The new Charities Minister, Andrew Leigh, is on a mission to stem the drop-off in volunteering numbers, and halt the community participation crisis. In common with many other charities, Leep is constantly searching for volunteers. At the beginning of the pandemic there was an uptake in volunteers, but this number…

In 2021, Volunteering Australia’s CEO, Mark Pearce, highlighted that change would be a constant. An apt prediction as we move into 2022 and continue to live with unpredictability. Despite the ongoing and “seemingly endless time-frame” of COVID-19, Pearce believes 2022 can herald a positive change for volunteering. He lists the…

Here at Leep, we love a feel-good volunteering story! Take Rita Bell. At 89 years young, volunteering (along with some line dancing on the side) is Rita’s secret to longevity. Rita is solid proof that volunteering is as good for volunteers as it is for the people they help. Volunteering…

Have you ever worried that being retired means your skills, experience and time are no longer important? This article from Have a Go News shows us that being retired doesn’t mean becoming redundant. National Chair and National Strategy Co-ordinator for the Citizens’ Climate Lobby Australia, Rod Mitchell, claims that “volunteers…

Can you imagine a world without volunteers? It seems odd to even think about, yet data from Volunteering Australia shows that volunteering has been decreasing over time, and that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated lowering volunteer numbers. The Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that nearly one in ten Australians haven't…

Volunteers filling out the 2021 census were dismayed to see that their efforts were not fully represented in the data. While the census included a question asking if the applicant had volunteered, it does not follow-up for specific details about their volunteer work. Census data is a critical component in…

Volunteers throughout Sydney are coming together with like-minded organisations to support those in need during lockdown. Durga Owen, a lecturer at Western Sydney University, shops and delivers food for people in her community along with other volunteers throughout Sydney. Those in need include refugee families, international students and those who…

The Centre for Volunteering, in partnership with the Department of Communities and Justice, has launched the inaugural New South Wales State of Volunteering report. This in-depth analysis showcases the characteristics of volunteers, volunteering and volunteer-involving organisations. It produces a detailed cost-benefit analysis of the social, cultural and economic impacts of…

A shared desire to help the community has brought local Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury teenagers together to call isolated seniors during another Sydney lockdown. This initiative, backed by MP Susan Templeman, has young volunteers calling seniors in the area to have a chat. Volunteers are given a specific list of…