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One of the greatest misconceptions about volunteering is that as volunteers are unpaid their involvement has no negative resource implication for either the volunteer-involving organisation or volunteers themselves. Many organisations have, to their dismay, felt the effect of underestimating the cost of involving and supporting volunteers.
Whilst it is proper to account for the considerable dollar value of volunteer contribution, it is equally as important to calculate the financial overheads needed to support volunteers in their work. Many volunteers cover their own costs in addition to providing valuable services for which they are not paid; others are simply unable to afford the outlay required of them.
The work of volunteers cannot be taken for granted by not-for-profit organisations, the community, business or governments and the cost of supporting them in their work should be considered as an investment in the future of Australia.
Outcomes Sought
| 4.1 |
Access to affordable and adequate volunteer and public liability insurance for volunteer-involving organisations. |
| 4.2 |
Volunteer out-of-pocket expenses dealt with under the taxation system, any anomalies identified and resolved and some equitable means of providing relief for those outside the tax system is found. |
| 4.3 |
Travel concessions for volunteers travelling to and from their volunteer workplace. |
| 4.4 |
Volunteer-involving organisations have adequate allocations for volunteer management in their annual budget. |
| 4.5 |
Government, when funding service providers that rely on volunteers, explicitly requires and provides for an adequate budget allocation for volunteer involvement, management, recognition and reimbursement. |
| 4.6 |
Volunteer-involving organisations and funding providers, such as, governments, businesses and trusts, recognise volunteer management as a genuine and necessary expense item in funding submissions and funding allocations. |
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