More than four in ten Victorians are volunteering and contributing to the broader community, according to the first ever State of Volunteering Report in Victoria.

The report, commissioned by Volunteering Victoria, found that in 2019, 2.3 million Victorians aged 15 and over, or 42.1 per cent of the adult population, volunteered. 

It found volunteers contributed almost $60 billion dollars of value to the Victorian economy last year. This included $19.4 billion in costs to replace the labour volunteers contribute to Victoria and $8.2 billion contribution to Victoria’s Gross State Product (GSP).

The report also says that investing in volunteering provides a net return of approximately $3.70 on every dollar invested.

The report also uncovered the hidden costs of volunteering. It said that in addition to their time, Victorians on average pay $1,700 after reimbursements to volunteer.

“Victorian volunteers also donate more money to the organisations they volunteer for than non-volunteers,” the report said.

“At the same time, Victorians place a high value on the volunteering work they do. The majority of volunteers report a ‘productivity premium’ from their volunteering, helping them to be more productive in their paid work,” it said.

The report documented a sharp decline of volunteering in the early period of the pandemic between April and June 2020 during which volunteering participation was half the normal level

And there was a net decline of volunteering hours by almost two thirds, or 64.1 per cent.

Health concerns were a key barrier to volunteering for volunteers and non-volunteers during this time, the report said.

But, while the lockdowns brought by COVID-19 have curtailed volunteering, there is still significant activity occurring, according to anecdotal evidence.

Migrant and refugee settlement agency AMES Australia has more than 500 volunteers who support newly arrived people in Australia to learn English, find work and navigate a new society.

While face to face volunteering is not possible, more than 150 AMES volunteers are engaged remotely in supporting AMES client through phone, Zoom, Skype and other online platforms.

A recent separate survey by AMES Australia found that

Chief Executive of Volunteering Victoria Scott Miller said the report aimed to be a significant contribution to the research around volunteering.

He said it aimed to benefit leaders of volunteers, volunteer-involving organisations and governments looking to make wise investments.

“As we work through the challenges of the covid-19 pandemic, now is a critical time to focus on revitalising the volunteering sector,” Mr Miller said.

“There are challenges to address, but also opportunities to better engage volunteers to the benefit of our communities. This report demonstrates a very strong return on investment, of $3.7 in returns for every $1 spent,” he said.

“We look forward to working with the Victorian Government to develop sound strategy which will support the sector and maximise the potential of volunteer-involving organisations,” Mr Miller said.

AMES Australia volunteer Jolie Alotry said that despite the challenges, she has continued to enjoy tutoring remotely during the COVID-19 lockdown.

“I do enjoying my online teaching despite the fact we miss meeting face to face,” Jolie said.

“We can still be creative with our clients by using different materials and flash cards, for example,” she said.

Read the full report here: www.stateofvolunteering.org.au