fbpx

Volunteering! A feel good exercise contributing billions to the Australian economy every year

May 17, 2016 Caryn Walsh

Volunteering! A feel good exercise contributing billions to the Australian economy every year

It’s Volunteering Week and time to celebrate everything they do for others and the economy.

Apart from the ‘feel-good’ aspect of volunteering, there is a significant economic advantage to organisations and communities that use volunteers. Especially those that use them to help run their businesses and communities.

More than 6 million Australians volunteer each year. Consequently, according to recent estimates, volunteering contributes more than mining, agriculture, defense and retail industries to the annual Australian economy put together.

Research by Dwyer at Flinders University calculated that volunteering contributes a whopping $290 billion to the Australian economy each year.  And it’s rising. No mean feat.

Home care organisations that deliver domestic assistance to the aged or disabled at home or food services, (such as Meals on Wheels) who are responsible for ensuring marginalized communities are properly fed are two examples.

Without volunteers, these organisations could not function.  They could not achieve everything they do without their Volunteers. Many Not For Profits or NGO’s are funded by stage or government bodies and as such. Thus they are under-resourced and low in finance.

That is where volunteers assist.  With time on their hands and care in their hearts, they join countless organisations, fund-raising groups and charitable organisations in the hope they can make a difference.

So let’s stand up and celebrate everything they do. Applaud them!

, ,

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *