<
https://theconversation.com/how-can-we-bolster-australias-depleted-army-of-volunteers-to-match-the-soaring-demand-for-their-services-205218>
"The COVID-19 pandemic hit volunteering very hard. By June 2021, volunteer
numbers in Australia had fallen by 37% from the start of the pandemic.
In the first two years of the pandemic, around 1.86 million people left
volunteering, according to Volunteering Australia. Last year, 26.7% of the
population did formal volunteer work. That’s well down from the pre-COVID level
of 36% in 2019.
Many depleted volunteer services are now feeling the strain of increasing
demand due to the cost-of-living crisis. They are also facing the compounding
effects of an ageing population, the ongoing impacts of COVID-19, unaffordable
housing and the mental health epidemic.
To try to rebuild the ranks of volunteers, Volunteering Australia recently
released a government-funded national strategy. It outlines 11 strategic
objectives for the next ten years to secure the future of volunteering in
Australian communities.
The strategy is based on input from across the volunteering sector. Some 83% of
organisations reported they need more volunteers. As the strategy observes,
volunteering in Australia is facing a sustainability crisis."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
