volunteers, Managers of Volunteers, community leaders, people who work in local, state, or federal government, people who volunteer through their workplace, people who benefit from volunteering, and people who aren’t currently volunteering. We want to hear from as many voices as possible about their vision for the future of volunteering in Australia.

Volunteering in Australia research – The Organisation Perspective

The Volunteering in Australia organisation survey was undertaken from May to June 2022 and we have produced an Early Findings Report that summarises the key findings. new data explores current trends in volunteering, including recruitment and support practices, volunteer contributions, and predictions about future need.

Lead researchers Professor Kirsten Holmes and Associate Professor Patrick Dunlop presented the early findings, followed by a discussion on how the research relates to the National Strategy for Volunteering project and a facilitated question and answer session.

Discovery Insights Report

The Discovery Insights Report summarises the feedback we heard from stakeholders during our Discovery Phase.

Read the Discovery Insights Report to see the 12 insights we uncovered and suggestions for how some of the challenges facing volunteering might be solved.

Australia’s largest ever survey on volunteering

The Volunteering in Australia organisation survey is an historic opportunity to capture the current state of volunteering, map trends, and consider how volunteering may evolve into the future.

If you are a Manager or Coordinator of Volunteers, Program Leader, CEO, or otherwise represent an organisation or group involving volunteers, you were invited to have your say on the future of volunteering. By participating in the survey, you helped build the most comprehensive understanding of volunteering in Australia’s history.

We have partnered with Curtin University, Griffith University, and the University of Western Australia to undertake this landmark research. The findings of this research will inform the development of the National Strategy for Volunteering, which will provide a blueprint for a reimagined future for volunteering in Australia.

Volunteering in Australia research – The Volunteer Perspective

As part of the development of the National Strategy for Volunteering, Volunteering Australia is leading the Volunteering in Australia research project. The research project will produce a series of four reports that will serve as a core evidence base on contemporary volunteering in Australia, which will inform the development of the National Strategy for Volunteering.

The four reports will be based on:

1. A representative survey of the general Australian population
2. A survey of and a series of focus groups with volunteer involving organisations
3. An analysis of supply and demand for volunteers among organisations across Australia
4. A review of methods of valuing the contributions of volunteering in Australia

The population survey was undertaken in April 2022 and we have produced an Early Insights Report that summarises the key findings.

Volunteering Research Papers Initiative

As part of the Discovery Phase for the National Strategy for Volunteering project we are undertaking a comprehensive evidence review. To ensure the National Strategy is underpinned by a robust evidence-base we sought input from academics, researchers, and other experts in volunteering.

The Research Working Group was pleased to accept Expressions of Interest for its Volunteering Research Papers Initiative. Subject matter experts were invited to propose a paper that covers a topic relevant to volunteering for inclusion in the National Strategy for Volunteering project.

Expressions of Interest for the Volunteering Research Papers Initiative have closed. Thank you to all of the subject matter experts who submitted their ideas.

Final Working Groups Announced

We received an overwhelming number of Expressions of Interest for our final two Working Groups. We’d like to thank everyone who put their hand up to be involved. Working Group members were selected based on diversity of expertise, discipline, experience, and geography. Meet the members of our latest Working Groups.