Most of us are time poor; our lives are as stressful today as they’ve ever been; and the current events worldwide also take their toll. It hardly sounds like we are in any mood for opening our hearts to others less fortunate. However, the good news is that rates of volunteering in Australia appear to be on the rise.
The most recent figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2010) indicate that more than six million Australians over the age of 18 participated in voluntary work, with women (38%) more likely to volunteer than men (34%).
This is almost 18 percent more than the previous ABS survey in 2006.
But as the demand for welfare and human services grow and the population ages, there can always be more community engagement, particularly in areas that are growing the most, such as foster care, emergency relief and home help. It is now time for Governments to devote a Ministerial portfolio to Volunteerism.
For example, children entering Out of Home Care is growing at a rate of 5% per annum. The growth in demand is due to children staying longer in care. Foster care is our best form of out of home care because it replicates a stable loving family environment for these children. But to ensure we can maintain this form of care, the need for more foster carers has never been greater.
Distributing emergency relief, which is mainly reliant on volunteers, is also experiencing similar escalation in demand because of higher unemployment figures, as a result of fewer opportunities. Increases for material aid are up 20% in low socio economic areas.
In reality, no government is in a position to respond to every need in the community. Volunteers can be the real lifters in bridging this gap.
The power of selflessness and support.
Volunteers are motivated by many things. For some it is the opportunity in retirement to ‘give back’ to society or to feel relevant at a time in their lives when there is a fundamental shift in how they perceive themselves. For others, it fills a gap between paid work, or it provides an opportunity to add value to a particular cause that is close to a person’s heart. Many volunteers often state how their roles are so rewarding and, ironically, how it gives them more than they put in.
We need to support this kind of giving back. That is why I am calling for the appointment of a Federal or State Minister on Volunteerism that would assist in the promotion of this pursuit. Promoting and encouraging volunteerism and assisting in the blockages that often beset this area is what is needed.
Based on the 2010 ABS figures, close to a third of all Australians are involved in volunteering. Without them, our society simply wouldn’t function as effectively or efficiently as it does. Volunteers may assist in bridging the persistent gap between need and supply through the power of humanity and that is why it needs all the lift it can get, and that can only be a good thing for all.
Paul McDonald
Chief Executive Officer
Anglicare Victoria
