• Summary
• Downloads
• Explanatory Notes
• Related Information
• Past Releases

VOLUNTEERING

Literature suggests that volunteering in the community is an important contributor to the development and maintenance of social capital (Nicholson & Hoye 2008). Data from the GSS show that sport participants are an important source of volunteers in the community. Over three quarters (87%) of those who volunteered their time and services to an organisation in the 12 months prior to survey also participated in sport or physical recreation in the same time period. The participation rate for non-volunteers was much lower at 67%.

6.1 Participation in Sport and Physical Recreation, By type of organisation volunteered for
	Participated	Did not participate	Total	Participation rate	Non-participation rate	Total
	'000	'000	'000	%	%	%
Arts/heritage	362.3	*41.6	403.9	89.7	*10.3	100.0
Community/welfare	1 092.8	215.8	1 308.6	83.5	16.5	100.0
Education and training	968.3	96.6	1 064.9	90.9	9.1	100.0
Emergency services	366.2	55.4	421.6	86.9	13.1	100.0
Environment/animal welfare	600.9	*64.0	664.9	90.4	*9.6	100.0
Health	441.8	75.1	516.9	85.5	14.5	100.0
Parenting, children and youth	915.0	*72.8	987.8	92.6	7.4	100.0
Religious	1 113.8	241.0	1 354.7	82.2	17.8	100.0
Sport and physical recreation	2 154.9	112.8	2 267.7	95.0	5.0	100.0
Other recreation/interest	331.9	38.0	369.9	89.7	10.3	100.0
Other	860.8	93.0	953.8	90.3	9.7	100.0
Total volunteers(a)	5 268.0	816.2	6 084.2	86.6	13.4	100.0
Not a volunteer	7 190.7	3 513.2	10 703.9	67.2	32.8	100.0
Total population	12 458.7	4 329.4	16 788.2	74.2	25.8	100.0
* estimate has a relative standard error of 25% to 50% and should be used with caution
(a) People may have volunteered for more than one organisation.