Volunteering Australia has released the State of Volunteering in Australia report at the launch of National Volunteer Week.
Volunteering Australia CEO, Cary Pedicini, said the report is a detailed overview of how volunteering in Australia has progressed since the International Year of Volunteers (IYV), held in 2001, saw the release of the National Agenda on Volunteering 2001.
"Volunteering numbers have increased across the board, but so has the need. Volunteering continues to be a positive experience for most volunteers and that is an important factor on having volunteers with a long term commitment."
"Australia has a strong foundation for volunteering but we must continue to meet the changing needs of volunteers who want to volunteer in non traditional ways such as work place based volunteering and episodic volunteering as well as the growing area of virtual volunteering. This will continue to deliver a challenge to not-for-profit organisations to evolve their volunteering to better meet community demands."
"Volunteers expect, and should be provided, better protection and safety in their workplace, and effective and accessible training for volunteers and volunteer managers. We must invest further as a nation in attracting, supporting and protecting volunteers," Cary said.
The State of Volunteering in Australia report has been undertaken by Volunteering Australia as part of the International Year of Volunteers Plus 10, celebrating the tenth anniversary of IYV.
National Volunteer Week is celebrated from 14th to 20th May.
