Volunteering Trend Toward the Internet and Young People

Minister for Social Inclusion Tanya Plibersek today released a new report which finds volunteers have a growing preference for online volunteering and more young people want to get involved.

Ms Plibersek said the National Volunteering Strategy Consultation Paper, polled more than 800 volunteering groups and found that traditional forms of volunteering remained popular but new forms of participation were emerging and needed to be accommodated.

“Changes include a growing preference for online volunteering, more young people and highly skilled early retirees wanting to volunteer, and an increasing interest in shortterm or projectbased volunteering,” said Ms Plibersek.

Ms Plibersek said as Australian changed so did the ways in which people wanted to volunteer. It was important to ensure that organisations were able to adapt to these changes so that they were able to continue to recruit and retain volunteers.

The report will inform the National Volunteering Strategy, which the Gillard Government plans to release later this year. The strategy will outline the Government’s vision for volunteering over the next 10 years and will provide a framework which encourages volunteering.

As Ms Plibersek today marked the 10^th anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers (IYV+10), she also announced the membership of a new Volunteer Advisory Group, which will provide advice to the Government.

“The group will provide insight into the volunteering sector and assist in creating an environment in which volunteering is encouraged, supported and properly recognised.”

Full membership of the council includes:

Ms Sue Vardon AO (Chair), Member of the Australian Red Cross Board, former Chief Executive at the Department for Families and Communities (SA) and former Chief Executive Officer of Centrelink
Ms Margaret Bell AM, President of the Chain Reaction Foundation
Ms Dimity Fifer, Chief Executive Officer of Australian Volunteers International
Mr Andrew Coghlan, Chair of the Australian Emergency Management Volunteers Forum
Mr Doug Taylor, Chief Executive Officer of United Way
Mr Cary Pedicini, Chief Executive Officer of Volunteering Australia
Ms Julie Pettett, Consultant at the Conservations Councils of Australia
Mr James Demetriou, Executive Officer of Sports Without Borders
Ms Ronni Kahn, Founder of OzHarvest
Ms Belinda Ding, National Youth Manger, St John Ambulance Australia

Media contact: Minister Plibersek’s office, Simon Crittle 0466 773 531