Volunteering Queensland launched a State of Volunteering Report on May 7 to offer insights into the characteristics and challenges volunteers and volunteer managers face as well as provide advance evidence-based data on effective stakeholder decisions regarding community wellbeing.
CEO of Volunteering Queensland, Mara Basanovic, has noticed a decline in volunteering since the first volunteering report released in 2021 due to multiple personal factors.
“This 2024 report found that 64.3% of Queenslanders volunteered in the previous 12 months. This is a decline of just over 10% in three years,” Mrs Basanovic said.
“However, Queenslanders want to volunteer more – around 30% of surveyed residents, regardless of whether they volunteer, would like to do more.”
“The reason people don’t or can’t volunteer more is multifaceted, but this research identifies several key barriers, most notably people’s restrictions on time, health factors and the rising cost of living,” she added.
Beaudesert Lions Club is a service club filled with volunteers who are dedicated to serving and meeting the needs of the local community.
Beaudesert Lions Club President Janice Pellinkhof has been associated with the Lions for over 30 years and still admires the work volunteers provide for the Club.
“Everyone in the Lions Club from top to bottom is a volunteer – it is not a paid job at any level,” Janice said.
“There wouldn’t be a Club without volunteering – you give money to Lions for something, that money goes to that something.”
“But the main thing is that we all basically are putting the same ideas forward to raise money for charity and good causes.”
Janice noticed a decline in volunteers over the past few years as she too believes people face personal struggles towards time management and extra commitments.
“There were a lot more people volunteering before – clubs here were bigger,” she said.
“A lot of people are afraid to commit to this much time every week or every month, but every little bit helps. Also, people are applying their time to other things.”
Volunteering is a worldwide commitment that a lot of organisations and events depend on, and the latest report can highlight ways we can improve the state of volunteering in Queensland.
For more information, visit volunteeringqld.org.au/state-of-volunteering-in-queensland/state-of-volunteering-in-queensland-2024-report/
