Volunteering Illawarra - Report Template COUNCIL · Web view2021. 4. 7. · Survey respondents, 19.7% were new volunteers with less than 3 months volunteering experience. Of all

State of Volunteeringin the Illawarra - 2012

State of Volunteering in the Illawarra: 2012_________________________________________________________________________________

Message from the Lord MayorI am proud to present this research report on the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra that has been

commissioned by Wollongong City Council’s Volunteering Illawarra unit. Volunteers play a critical role

in the creation of a cohesive and inclusive community, helping to deliver a diverse range of services

from aged care, education and literacy to youth programs, transport and bush care.

Research into the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra was funded by the NSW Department of Human

Services: Ageing, Disability and Home Care in 2011. The research identifies the issues affecting

volunteer management in not-for-profit organisations, the expectations and perceptions of potential,

new and experienced volunteers and emerging trends in volunteering. The research report provides a

number of recommendations of relevance to organisations that work with volunteers, to agencies that

fund volunteer-based services and to policy makers.

I take this opportunity to thank all of those individuals and organisations that contributed to the

development of the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra report. I hope that the outcomes of this

research project will assist the local voluntary sector to respond appropriately to the challenges they

face and plan for a sustainable future.

Lord Mayor of WollongongCouncillor Gordon Bradbery OAM

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AcknowledgementVolunteering Illawarra would like to thank the organisations and individuals who participated in this

research project. The sharing of thoughts, opinions and experience has helped shape this report,

which would not have been possible without this valued contribution.

Volunteering Illawarra would also like to acknowledge the contribution of Claudia Perry-Beltrame, who

was the principal researcher for the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra research project.

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Contents

Message from the Lord Mayor..............iiAcknowledgement.................................iiiContents.................................................ivExecutive Summary..............................vi

The State of Volunteering in the Illawarra Research Project vi

Generational Differences in Relation to Volunteering vii

Managing Volunteers......................................vii

Challenges in Volunteer Management............vii

Volunteer Recruitment and Training..............viii

Volunteer Engagement..................................viii

Leadership of Volunteer Organisations..........viii

New Technologies and Volunteering...............ix

New Opportunities for Volunteering.................ix

Conclusions from the Research.......................x

Statistical Snapshot of Research Findings.......x

Snapshot of Research Findings re Volunteering Expectations x

Introduction............................................1About the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra Research Project 2Who Participated in the Research?......3

Organisations...............................................3

Volunteers....................................................3

Sector...........................................................3

Generational Differences and Their Impact on Attitudes to Volunteering 5Managing and Leading Volunteers.......9

Introduction...................................................9

Governance..................................................9

Volunteer Management Committees................9

Volunteer Management Structures............10

Remuneration of Volunteer Managers...........10

Leadership.....................................................12

Succession Planning for Volunteer Management Positions 13

Support and Training for Volunteer Coordinators 14

Decision Making.............................................16

Achieving Organisational Goals.................16

Time Constraints............................................16

Resource Constraints.....................................17

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Legal Status...............................................17

Insurance....................................................18

Policy and Procedures...............................18

Managing Volunteers.................................19

Volunteer Values and Motivations..................19

Volunteer Induction........................................21

Introductions and Meetings............................22

Training for Volunteers...................................23

Cost of Training..............................................24

Methods for Training Volunteers....................25

Feedback.......................................................25

Recognition and Reward................................26

Establishing Recognition Programs...............28

Reimbursement..............................................29

Challenges in Managing Volunteers..........31

Volunteer Recruitment...................................32

Cost of Recruitment.......................................33

Challenging Roles..........................................34

Matching Volunteers to Organisations...........34

Retaining Volunteers......................................34

Job Descriptions.............................................36

Barriers to Volunteering.................................38

Volunteer Work Preferences......................39

Hours Available..............................................39

Volunteer Rosters..........................................41

Volunteer Setting............................................42

Volunteer Engagement..................................43

Marketing Message and Recruitment........45

Relationships..................................................46

Generational Change.....................................46

Environment...................................................46

Attributes........................................................46

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Part 3 – Volunteering into the Future. 47Ageing Volunteer Workforce......................47

Demographic Change....................................47

Communicating with Volunteers........49Communication Methods...........................49

Volunteer Organisations - Preferred Methods 49

Volunteers - Preferred Methods.....................49

Internet Access..............................................50

Online Technologies......................................50

Social Networking..........................................51

Marketing to Volunteers via Information Technologies 52

Mobile Technologies......................................53

Barriers to Using Technology.....................54

Creating Best Value For Volunteering Organisations From the Use of Online Technologies 55

Emerging Trends in Volunteering.......57Technology and Virtual Volunteering.........57

Family Volunteering and the Engagement of Young People as Volunteers 58

One-to-One Service Volunteering..............59

Travel and Volunteering.............................60

“Volunteers” on Income Support................63

Corporate Volunteering..............................63

Part 4 – Recommendations and Conclusion 65Recommendations.....................................65

Conclusion..................................................66

Appendices...........................................69

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Appendix 1: Research Design.............69Literature Review.......................................69

Survey............................................................69

Focus Groups.................................................70

Interview.........................................................70

Referral Follow-Up Calls................................70

Visual Methodology - Images.........................71

Presentation of Data..................................71

Sector.........................................................72

Community/Welfare Sector............................72

Health.............................................................72

Education/Training.........................................72

Parenting/Children/Youth...............................72

Appendix 2 – Generational Differences and Their Impact on Attitudes to Volunteering...............................................................74

Builders......................................................74

Baby Boomers............................................75

Generation X..............................................77

Generation Y..............................................78

Generation Z..............................................80

Appendix 3 – Research Data...............81List of Tables and Figures..........................81

Questionnaires...........................................99

Questionnaire - State of Volunteering in the Illawarra – Volunteer Organisations Perspective 99

Survey Questions...........................................99

Questionnaire - State of Volunteering in the Illawarra – Volunteers Perspective 106

Survey Questions.........................................106

Bibliography.......................................114Endnotes.............................................116

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Executive SummaryThere is global recognition that the volunteering sector is presented with many opportunities and

challenges that will require a strategic response in the coming decade. The United Nation’s State of

the World Volunteerism Report 2011 and the Australian Government’s National Volunteering Strategy

2012 address the changes and challenges that the voluntary sector is facing nationally and

internationally in the early 21st century. Volunteering Illawarra, the Illawarra’s regional Volunteer

Referral Centre, commissioned a research project in mid-2011, to better understand the ‘health’ of

volunteering in the Illawarra and develop a set of recommendations to support local organisations in

developing sustainable volunteer services.

The State of Volunteering in the Illawarra report aims to understand the issues affecting volunteer

management in not-for-profit organisations. It provides an analysis of the sectors utilising volunteers,

the expectations and perceptions of volunteering of experienced and new volunteers and explores

generational differences and emerging trends in volunteering. The report captures the local issues,

commonalities and challenges faced within the region and makes comparison to Volunteering

Australia’s National Survey on Volunteering Issues, the State of Volunteering in Tasmania report

published in 2010 and recent literature and a range of other government reports and academic

literature.

The State of Volunteering in the Illawarra Research ProjectThe research project was undertaken between June 2011 and July 2012 in three stages. Stage One

involved a literature review into generational changes in Australian society, examining media, popular

and academic literature in relation to the question: “what impact now and into the future do the

differing cultures, values and expectations of different generations have on their participation as

volunteers?” Stage Two involved a survey and four focus groups with volunteer managers and

coordinators during 2011 and Stage Three involved a survey and the application of a range of

qualitative research methods with volunteers during 2012. The majority of organisations participating

in the research were from the community/welfare and the health, aged care and disability sectors

across the Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama and Shoalhaven Local Government Areas.

The State of Volunteering in the Illawarra report is structured into four parts:

Part 1 is a literature review on similarities and differences in work and lifestyle values and the

leadership preferences across generations, based on McCrindle’s (2009) generational

segmentation of Builders, Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y;

Part 2 discusses management and leadership from the volunteer managers and volunteers’

perspective;

Part 3 considers aspects of volunteering into the future such as using technology and

emerging models of volunteering;

Part 4 provides recommendations for the government, volunteer referral centres and not-for-

profit organisations.

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Generational Differences in Relation to VolunteeringResearch into the influence of generational change across Builder, Baby Boomer, Generation X and

Generation Y age cohorts, found differences across the generations in core lifestyle and work values,

and leadership and management styles, resulting from the impact of economic, social and

environmental events occurring during each generation’s formative years and the current career stage

of each generation. These differences impact on the types of rewards and recognition expected and

the interaction and relationships forged by volunteers in the work place.

Research into management styles indicated that a more collaborative management style will be

required in future to get the best out of Generation X and Generation Y volunteers (and staff).

Interestingly, research into leadership style preferences indicated that the Baby Boomer generation

also prefers a supportive management style, does not like to feel patronised and wants to be valued

as an equal contributor to the organisation.

Managing VolunteersThe research confirmed the importance of the role of volunteer manager/coordinator for effective

volunteer management. The findings demonstrated the need for more recognition of this role, which

requires highly developed people skills and leadership qualities which align, motivate, inspire and

support volunteers to remain with a program or organisation without employment contract or

remuneration. The management of volunteers occurs within a highly fluid and uncertain environment,

with high volunteer mobility, high competition for skilled volunteers and little or no funding for

volunteer recruitment and training.

Despite the critical and complex role played by volunteer managers/coordinators, less than 60% of

volunteer managers surveyed in the Volunteering Illawarra study are in a paid full-time or part-time

position and funding to appoint a coordinator is limited. Often volunteer managers work in dual roles

and find it challenging to manage both appropriately, with the client focused role taking over from the

volunteer related one.

The research shows that organisations that do not employ a volunteer coordinator/manager (whether

paid or unpaid) tend to have older volunteers, and more difficulty recruiting or matching volunteers to

their organisation. The failure to delegate responsibility for management of volunteers to a discrete

position impacts negatively on administration and on taking responsibility for the volunteer work force,

reducing the time to engage volunteers fully in the organisation.

Challenges in Volunteer ManagementThe three most significant challenges for volunteer managers/coordinators, identified in the State of

Volunteering in the Illawarra research, are: recruiting (80% of organisations) and retaining (44%)

volunteers in a setting where the volunteer work force is ageing (third challenge). In an ageing

population volunteers work fewer hours and want more flexibility in terms of hours and continuity, due

to lifestyle and work preferences. Competition for volunteers is high particularly in the more rural

areas of the Illawarra. Some focus group participants estimated that a third of their volunteers leave

the organisation per annum due to work, study, travel, poor health or age. This is particularly the case

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in one-to-one services, where ageing volunteers can eventually become clients of the service. The

study indicated that specialised volunteering roles, such as bus driving or administration, are already

difficult to fill.

Volunteer Recruitment and TrainingRecruitment was identified in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra research as a challenge for

those volunteer organisations that are smaller, do not have a strong “brand” or do not clearly articulate

their objectives or focus. The study indicated that there also seems to be a relationship between

difficulties in retaining volunteers and difficulties in providing them with effective training for their roles.

Almost 32% of organisations indicated that providing training is a challenge and, of those, 57% do not

have a structured training program in place and just below 44% do not pay for it in full. The findings in

this study indicate that new volunteers want significantly more training than experienced volunteers.

With volunteer turnover increasing, the cost of training is also increasing for organisations. Often

training is duplicated across organisations, as it is not transferable or when a volunteer changes

organisations, their existing training is considered insufficient by the new organisation.

Volunteer EngagementAnother means of retaining volunteers is through full engagement in the organisation. The

BlessingWhite Report (2010) found that engagement of paid employees increases through relational

management including strengthening trust, creating a sense of belonging, employees’ ability to fully

utilise their talents, and the knowledge that their efforts make a difference. Parallels can be drawn

from this research, to the management of the volunteer work force.

Findings in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra report show that being valued as a part of the

organisation, having a role of interest, having a sense of purpose and helping the community are

important values and motivators for volunteers, across all of the generations surveyed. Further,

retention of volunteers did not appear to be linked to reimbursement and recognition factors.

However, volunteers on income support indicated that due to their financial situation, reimbursements

are more important. Interpersonal recognition such as a “thank you” or receiving feedback from staff,

were more important to the majority of volunteers than tangible benefits that incur costs for

organisations. However, interpersonal recognition requires an organisation-wide approach with all

employees participating and contributing.

Leadership of Volunteer OrganisationsThe style of management and leadership within volunteering organisations is critical to the

achievement of full engagement with and by volunteers. Providing a mentor and access to meetings

or social interactions, using macro- instead of micro-management techniques, and giving feedback

are key contributors to an engaged volunteer workforce. To achieve this, workplaces might benefit

from a review of their organisational hierarchy, creating flatter structures for projects and program

management, and roles with more responsibility. In addition, organisations (not just the volunteer

manager/coordinator) can create a more sustainable voluntary workforce by developing participatory

and friendly workplace environments which support group or team work, inter-generational interaction,

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and a good culture for knowledge sharing and celebrating accomplishments. These values can be

integrated into the marketing message to reach out to volunteers of all ages.

New Technologies and VolunteeringThe State of Volunteering in the Illawarra research indicated that an ageing volunteer force is

inversely related to the uptake of technology by organisations. The older their volunteer cohort, the

less likely it was for technology to be present in organisations. Interestingly, face-to-face

communication was reported as the preferred communication method for all generations. Focus group

discussions identified that face-to-face, phone calls, texting and email each have a place in the way

volunteers prefer to be managed and communicated with. Using the newest electronic communication

tools (including social media) in reaching volunteers has the potential to attract younger volunteers

who use more diverse technologies, but particularly texting and social media, than any other

generation. The research also indicated that new volunteers expect significantly more communication

through social networks and shareware than volunteers already in the sector.

However, the research found variable understanding and enthusiasm for technology and social media

among volunteer managers and older volunteers. While the older generation’s preference for

traditional communication methods will remain, the generational transition of the volunteer (or

potential volunteer) workforce into the future makes it essential for volunteer managers to learn about

the different technologies and utilise these to support their services and volunteer engagement into

the future. In addition, using the appropriate communication channels for the desired volunteer target

group will help in recruiting the type of volunteer wanted for a program or project.

New Opportunities for VolunteeringNewer forms of volunteering that were identified in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra report

have to date had only limited uptake by Illawarra volunteers. Participants in the individual volunteer

survey stated that they preferred to volunteer in groups within the organisation rather than at a

distance and with peers or friends. Virtual volunteering, particularly if undertaken alone, does not meet

these preferences. Family volunteering was among the least favoured forms of volunteering and was

rejected by the Baby Boomer focus group participants, who stated that they did not wish to share their

volunteer time with other commitments such as child-care. Corporate volunteering was most

favourably viewed by young Generation Y respondents, however, further research into this area is

required to determine the actual uptake of corporate volunteering opportunities, particularly from an

organisational perspective.

Finally, the migration of the Baby Boomer generation each winter to warmer climes, is already

occurring in the Illawarra region and organisations that participated in the study indicated that they are

already experiencing difficulties in filling certain positions during this time. Considering the migration

patterns of the “grey nomads”, travel and volunteering (ie attracting passing “grey nomads” so that

they volunteer short-term while they are in town) will not be a trend the Illawarra can tap into, as this

region is located too far south to be considered part of the “sun-belt” that attracts this demographic.

Local volunteer organisations might be best to consider seeking other means to boost their volunteer

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workforce during the colder months of the year, such as taking on students for work experience or for

internship programs.

Conclusions from the ResearchIf organisations are to manage the changes to volunteerism and the expectations of existing and

future volunteers, they will be required to review their volunteering strategy, to identify the optimum

mix of skilled and unskilled volunteers to meet organisational needs, they will need to consider the

communication methods they use to attract the relevant age group, how each generation wants to

engage and what message is appropriate for them. The main message learned from the State of

Volunteering in the Illawarra research is that volunteer organisations need to develop the right mix of

“brand”; organisational structure, management and leadership; volunteer program flexibility and

transferability; and relevant communication technologies, if they are to achieve sustainability.

Statistical Snapshot of Research Findings Sixty-four (64) volunteer manager surveys, 158 volunteer surveys.

Twenty-five (25) volunteer organisations and 86 volunteers participated in focus groups,

interviews and referral calls.

Volunteer managers surveyed, 59.38% are paid and employed either full-time or part-time

and 21.88% of volunteer coordinators are not paid.

Challenges faced: recruitment - 80.3% of organisations, the aging work force - 48.5%,

retaining volunteers - 44%, and matching volunteers to the organisation - 37.9%.

Forty-two percent (42%) of volunteers surveyed were 55 to 74 years old and 27.3% were

18 to 44 years old.

Volunteer Managers surveyed, 34.9% stated that they do not feel they have enough time to

achieve goals and 22.8% do not feel have enough money.

On an individual basis, 31.9% preferred face-to-face communications, followed by phone -

25.1% and email - 17.9%.

Organisations surveyed, 48.4% have websites, 26.6% Intranets, 20.3% use social media.

Other technologies are under-represented.

Twenty-five percent (25%) of respondents have smart phones allowing regular access to

the web, social media and email.

Snapshot of Research Findings re Volunteering ExpectationsAnalysis of organisational processes to support volunteering versus volunteer expectations of

organisational support is summarised in the following table:

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Process In place by organisation

Expected to be in place by volunteer

Insurance for volunteers 96.88% 90.4%

Recognition and rewards 95.3% 84.9%

Transparent feedback process 92.1% 80.8%

Induction to the role 90.5% 87.7%

Introduction to relevant staff 90.5% 93.2%

Job Descriptions 90.5% 90.4%

Reimbursements 90.5% 80.2%

Policy and procedures 89% 86.3%

Induction to policy and procedures 89% 87.7%

Recruitment process 89% 75.3%

Regular contact with volunteer managers 84.5% 86.3%

Support from board or senior management 82.8% Not measured

Meetings with volunteer manager 77% 80.8%

Grievance Policy 76.56% 78.1%

Induction to WHS 70.13% 87.7%

Formal training or professional development:

for volunteer coordinators for volunteers

68.75%

62.5% 72.6%

Paid training:

for volunteer coordinators for volunteers

56.2%

43.75% 47.9%

Succession planning for volunteer managers 25% Not measured

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IntroductionThere is global recognition that the volunteering sector will experience many opportunities and

challenges in the coming decade. Internationally, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) launched its

first report on the State of World’s Volunteerism on International Volunteer Day on 5 December 2011.

The State of Volunteering Report: Tasmania 2010 was the first such report released in Australia

followed by a National Volunteering Strategy released in December 2011, and the State of

Volunteering in Australia Report 2012. These reports consider varied themes: the UNV report

presents an international overview on the importance of volunteerism; the Tasmanian report is a

comprehensive regional study into volunteering covering three themes; the National Volunteering

Strategy has at its heart the Australian Government’s social inclusion platform and covers six focus

areas including trends in volunteering, technology, regulation and risk management, management and

training, relationships and advocacy, and recognition and valuing volunteering. The State of

Volunteering in Australia 2012 report includes a literature review and quantitative measures on

volunteering, as well as outlining the national agenda, with strategic objectives and a debate on

volunteering in the future.

The State of Volunteering in the Illawarra study is a local, Illawarra response to determining the future

of volunteering for the region. The study was funded by the NSW Department of Human Services –

Aged, Disability and Home Services and commissioned by Wollongong City Council’s volunteer

referral centre, Volunteering Illawarra. It aims to assess volunteering within the three Local

Government Areas of Wollongong, Shellharbour and Kiama and Shoalhaven to better understand the

health of volunteering in the Illawarra. The research is the first comprehensive study attempted in the

Illawarra and captures: 1) local issues, commonalities and challenges, in a changing landscape of

volunteer management from the volunteer manager’s perspective; 2) sectors utilising volunteers; 3)

expectations and perceptions of experienced and new volunteers in relation to volunteerism; 4) the

emerging trends in volunteering and communication technology; and 5) making comparisons between

generations to assisting organisations in responding to generational transition within the sector.

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About the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra Research ProjectResearch into the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra was commissioned by Wollongong City

Council’s Volunteering Illawarra business unit, with the aim of gaining a better understanding of the

emerging challenges affecting the volunteer sector across the Wollongong, Kiama, and Shellharbour

Local Government Areas, with some reference to the Shoalhaven LGA as well.

Volunteering Illawarra is the Volunteer Resource Centre for the region and its operations and program

are funded by the Federal Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet (Social Inclusion) and the NSW

Department of Human Services.

The research project was undertaken in two parts. Part 1 commenced in June 2011 and focused on

the issues associated with management of volunteers, while Part 2 commenced in April 2012 and

considered the issues associated with volunteering, from a volunteer perspective.

Several research methods were applied:

1) literature review into generational change and its impact on volunteering

2) volunteer organisation survey

3) survey of volunteers

4) focus groups with volunteer managers and volunteers

5) interviews with prospective volunteers

6) referral follow up calls with prospective volunteers

7) visual methodology in which images of volunteer settings were shown to participants to

identify their preferences.

A detailed description and discussion of the research project design is at Appendix 1.

Research findings have been analysed to produce a set of recommendations that will be shared with

participating organisations and the wider volunteering sector, as well as with relevant State and

Federal funding bodies. Two recently released reports: State of Volunteering: Tasmania 2010 and

Volunteering Australia’s National Survey of Volunteering Issues (2011) were also drawn on at different

points of the research project, for comparative and normative purposes.

The recommendations and other outcomes from this project will be used by Volunteering Illawarra to

inform their planning and strategy development in coming years.

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Who Participated in the Research?Participation in the research project was on a voluntary basis. Organisations from across the Illawarra

and volunteers from those organisations self-selected for participation. Members of the public who

attended the Wollongong Volunteer Expo 2012 or who accessed the survey online also self-selected

to engage in the project. The total number of responses to the research comprised:

Sixty-four (64) volunteer manager surveys completed;

One hundred and fifty-eight (158) volunteer surveys completed;

Twenty-five (25) volunteer organisations and 86 volunteers participated in focus groups,

interviews and referral calls.

OrganisationsThe head office of the majority of organisations surveyed for the research project was located in the

Wollongong LGA - 68.75% of organisations. Organisations based in Shellharbour and Kiama LGAs

each comprised 4.69% of the survey sample and Shoalhaven LGA 20.31%. Shoalhaven LGA has no

funded volunteer referral centre and Volunteering Illawarra provides outreach services to this rural

region.

A number of the organisations surveyed deliver services across a variety of service outlets and in

more than one Local Government Area.

VolunteersOf all respondents, 24.1% did not volunteer at the time they were surveyed and 13.2% had never

formally volunteered. Survey respondents, 19.7% were new volunteers with less than 3 months

volunteering experience.

Of all survey responses, 55% of all survey responses were received from females, with 33.3% from

males, and 11.67% of respondents not indicating gender.

More than half of the volunteers surveyed (55%) had volunteered in only one or two volunteer

organisations and 23.4% in between three to five organisations. Volunteered in more than six

organisations, 10.1% had.

The average period of time that respondents had volunteered was eight (8) years, however the range

varied from a few months to 55 years.

SectorRespondents were asked to provide information on the sectors they work in. Up to three sectors could

be selected. The volunteers currently in the volunteer work force stated the sector(s) they were active

in and prospective volunteers stated the sector(s) in which they would like to volunteer.

A large proportion of respondents were volunteers or volunteer organisations operating within the

Community Services/Welfare sector, with Health and Education/Training comprising the next most

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represented sectors. This is a reflection of the fact that invitations to participate in the research were

directed to organisations that were captured on the Volunteering Illawarra data base of around 190

organisations, the majority of which operate in the Community Services/Welfare sector.

Volunteer organisation by sector data is represented in Table 1 and volunteer by sector data in Table

2 provides an overview of the sectors in which respondents are volunteering, including comparison

between organisational data and volunteer data.

Figure 1: Volunteer and Organisational Respondents by Sector

0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00%

Law/justice/political

Religious

Local government

Sport/Physical recreation

Emergency Services

Parenting/Children/Youth

Other

Environment/animal welfare

Arts/Heritage

Health

Education/Training

Community/Welfare

Total Volunteer responses Total Organisation responses

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Generational Differences and Their Impact on Attitudes to VolunteeringOne of the key challenges faced by volunteer organisations into the future will be the sustainability of

the volunteer workforce. As the current generation of older volunteers continues to age, the attraction

and retention of successive generations of volunteers is critical. Differences in values, expectations

and preferences between the generations will require organisations that rely on volunteers to adapt

their approaches to recruiting, training and supporting volunteers, if they are to achieve a sustainable

volunteer workforce into the future. The culture and structure of volunteer organisations that are

currently geared to the loyalty and work ethic of the predominant existing volunteer demographic of

“Builders” and “Baby Boomers” will need significant re-engineering to attract and support “Generation

X” and “Generation Y” with their appetite for change, relational focus and reliance on new

technologies.

A literature review into generational similarities and differences in work values, lifestyle values,

leadership and management styles and volunteering trends was conducted to inform report

recommendations. Sources included media, popular literature and opinion pieces, as well as academic

researchi.

The core and work values and expectations of each of the generations are summarised in the table

below.

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Summary of Work Values across Generations

Builders(born 1925-1945)

Baby Boomers(born 1946-1964)

Generation X(born 1965-1979)

Generation Y(born 1980-1994)

Dedication/sacrifice

Conformity

Law and order

Delayed reward

Duty before pleasure

Optimism

Idealistic

Youth

Health and wellness

Diversity

Personal satisfaction Loyal to skills

Self-reliance

Pragmatic

Life-long learners

Diversity

Optimism

Confidence

Resourceful

Social ability

Street Smart

Take ownership

Hard work

Respect for authority

Adherence to rules

Work hard

Loyal to employer

Team oriented

Earn money

Wants stable work environments

Respect for authority and hierarchy

Technically challenged

Will work hard but not at the sacrifice of family

Motivated by progression

Change jobs for promotion

Think globally

Money is not everything

Prefers to work alone

Technically savvy

Mix work and social life

Multi-taskers

Team oriented

Enjoy interactions

Technology part of life

Want inspiring leaders & collaborative work place

Are after promotional opportunities and status

Promotions based on longevity

Loyalty to the organisation

Wait to be told what to do

Respect based on position/title

Live to work

Relentless pursuit of goals

Want to manage/control

Know the best way

Change is painful but inevitable

Rule the workforce

Create the culture

Work to live

Promotions based on ability

Mobility

Computers are part of everyday routine

Attitude/fun important in workplace

Expect a say and want to be heard

Prefer structured environments

Want a relationship with their boss

Want training, mentoring, responsibility and challenges

Relate best with Builders

Source: Adapted from Hui-Chun and Miller (2005), Patota et al (2007)

A snapshot of the status of the generations in 2020, covering age, working population, life stage and

volunteering potential, is provided below.

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Generations in 2020

GenerationAge2020

Working population 2020

Life Stage Volunteer population

Baby Boomers

57 to 75 16% Retiring fast

Increased needs for health services

Comparing it to 2011 it will be the largest volunteer group

But reducing as Baby Boomers age

Generation X 42 to 56 37% Working and taking on management positions

Children in late primary school education and onwards

Enjoying lifestyle as children move out

Increasing hours as children grow up

Planning for retirement – need to promote options for volunteer work

Generation Y 27 to 41 35% Working and taking on management positions

Family and Children focus

Reduced as focus turns to family and child raising

Generation Z 12 to 26 12% Students

Early career stage

Tech savvy generation, which grew up with wireless technology

Increased involvement as schools and higher education institutions engage more

Generation most risk averse due to modern child rearing practices

The generational study on Builders, Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y found differences

across the generations in core lifestyle and work values, and leadership and management styles, due

to the impact of economic, social and environmental events occurring during each generation’s

formative years. Interestingly, academic research into work values found significant differences only

for status, career promotion and salary, all of which may be attributable to the career stage of each

generation.

The most significant impact on volunteering preferences and expectations of these work related

differences is on the types of rewards and recognition that organisations need to employ and on the

workplace interaction and relationships required for workers (or volunteers) to remain productive and

engaged. Lifestyle values have significantly changed from the Builder generation to Generation Y.

Builders are the last generation with gender-specific roles; Baby Boomers have more complex lives

than their parents combining work, family commitments, social and volunteer interactions; Generation

X have both partners working and juggling family commitments and Generation Y integrates the social

and work life, with study and other commitments blurring boundaries.

Research into management styles indicates that management roles are still firmly entrenched with the

Baby Boomer generation, who, through their upbringing in the industrial economy have more likely

adopted a controlling and micro-managing supervision style. In the current knowledge economy this

Page 7


management style will have to change to a more collaborative approach if it is to meet the needs and

expectations of volunteers (and staff). Remarkably, Baby Boomers’ leadership style preferences

indicate that this generation also wants a supportive manager rather than being patronised and they

want to be valued as an equal contributor to the organisation.

Page 8


Managing and Leading Volunteers

IntroductionMost of the organisations surveyed for this research project were not-for-profit, incorporated entities,

managed by a Board and largely funded for service delivery via federal or state government grants.

The research investigated management of volunteers across a number of dimensions: governance,

involvement in decision-making, leadership and management, recruitment and day to day logistics.

Governance

Volunteer Management CommitteesThe research focused on volunteers in general and did not specifically seek input from or ask

questions about voluntary management committees. Some research outcomes indicate that

volunteering on management committees or boards may be seen as different, by both volunteers and

volunteer organisations, to other types of volunteering.

The survey indicated that only 15% of the people supervising volunteers in not-for-profit organisations

considered their volunteers to be involved in decision-making. However, all not-for-profit organisations

require a board or management committee for governance purposes. Involvement of volunteers in

strategic decision-making could therefore, conceivably, have been assessed by participants as being

much more common. This raises questions regarding how organisations define volunteering and the

role of volunteers and whether board/committee members’ status (and thus, needs) as volunteers are

overlooked by volunteer managers or the nature of their role and contact with the organisation (eg:

largely “in and out” for meetings, often after hours) means that they have little to do with volunteer

managers.

The implications of management committee members not being considered as volunteers may mean

that they will not be managed as an integral part of the organisation, may not have access to training

on a broad range of legislation, service roles and operational matters and may not be assumed to

need volunteer insurance cover for undertaking volunteer work for the organisation. A volunteer

manager stated that the “understanding of governance is not necessarily available among new

members; and training is difficult to obtain or time requirements too much. It is difficult to make new

members aware of what is required, as often members joining the Committee are told they will only

have to spend a couple of hours per month in meetings”.

A lack of contact with volunteer managers may be due to the different relationship and mode of

interaction with the organisation of members of voluntary boards/committees of management. From

the recruitment process, where future board/management committee members become members of

the corporate entity before being appointed or elected to the board, through to limited ongoing

involvement in the day to day operations of the organisation, volunteer board members mostly move

along a different path to other volunteers. Recruitment for board/management committee members is

particularly challenging, as not-for-profit organisations hold their annual general meetings (AGM) – the

point at which new board/management committee members are appointed - at the same time,

between September to December each year. Generally, organisations tap into their membership,

Page 9


volunteer pool and other community organisations, as well as the local business community to attract

new board/committee members. This means that organisations are potentially competing for a

(relatively) limited pool of potential board/committee members at the same point in time.

At the same time as organisations face competition to attract new board/management committee

members, retention of members beyond a certain period of time can be equally problematic. One of

the focus group sessions with volunteer managers discussed the need for volunteer

board/management committee membership to be regulated through the organisation’s constitution, so

that members do not stay on the committee indefinitely:

“When committee members stay for a long time, no-one new wants to come in. Members get set in

their role and get stuck in the way they do things…the committee stagnates. That’s very dangerous…

(there is a) need to move them on.”

This view is corroborated in the corporate world, where guidelines on good governance indicate that

board renewal on a regular basis is critical to effective boards and a “rule of thumb” of a maximum of

six years service by a board member before retirement/termination, is often quoted.

Perhaps because board/committee member volunteers are dealing with higher level organisational

matters, they are outside the loop of normal volunteer processes, yet this group requires an excellent

organisational and role induction, as they will be making decisions regarding strategy, legal and

financial matters for the organisation. If not-for-profits want strong boards they need to invest in

volunteer board/committee member induction and development, to maintain good governance and

decision making (Recommendation 1a, 1e).

Volunteer Management Structures

Remuneration of Volunteer ManagersAs the operation and operational context of volunteer organisations becomes more complex and the

pressures for attracting and sustaining a volunteer workforce become more pronounced, the issue of

how volunteers are recruited, supported and managed is of critical importance.

In Volunteering Australia’s National Survey of Volunteering Issues 2010, organisations

said that 72.6% of volunteer management positions are paid and 13.9% are unpaid with

12.3% of organisations having no volunteer manager.1

In Volunteering Illawarra’s State of Volunteering in the Illawarra study, volunteer organisations were

asked how their organisation employed or engaged a volunteer manager or coordinator. Paid

volunteer management, either full-time or part-time, was reported by 59.38% of all organisations, while

21.88% (14) of organisations managed volunteers through an unpaid coordinator and 10.94% with a

combination of paid and unpaid coordination. In comparison, the State of Volunteering: Tasmania

study found 56.4% of volunteer managers were paid, 16.6% unpaid and 9.0% of a mix of paid/unpaid

management (Figure 2). It is of interest that in both the Illawarra (approximately 10%) and the

Tasmanian research (approximately 18%) a reasonable proportion of volunteer organisations

indicated that they did not have a designated volunteer coordinator position, either paid or unpaid.

1 Volunteering Australia (2010) National Survey of Volunteering Issues, Table 30, pg.46

Page 10


Figure 2: Paid and Unpaid Managers of Volunteers

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Full-time or part-time paidmanager

Unpaid manager Combination of paid and unpaidcoordination

No manager

Illawarra

TasmaniaNational Survey

Forty-four per cent (44%) of individual volunteers who responded to the survey stated that they had a

full-time paid manager/coordinator, 12% a part-time manager/coordinator, and 27.2% a volunteer

coordinator. Only 7.2% stated they have a combination of paid and unpaid coordination, 1.3% stated

they do not need a manager and 8% did not know (Figure 2).

Unpaid volunteer management occurred predominantly in the community/welfare and parenting/

children/youth sectors, while organisations with no management or paid management were from a

more diverse range of sectors.

Figure 3 indicates that in both Tasmania and the Illawarra there are differing perceptions between

organisations and their volunteers regarding how volunteers are managed. Volunteers in the Illawarra

appeared to be less aware that management is via a paid volunteer coordinator or a combination of

paid and unpaid volunteer coordinators, than their Tasmanian counterparts. Tasmania seems to have

more organisations with no manager and a greater gap between the perceptions of volunteers and

volunteer organisations, about the combination of paid and unpaid managers.

According to the Volunteering Illawarra State of Volunteering in the Illawarra survey, paid

managers/coordinators were the largest category in Religious (75%), Community/Welfare (71%), and

Emergency Services (66.6%) sectors (Table 6).

Page 11


Figure 3: Volunteer Management – A Comparison Between Volunteers and Organisations in the Illawarra and Tasmania

Volunteer managementA comparision between volunteers and organisations in the Illawarra and Tasmania

0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00%

A full-time or part-time paidcoordinator/manager

An unpaid coordinator

A combination of paid and unpaidvolunteer coordination

No manager/coordinatorneeded/relevant/not sure

Coo

rdin

atio

n

Percentage

Illawarra volunteers Illawarra organisations Tasmania volunteers Tasmanian organisations

Interviews with prospective volunteers identified that they expected organisations to undertake the

coordination of volunteer roles and match them with community needs. In addition, organisations were

expected to provide friendly environments, support and respect for volunteers and encourage

teamwork.

Of the four organisations that participated in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra study, that

reported having no formal volunteer management role in their organisation, three thought it would be

useful to employ a volunteer manager. The volunteers working for these organisations tended to be

older, with an age range predominantly 65 to 84 years. These groups had between 60 to 150 active

volunteers working between eight (8) hours and 24 hours per week. The organisations were in two

sectors: community/welfare and health. These organisations communicated with their volunteers

predominately face-to-face or by phone. One survey participant from an organisation without a

volunteer manager commented that one of the challenges faced by the organisation was “the time

needed for paid staff to incorporate volunteer supervision into their daily routine”, another mentioned

that it was a challenge “to have adequate time to manage volunteers”. A focus group participant stated

that “there is a big difference to having or not having a paid volunteer coordinator. It impacts on

administration and taking responsibility for training volunteers and organising service provision.”

No comparison could be made to the volunteer perspective as only two responses were received.

LeadershipEffective leadership, that contributes to the establishment of a sense of direction, effective

relationships, motivation and trust, is an important element in the creation of sustainable work teams,

Page 12


whether paid or voluntary. Noble et al2 in the 2nd edition of “Volunteer Management: An Essential

Guide” state that “there are some basic commonalities to any form of supervision.” These are:

“Orientation/preparation for the job

Ongoing support and recognition

Resources to do the job

Appraisal of individuals.”

These aspects of managing volunteers are discussed further in respective sections.

Succession Planning for Volunteer Management PositionsThe continuity and consistency of volunteer management and support is an important contributing

factor to both volunteer satisfaction and retention and the capability of volunteer organisations to plan

strategically and manage risk in relation to their volunteer workforce. As with many sectors, the ability

to attract suitable and capable volunteer managers and to provide them with a viable career path,

recognition and reward, is challenged by labour market factors such as salary relativities, expectations

re job tenure and competition for skilled workers.

The Global Volunteer Management Survey (2008) found that 63% of people in the organisations they

surveyed, identified the volunteer manager role as a career path “stepping stone”, while only 32% saw

this role as the final point in their career. Twenty percent (20%) of volunteer managers surveyed had

worked in the field for less than two (2) years and 43% for less than five (5) years, while 44% had

served less than two (2) years in their current role3.

The survey asked organisations if they had a succession plan in place for their volunteer managers.

Only 25% of organisations had a succession plan in place, with almost 31% of health sector

respondents and 20.5% of community/welfare sector respondents stating this. Organisations which

had succession planning in place showed a mix of paid and unpaid volunteer coordination, but those

with a paid volunteer coordinator role seemed less likely to have a succession plan in place: 21%

versus 28% for organisations with unpaid volunteer coordinator positions. Further analysis indicated

that the organisations with a succession plan were more likely to have younger volunteers than those

without.

Participants in the Global Volunteer Management Survey (2008) identified three considerations in

relation to succession planning for volunteer managers:

1. Paid volunteer coordinator roles.

2. Dedicated volunteer coordinator roles.

3. Funding arrangements.

Firstly, succession planning was not as much of an issue where there were paid volunteer

coordinators who, like other employees, may leave or change employment. People in paid positions

were replaced and/or their positions temporarily held by another staff member, allowing for continuity

of service and transitioning in of replacement coordinators. The Global Volunteer Management Survey

2 Noble, Joy; Rogers, Louise; Fryar, Andy (2003) Volunteer Management: An Essential Guide, 2nd ed., Volunteering SA Inc., Australia

3 People First – Total Solutions (2008) Global Volunteer Management Survey, http://www.pfts.com.au/GVMS.htm

Page 13

http://www.pfts.com.au/GVMS.htm


identified that 42% of respondents who work as paid volunteer coordinators with volunteer

organisations stated they will no longer work in the field of volunteer management in 2013. This

implies a high turnover of staff in this field.

Secondly, if the volunteer coordinator role is only part of the position description, the role can more

easily be separated across multiple staff. There are many factors to consider in reflecting on the

efficacy of this arrangement, including the size of the organisation, resources, number of volunteers.

Where multiple staff supervise the same pool of staff members or volunteers, the potential for

inconsistency in management styles and communication can be problematic. However, at the same

time, many volunteer organisations simply don’t have the staffing resources to dedicate a position to

volunteer supervision.

Finally, funding arrangements will have an impact on how volunteer coordination is planned for within

an organisation. Funding for volunteer coordination may be distributed across multiple programs and

coordinators, rather than for a dedicated position, depending on organisational or program structures.

In addition if funding for volunteer coordination ceases, unlike their approach to other management or

supervisory positions, most organisations will dispense with this paid position, falling back on

volunteers to coordinate volunteer programs.

Support and Training for Volunteer CoordinatorsVolunteer coordinators often fulfil a distinct function within a multi-disciplinary team and within an

environment in which volunteer needs and management issues are continually evolving. As such, the

level and quality of the support that they receive from their employer organisation and the investment

of their employer in their ongoing professional development, will play a vital role in ensuring job

satisfaction, retention and good practice.

The Global Volunteer Management Survey found that: “75% of volunteer managers said

they received good support from their organisation, while 14% felt powerless to influence

their organisation, and 25% believed that their board did not understand the role they

play.”

In this study, 59.4% staff of the organisations surveyed by Volunteering Illawarra stated they received

support from the board/senior management in managing volunteers, and 23.4% stated it was partly in

place. Staff of those organisations who stated there was no support in place, who were unsure or

found it not relevant, also indicated that the lack of support was not a challenge. Interestingly, staff of

the five organisations who found the lack of support a challenge also stated they have this support in

place. Four of the five employed older volunteers. Organisations in this situation may benefit from

further investigation into the knowledge level of their board/senior management regarding approaches

to and their role in, volunteer management.

When the Volunteering Illawarra survey asked about managers receiving or having formal training or

professional development to manage volunteers, 68.7% of organisations stated “yes fully or partly in

place” (half for each), while 18.7% stated “no”, and responses for “not sure” or “not relevant”

constituted 4.7% respectively. The results from the State of Volunteering: Tasmania study indicate that

organisations surveyed in that study are less likely to have formal training or professional development

Page 14


programs for their volunteer managers in place, with only 30% organisations surveyed responding

“yes” to this question.

In the Illawarra study, organisations indicated that paid volunteer coordinator training was fully in place

for 35.9%, partly for 20.3% and almost a third or 28.1% stated they did not receive enough resources.

Of those, 57% were from the community/welfare sector. In comparison, the Tasmanian study found

that 53% stated they had sufficient resources and 25% did not.

Fifty-nine percent (59%) of volunteer managers interviewed for the Illawarra study, who received

formal training and professional development, stated that they received sufficient resources to

undertake training and development. A further 36% stated that they received some formal training/

professional development (Figure 4). Half of those who did not receive formal training stated there

were no resources to pay for training and of these, 72% reported that their organisation also provided

no training for volunteers. On the other hand, 60% of organisations that provided resources for training

and development for volunteer managers also provided this for volunteers.

One focus group participant commented on the challenge of consistency in volunteer management

throughout the organisation, as the task of managing individual volunteers sat with individual project or

team leaders. She thought compulsory training for these staff was required, but noted that this was not

considered in staff training plans and funding was not readily available for volunteer management

training.

Figure 4: Organisations with Formal Training and Resources to Pay in Place

0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 80.00%

Illaw arra

Tasmania

Tasmania

Illaw arra

Rec

eive

/Hav

e fo

rmal

trai

ning

Rec

eive

suf

ficen

t res

ourc

es to

pay

train

ing

No

Yes

Decision MakingParticipation of employees in decision-making on matters that affect them contributes to the

development of an engaged and empowered staff cohort and a positive workplace culture.

Page 15


In Volunteering Australia’s National Survey of Volunteering Issues 2010, the majority of

volunteers said they were interested in participating in decisions that affect their work and

25.1% of volunteers said they either did not have the opportunity or would like to have

more input.

Illawarra organisations said their volunteers had opportunities to provide input into organisational

decision making: 28.3% invited volunteers to staff meetings, 25% of organisations agreed that they

involve volunteers in service related decisions and 15% in strategic decisions. Fifteen percent (15%) of

organisations stated that there was no opportunity to involve volunteers in decision-making and 8.33%

were unsure about this matter.

In Volunteering Australia’s National Survey of Volunteering Issues 2010, 55.6% of

volunteers would like to be involved in the decision that affect their volunteer work by

having informal opportunities to give feedback, 49.2% by having participation in formal

consultation such as surveys or committees and 37.5% by having individual supervision

or team meetings.

The volunteers surveyed in the second stage of the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra study, were

also asked about their involvement in decision-making and active volunteers responded that:

staff meetings, 34.3% were invited to;

client, service or program oriented decisions, 17.1% were involved in;

strategic decision-making, 18.4% were involved in;

decision-making, 16.4% stated there was no opportunity to participate in; and

not relevant or were not sure, 23.7% thought this.

The 2009 National Survey of Volunteering Issues found that 30% of volunteers would like

more opportunities to participate in the decision making process of the organisation4.

Achieving Organisational GoalsOrganisational structures directly impacted on the effectiveness of volunteer managers/coordinators in

achieving organisational outcomes, with time and funding being reported as two of the major

challenges.

Time ConstraintsOf volunteer managers 34.8% advised that they did not have enough time to achieve goals. The

perception among respondents of whether they had sufficient time to achieve goals varied according

to their organisation’s volunteer management arrangements. Those organisations with an unpaid

volunteer manager were less likely to report time pressure to achieve goals (21.4%), followed by those

with full-time managers (23.5%), part-time managers (47.6%) and a combination of paid and unpaid

manager (57.1%). It would appear that unpaid managers experience less pressure from either their

organisation or other volunteers, to achieve deadlines and to squeeze more tasks into their working

day than they can realistically achieve.

4 Volunteering Australia (2009) National Survey of Volunteering Issues

Page 16


The volunteer manager focus group identified that the two factors that most impacted on the time they

had available to achieve goals, were the time taken for volunteer recruitment and the structuring of the

volunteer manager role to have a dual purpose. Recruitment posed the most challenges for volunteer

managers and imposed a high cost on their time. A double barrelled role created challenges for

managing either role effectively. In many instances, respondents reported that the demands of time

management caused them to focus on their client focused role to a greater extent than their volunteer

management role. “Something will have to give.”

Resource ConstraintsNoble et al state that resources to do the job are required for effective supervision. The BlessingWhite

Report5 identified that 22% of employees found the most important factor in increasing their

effectiveness in their work role were more resources.

“In the Global Volunteer Management Survey, 64% of respondents said they needed

more resources and or greater budget for their program.”

Of volunteer managers, 22.7% interviewed for the Volunteering Illawarra study stated that the budget

available for their work activities was insufficient. As in the case of the perception of time available to

achieve goals, responses varied between different types of volunteer management roles. Those

organisations with a full-time manager seemed to report the least financial pressure to achieve goals

(17.6%), followed by those with part-time managers (19%), unpaid coordinators (21.4%), and a

combination of paid and unpaid coordination (71.4%).

The focus groups stated that lack of funding for a volunteer coordinator was the most significant factor

inhibiting the achievement of goals. For those organisations with allocated funding, inadequate funding

to support the number of hours actually required to do the job well, was the major challenge reported.

The health sector seemed to be more robust in that almost 100% of organisations stated that ‘neither

a lack of funding’ nor ‘money to achieve goals’ was a challenge. This compared to the community/

welfare sector with 82% and 74.5% respectively, stating that there was no challenge.

Legal StatusThe legislative framework under which volunteers are employed is increasingly becoming the same as

the framework that governs workplace rights and obligations for paid staff. The NSW Work Health and

Safety (WHS) Act changed from 1 January 2012, replacing previous occupational health and safety

laws in NSW. Volunteer organisations that employ a combination of voluntary and paid staff should

review the legislation and ensure that they are in a position to comply with the new legislative

requirements as they impact on both paid staff and their volunteers6.

Volunteer managers attending the focus groups discussed these changes. They thought that

particularly older volunteers did not want to see ‘regimented’ systems, as these implied more

responsibility. “They just want to help out for a few hours, when they have the time.” However,

5 BlessingWhite (2010) Employee Engagement Global Study, Australia & New Zealand, www.polson.com.au

6 Note: This report does not provide legislative advice or interpretation. It merely endeavours to highlight some of the topics organisations should investigate. See Work Cover

http://www.workcover.nsw.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx for more information.

Page 17

http://www.workcover.nsw.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx

http://www.polson.com.au/


particularly in the health, aged care and disability sectors regulatory requirements have increased over

the past years. “In Aged Care, more regulation restricts the tasks a volunteer can do and many older

volunteers are upset when they are not allowed to do a task any more after doing it for a very long

time before.”

InsuranceIn Volunteering Australia’s National Survey of Volunteering Issues 2010, 94% of

respondents reported that they had insurance cover for volunteers.

Of organisations surveyed in the Volunteering Illawarra research 96.9% advised that they had

insurance cover for volunteers, comparing favourably with Status of Volunteering: Tasmania and the

Australian National Survey of Volunteering Issues. However two organisations participating in the

study reported that they had none or that it was not relevant.

Of organisations surveyed 16.7% indicated that the need for volunteer insurance poses a challenge.

Interestingly this was more evident for organisations that employed paid volunteer managers than it

was for organisations utilising unpaid volunteer managers. This may be because unpaid managers are

less aware of legal requirements, such as insurance, than paid managers, perhaps because someone

else in the organisation is looking after this or because insurance has not been considered in the

organisation.

Policy and ProceduresComplementing legislative requirements and supporting compliance as well as the achievement of

quality standards, comprehensive, clearly articulated and documented policy and procedures provide

a keystone for good organisational governance. Policy and procedures also provide for consistent

service delivery and clarify expectations for workers, both paid and unpaid, as well as for service

consumers.

In the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra research 78.1% of the organisations surveyed stated they

had documented policy and procedures, which applied to both staff and volunteers. Of respondents

10.9% stated that this was partly the case and the remainder stated that they had no policy and

procedures (6.3%), that this was not relevant or provided no answer. Of volunteer respondents 86.3%

noted that they held an expectation that their employer organisations would have documented policy

and procedures that applied to both staff and volunteers, with 57% of respondents seeing this as

important to very important (response average of 3.71 – see Table 7).

In Volunteering Australia’s National Survey of Volunteering Issues 2010, 80% of

organisations said they maintained a grievance procedure, while 13.1% stated they have

none.

In the Volunteering Illawarra study, 76.6% of organisations surveyed stated that they have a grievance

policy, while 10.9% stated they do not have one and 9.4% of volunteer managers were unsure.

Notably, half the respondents that were unsure about whether their organisation had a grievance

policy were volunteer managers in an unpaid role, in a paid/unpaid combination role or their

organisation had no volunteer coordinator at all. Of those who responded that their organisation had

Page 18


no grievance policy, the majority were paid volunteer managers either full or part time or in a

paid/unpaid combination.

Seventy-eight percent (78%) of the volunteers who participated in the survey stated that they expected

the organisations they volunteered with to have a grievance policy in place, but it was among the five

least important processes indicated, with a response average of 3.42 (Table 7).

Managing Volunteers

Volunteer Values and MotivationsWhile influencing behaviours at a more abstract level than policy and procedures do, common and

articulated values are the cement that holds together the culture and maintains a sense of shared

purpose for both paid and voluntary employees of an organisation.

Of those who participated in the Volunteering Illawarra research, 84.9% of volunteers expected their

employer organisation to have a documented statement of core values, while 54.4% deemed this to be

important to very important (Table 7). However, respondents to the National Survey on Volunteering

Issues, ranked documented organisational values only eleventh in importance, out of 20 factors.

In the 2011 National Survey on Volunteering Issues, values and principles of the

organisation were noted as the most important reasons for volunteers to continue with

the organisation into the future, followed by knowing that their contribution makes a

difference and availability of volunteer work that matches their interest and/or skill.7

In the Volunteering Illawarra study, all 14 statements assessing values related to volunteering were

rated “medium” to “very important” with response averages between 3 and 5. Helping and giving back

to the community (average responses 4.33 out of 5) and having a sense of purpose (4.31) were

valued the most, followed by a volunteer position that meets their interest (4.14), receiving respect

(4.08) and meeting people (3.96) (Table 8). This was confirmed in the survey’s open text responses

and the interviews asking about volunteer’s motivations to undertake volunteer work. Over 44% of

respondents stated giving back or helping in the community as their main motivation, followed by

learning and work experience (9%) and meeting people/making friendships (8.6%) (Table 9).

In the Volunteering Illawarra study, the 45 to 54 age group appeared to be more motivated than any

other age cohort to volunteer for reasons of learning or gaining work experience. This may be due to

the labour market status of people in this age group, with many seeking to volunteer to meet

Centrelink requirements, while maintaining an ambition to return to paid employment. The Tasmanian

research appeared to indicate that younger volunteers were more motivated to volunteer in order to

gain work experience. Patota et al8 discuss how organisations can leverage generational differences

for productivity gains by identifying the strengths and weaknesses of each generation and comparing

these to identified competencies such as developing people, communications, teamwork, managing

7 Volunteering Illawarra (2011) National Survey of Volunteering Issues

8 Patota Nancy; Schwartz, Deborah; Schwartz, Theodore (2007) Leveraging Generational Differences for Productivity Gains, Journal of American Academy of Business,

Cambridge, Vol.11, No.2, pg.1

Page 19


resources, and problem solving. They developed a matrix which can be adapted to volunteering (see

example (Table 24).

Statistical analysis identified that there was a significant difference (at p<0.05) for the value giving

back to the community between Generation Y and Baby Boomers, with Generation Y seeing this as

more important. However there was also a significant difference within the Baby Boomers group

between those who stated they were receiving income support and those who were not. The Baby

Boomers on income support had different motivations to the other age groups.

The work value differences between generations did not appear to be as great as popular cultural

constructions of generational differences purport. Cennano and Gardner found significant differences

only for status, career promotion needs and salary, with salary being one of Generation Y’s top job

motivation factors. Wong et al and Cennamo and Gardner questioned whether differences in

motivation are more attributable to age and career stage rather than generational differences. The

impact of these differences in work-related values and motivations on volunteers and the volunteer

sector is most relevant to the types of rewards and recognition preferred by the different generations.

The Volunteering Illawarra survey asked organisations to list at least three of seven variables relating

to volunteer management, by importance. The three most important factors identified by organisations

were: respecting volunteers (26%), providing support to volunteers (24%) and building a relationship

with volunteers (18%) (Figure 5). Volunteer organisations surveyed stated that receiving respect and

support was very important with almost 80% and 66.3%, respectively (Table 8). Interestingly, there

appeared to be no generational differences when it came to rating the importance of social values

such as supportive and fair supervisors, indicating that Baby Boomers want good, supportive leaders

as much as younger generations do. All volunteer manager focus groups commented that volunteers

needed to feel valued and appreciated and they thought this should occur through the application of

good interpersonal skills by volunteer managers. Relationship development was considered an

important part of retaining volunteers.

“You cannot task master volunteers…it is a fine line for the manager whose relationship with the

volunteer is as manager, volunteer and friend.”

Figure 5: Importance Factors - Managing Volunteers

Page 20


0.00% 5.00% 10.00% 15.00% 20.00% 25.00% 30.00%

Providing role specific training

Providing an induction to therole

Providing a job description

Providing an induction to theorganisation

Building a relationship w ithvolunteers

Providing support tovolunteers

Respecting volunteers

While relationships were deemed to be important, as one participant in one of the volunteer

organisations focus groups commented, management structures and processes such as job

descriptions, induction and training had their place. “Having these in place builds strength in the

volunteer program, less things go wrong. Training helps avoid breaches.” The focus group noted that

breaches of legislation or policy were higher if these ‘hard’ management systems were not in place

and that they were appropriate for risk management.

Providing induction to the volunteer organisation (14.8%), role (12.7%), a job description (11.4%) or

role specific training (8.9%) were completed by only 75% (ranked fourth) to 62% (ranked seventh) of

organisations.

Interestingly organisations with no volunteer manager seemed more likely to provide their volunteers

with an induction to the role, a job description, and role specific training and they indicated it was less

important to support their volunteers (Table 10).

Volunteer InductionIn Volunteering Australia’s National Survey of Volunteering Issues 2010, 91.9% of

organisations said an orientation process was adopted in volunteer management.

In the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra study 71.9% of the organisations that participated had a

process for induction of new volunteers to the role or service responsibility fully in place, while 18.7%

reported having an induction process partially in place. Only 30% and 33% of organisations,

respectively, ranked this item in the top three of their importance factors. However, overall, induction to

the role is among the three least important processes identified by volunteer managers (Figure 5). Of

organisations 70.1% stated they had an induction to Work Health and Safety (WHS) relevant to the

role, and 9.38% did not provide any.

Of respondents 73.4% value receiving an induction to the role and 65.2% of respondents value

receiving an induction to the organisation (Table 8).

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Volunteer respondents said an induction to the roles or service responsibilities and WHS was among

the top five processes expected to be in place in organisations (87.6% each) and considered important

or very important by 62.6% and 68.3% of respondents, respectively (Table 7).

In the 2011 National Survey, 73.4% of respondents stated that they are aware that

organisations have policies and procedures on health and safety.

Sixty-four percent (64%) of organisations said they provide an induction to policy, procedures and

processes and 25% of organisations stated this was partially the case. Of volunteer participants 87.6%

expected an induction from organisations and 63.4% of respondents said that this was important to

very important to them.

The results indicate the importance of organisations providing induction and communicating the critical

role that it plays in ensuring that volunteers are comfortably moving into their role and settling into the

organisation.

Introductions and MeetingsThe Volunteering Illawarra survey asked organisations to identify the three most common means they

use to connect with volunteers. Points of contact suggested were: introduction to relevant staff and

volunteers, regular meetings or contact with volunteer managers and regular meetings with staff.

Results (Table 7) from the surveys are:

Of organisations 73.4% had a system for introduction to relevant staff and volunteers fully

and 17.12% partially in place. Of volunteer survey respondents 93.1% expected this to be in

place and 72.8% deemed this important or very important (average 4.03).

Most volunteer coordinators had regular contact with volunteers, with 65.6% confirming this

fully and 18.7% to some extent. Of volunteer coordinators 15.6% stated that this was not

relevant or not required. Of volunteer survey respondents 86.3% expected regular contact

with staff or volunteer coordinators and 59.5% thought this important to very important

(average 3.71).

Regular meetings with volunteer coordinators were in place fully by 43.7% and partially in

place by 34.4% of organisations. Of volunteer respondents 80.8% expected organisations

to have this in place and 52.5% thought it important to very important (average 3.52).

Regular meetings with staff were reported to be in place fully by 26.6% of volunteer

organisation respondents and partially by almost 30% of respondents. Over 20% stated

they had no system in place to meet with staff regularly and 15.6% thought this not relevant

to their organisation. Of individual volunteers who participated in the research 69.9% stated

that they had an expectation that meetings would occur; however, this was among the three

least important items volunteers expected and assigned importance to.

Further investigation has indicated that in those organisations where staff meet regularly with

volunteers, there is also a system in place for introduction of volunteers to staff. However, even in

instances where volunteers are attending staff meetings regularly, only 22% of organisations stated

that these volunteers had an opportunity to be involved in decision-making, creating questions

regarding the value of attendance at these meetings for either the organisation or the volunteer.

Page 22


Training for VolunteersThe BlessingWhite Report shows that the younger generation sees training and development as

important in enabling them to contribute effectively to the organisation. Increasing employee

satisfaction is also supported by organisations providing staff with ‘more opportunities to do what I do

best’ (24%) and more ‘career development and training’ (21%).


organisations said training for volunteer roles and skill development was adopted in

volunteer management processes.

In the Volunteering Illawarra study, role related training or professional development for volunteers

was in place fully for 25% and partially for 34.9% of organisations, compared to 55% in the State of

Volunteering: Tasmania study. However, only four organisations in the Illawarra ranked providing role

specific training as one of their top three importance factors. Of those organisations that reported that

they did not have a program of volunteer training in place or that it was not relevant, six of them

nevertheless stated that training was important.

The 2011 National Survey on Volunteering Issues found that 78.9% of volunteers gained

the necessary skills for their role through training, while 20% stated they had difficulty

accessing training.

The State of Volunteering in the Illawarra study found that:

Of organisations 31.2% said they had paid training for volunteers, 40.6% of organisations

did not, while 12.5% of organisations said it was partly in place.

Of organisations 43.7% surveyed that reported having a training or development program in

place, also stated that they paid volunteers to attend this training fully and another 18.7%

partially. Only two organisations providing paid training ranked this in the top three

importance rankings.

Of organisations 31.8% indicated that providing appropriate training was a challenge. Of

these, only two thirds of organisations had training or development programs fully or

partially in place.

Having training or professional development in other role related activities (46.2%) and paid

training (25.3%) in place (Table 7) and receiving role specific training (64.5%) (Figure 8)

were not seen as important by the individual volunteers who were surveyed, being ranked

among the five least important processes and values. However, role related training and

paid training was expected by significantly more new volunteers than by experienced ones

(p<0.05) (Table 11).

Of the 70.1% of organisations having WHS systems in place, 66% also had WHS training

fully and 20% partly in place; 10.94% did not provide training. Training in WHS had mixed

results from volunteers. Seventy-eight percent (78%) of volunteers expected organisations

to have this process in place, but only 55% of these volunteers thought it important.

Page 23



organisations said they maintain work health and safety for volunteers to the same

standard as for paid employees.

In the 2010 National Survey of Volunteering Issues, 34% of respondents stated they

received Work Health and Safety training, while 36.4% of NSW volunteers reported they

were not trained or briefed about it.

One volunteer manager participating in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra focus groups stated

that they did not offer training, because their approach to volunteering “is more about utilising

volunteers’ skills including life skills.” The focus groups discussed training from a generational

perspective and from a funding perspective.

There was a perception among focus group participants that there were differences between the

extent to which older and younger generations of volunteers value training. It was claimed that older

volunteers wanted something to do and to help out and therefore did not want to undertake training.

On the other hand, focus group participants perceived that younger volunteers expected training, so

that they could add this to their resume. However, the survey of individual volunteers found no

statistical difference between the generations in relation to the extent to which they valued training in

WHS or role related activities or in the extent to which they expected to receive paid training. It seems

that training for new volunteers is a key consideration for volunteer organisations, regardless of the

age of their volunteers.

Cost of TrainingTraining poses a significant cost to organisations managing volunteers. This sentiment was expressed

in the report on the State of Volunteering: Tasmania. The volunteer managers said that the short-term

projects and the high turnover of Generation Y volunteers were imposing an even higher cost and

burden on the organisation. Training volunteers is not on the government agenda for skilling the

Australian work force9. The current system places the burden of up-skilling volunteers on a sector

which is tied to government funding agreements and limited by its ability to attract donations and

bequests or conduct fundraising activities. Volunteer managers expressed a desire for training funds

for volunteers to be included as a distinct item in their funding applications and funding agreements.

This would greatly reduce the pressure that providing training places on volunteer organisations. In

addition, it would remove the need for organisations to apply for separate funding – a time consuming

process, which is not always successful. Volunteer organisations that are operating in more regulated

sectors and those with one to one client interactions particularly, thought the cost of training

prohibitive, as it was more likely to be mandatory or more intensive. “The cost of training is not

recognised as a cost of service provision” was a comment most volunteer coordinators agreed with.

Yet, the training provided by these organisations has a social spill over effect and “everyone in the

sector will benefit.10” With younger generations staying less time in a volunteer role and moving on to

other volunteer opportunities, the training costs to individual organisations are bound to increase,

9 http://www.deewr.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx

10 http://www.volunteeringaustralia.org/html/s02_article/article_view.asp?id=253&nav_cat_id=190&nav_top_id=57

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http://www.volunteeringaustralia.org/html/s02_article/article_view.asp?id=253&nav_cat_id=190&nav_top_id=57

http://www.deewr.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx


unless cost effective training is available to volunteers and transferable across organisations ii

(Recommendation 3a, 3b).

Methods for Training VolunteersParticipants in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra research focus groups discussed the methods

they used to provide training for volunteers. Some used in-house methods, either on the job training or

courses delivered by their own certified or accredited trainers. However, they commented that one

disadvantage of in-house training is that it takes the trainer away from their regular job and either

leaves a gap or requires resources to cover the trainer’s regular tasks. They stated that organising

training was a time consuming event, with the workload increased by the need for personal or phone

follow up to ensure volunteers would RSVP and attend.

In larger organisations training was shared across units. One participant spoke to the focus group

about a strategy they had adopted, in which they built a relationship with an employment agency which

linked up community service employees with training providers and filled spare training places at cost

price. Focus group participants also commented favourably on the training program delivered by

Volunteering Illawarra, noting that is was very good and cost effective.

FeedbackIn Volunteering Australia’s National Survey of Volunteering Issues 2010, 89.9% of

organisations said that providing opportunities for volunteers to give feedback was

adopted in volunteer management processes.

Respondents to the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra study indicated that the opportunity for

volunteers to provide feedback was very well accommodated in this region, with 48.4% of

organisations stating they had an informal process and 43.7% a structured process. This reflected a

higher incidence of feedback processes being available than the 77% of organisations in the

Tasmanian and the National Survey, that reported having feedback processes in place. The existence

of informal or structured feedback processes for volunteers appeared to be independent of whether

organisations had paid or unpaid volunteer coordination.

In the 2009 National Survey of Volunteering Issues, 86.6% of volunteers stated that the

organisation they volunteer for had opportunities for them to give feedback, while in 2010

82.6% of volunteers thought they had this opportunity and 75% were satisfied with the

organisation’s performance in this regard.

In the 2010 National Survey of Volunteering Issues, 10.5% of volunteers felt valued when

they received feedback on their contribution.

Transparent feedback processes were expected to be in place by 80.8% of individual volunteers who

participated in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra research and feedback was considered the

sixth most important process with a response average of 3.76 (Table 8). Receiving feedback was

valued by 61.4% of respondents (Table 8) and significantly more valued by new than experienced

volunteers (Table 11). Feedback was also seen as the second most important type of recognition, with

Page 25


a response average of 3.69, and expected by 54.4% of volunteers. The results show that feedback is

an important aspect of feeling valued in an organisation and increasing engagement in a role.

Appraisals of individual volunteers are discussed by Noble et al. They recommend that organisations

conduct performance appraisals with their volunteers to discuss and “identify a volunteer’s successes

and achievements, any concerns or poor performance…which may not be the fault of the volunteer -

the fault may lay with the organisation eg instructions were not clear, allocated tasks beyond the

volunteers capabilities, or training inadequate.”

Considering volunteer motivators, the large range of volunteering options and their ability to leave an

organisation when organisational issues and disincentives arise, the adequacy of a once per year/

project performance appraisal to maintain volunteer motivation and engagement with an organisation

is debatable. Focus group participants in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra study, who were

working as both volunteers and volunteer coordinators, contested the appropriateness of performance

appraisals for volunteer workers. They thought that it was excessive to have formal appraisals and that

feedback to and recognition of volunteers more immediately after an event would be of more benefit

and resolve issues quickly. They contended that providing immediate feedback would also resolve

organisational issues and improve relationships rather than letting conflict simmer pending an annual

evaluation. Anecdotal commentary on this issue indicates that there is a variety of differing viewpoints

among volunteering organisations concerning the value of structured performance reviews. Some

players in the aged care sector have been reported to be adopting formal reviews, while other

volunteer sector organisations report that changes to Workplace Health and Safety legislation are

creating an impetus for the introduction of formal review/supervision sessions with volunteers.

Recognition and RewardRecognition of volunteer contributions received the highest affirmative answer of all questions asked

(other than insurance cover) in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra research, with 81.2% of

organisations stating that recognition processes were fully in place and 14% advising they were partly

in place. In comparison, the State of Volunteering: Tasmania report indicated that 60% of

organisations had a recognition system fully in place and 39% partly in place. Individual volunteer

survey respondents were asked if recognition was offered by the organisation for which they

volunteered:

84.9% stated recognition mechanisms were in place in their organisation;

57.6% thought recognition of volunteers important or very important;

32% stated that no recognition was necessary – this result included respondents from

across all age groups; and

5.3% stated that none was offered where they volunteered.


respondents stated they did not feel a need for recognition.

The State of Volunteering in the Illawarra volunteer organisations survey asked organisations about

the recognition and rewards they provide. Sixty (60) open text comments were received, describing

the various ways organisations were recognising volunteer contributions. Recognition with a party or

Page 26


event (30 comments) and lunch or dinner (20 comments) were referred to most frequently, followed by

certificates of appreciation (18), gifts and prizes (14), volunteer week, morning/afternoon tea, length of

service recognition and publication or other written feedback (10 comments each). Other comments in

descending order related to written and verbal “thank you”, awards, Annual General Meeting or Annual

Report recognition.

Those organisations with a partial recognition system in place used lower cost methods such as

certificates of appreciation and publications, with some providing a lunch or Christmas party. The two

organisations that stated that volunteers were not recognised still, however, provided a verbal “thank

you” to their volunteers or assisted them with job references. Some organisational focus group

participants commented “We celebrate and recognise our volunteers at the end of the program” and

“When we complete volunteer awards applications, we do it for all volunteers, not just one”.

Focus group discussions with volunteer managers elicited the comment that budgets determined what

was possible in terms of volunteer recognition. “Some organisations have a large capacity through

funding to provide many benefits to their volunteers, while other organisations have one person doing

the job of three…they do it with love.”

The types of volunteer recognition identified by the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra volunteer

organisation survey were incorporated into the individual volunteer survey, with volunteers being

asked what type of recognition they would expect. Respondents stated being valued as part of the

organisation was the most important recognition an organisation could give to volunteers with 48.3%

of respondents as important to very important and an average response of 4.23. Receiving feedback

and a verbal thank you followed with 43% and 42.4%, respectively (Table 12). These results were

similar to those reported in the National Survey of Volunteering Issues:

In 2010, volunteers said it was most important to them to feel valued, while a personal

thank you was the form of recognition most organisations reported giving volunteers most

often. And in 2011, 43.2% of volunteers said the best recognition is being accepted as a

valuable member of the team.

These responses indicate that volunteers value interpersonal recognition more highly than tangible

types of recognition. However, interpersonal types of recognition require organisational input at every

level and are directly linked with the values and leadership practices expected in organisations. The

tangible recognition types with a purchase or cost factor or requiring material preparation, were seen

as only half as valuable.

Other types of recognition included reference letters, certificates of appreciation and length of service

(all close to 22%) and these were seen by organisations as still being reasonably cost effective. Those

forms of recognition with higher costs, such as a celebrations and lunch/dinner (17% each) and public

recognition, morning/afternoon tea, conference attendance, thank you cards, awards, party/event and

gift/prize, achieved less than 16% of volunteer responses. Interestingly the only significant difference

in expectations/preferences for recognition between Generation Y and Baby Boomers was the

expectation for letters of reference, with Generation Y more likely than the other generations (at

p<0.05) to want this form or recognition (Table 12).

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It should be noted that the Heartbeat Trends research into work values identified that Baby Boomers

want to be considered in the rewards system of the organisations they work for and many senior

volunteers are attracted to organisations for the status and the public recognition they receive through

association. Generation X is currently in a work situation where it appreciates status and therefore this

generation may want rewards that involve greater public recognition. Generation Y are more likely to

seek recognition and reward which help build their status and lead to a job or promotion and reference

letters would assist in this aim.

From these results it is clear that organisations could benefit from a focus on interpersonal or relational

approaches to recognition rather than assuming that material rewards are required. This aligns with

the outcomes of this study regarding volunteer motivations, which are intangible, with most wanting to

help in or give back to the community. Considering these motivations and recognition factors,

organisations could save themselves a lot of financial and organisational effort by reviewing the scope

and nature of their recognition program and considering how it might be implemented equitably across

their organisation.

Establishing Recognition ProgramsDiscussion within volunteer manager focus groups who participated in the State of Volunteering in the

Illawarra research, revealed that most recognition programs were established in an unsystematic way.

Many participants stated that their program was informally set up and often established or driven by

the volunteer coordinator. “It’s historic; I did not implement the type of recognition used.” Only two

participants said their organisation had a recognition policy and a couple of the larger organisations

had a structured program which was either driven by the organisation or through work plans. One

organisation was establishing a volunteer strategy, which had the potential to address recognition.

Generational differences were discussed and older volunteers were seen by respondents as more

humble. They did not volunteer out of a desire for recognition, but appreciated acknowledgement

when it occurred, even something as minimal as a verbal “thank you”. Respondents commented that

older volunteers were sometimes so busy with multiple positions or lifestyle activities that they could

not fit a recognition event (eg lunch or ceremony) into their day.

“They volunteer their precious time to assist others…they are appreciating it (recognition), but it is not

the reason they are doing it.”

The results of the focus group discussions undertaken in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra

study were confirmed by the responses from individual volunteers who were also surveyed in the

study. Volunteer participants from all age groups stated that they did not need recognition for their

contribution and identified other reasons for volunteering as being more important.

ReimbursementTaking into consideration the cost of living, the fact that a significant proportion of volunteers are not in

paid employment and/or are in receipt of income support and the underlying ethos of fairness and

equity that informs the values of most volunteer organisations, the question of volunteer

reimbursement is of central relevance to any study of volunteering.

Page 28



organisations said out-of-pocket expenses are reimbursed to volunteers either full or in

part.

Of organisations surveyed in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra study, 79.7% stated that they

reimbursed out-of-pocket expenses for their volunteers, compared to 61% in the State of Volunteering:

Tasmania study. Of Illawarra organisations 10.9% stated they did this partially (20% in Tasmania). The

remainder of the organisations stated that no reimbursement occurred, that they were not sure or that

it was not relevant to their organisation. The Tasmanian report also found that volunteers provided a

very different perspective to the claims made by volunteer organisations. The ABS Survey found that

the most common available reimbursement was postage at 37%, while travel was reimbursed to only

14% and meals to 15% of volunteers.11

The State of Volunteering in the Illawarra research invited open text responses, to identify where most

reimbursements occurred. Organisations provided 58 responses relating to one or more expense

types with 23 organisations stating they were reimbursing multiple items. Reimbursement of travel

expenses recorded the most responses, at 21, followed by petrol, meals, work purchases and

telephone. Eighteen (18) comments related to reimbursement and six comments stated that no

reimbursements were made (Table 13).

The 2010 National Survey on Volunteering Issues, 65.2% of volunteers stated that the

organisation had reimbursement processes and 66.2% of volunteers were satisfied with

the organisation’s performance on this score.

Individual volunteer survey respondents in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra study were asked

if the organisation they volunteered for offered reimbursement and the types of reimbursement they

expect.

Of respondents 82.2% stated reimbursement mechanisms were in place in their

organisation.

Of survey respondents 53.8% thought reimbursement of expenses important or very

important, but it was one of the least important processes when volunteering in an

organisation.

34.6% stated that no reimbursement was necessary, with 62.7% of these respondents aged

55 to 74 years.

17.6% stated that no reimbursement was offered by the organisation for which they

volunteered - this was a higher incidence than reported by volunteer organisations, but is

below the results indicated by the National Survey of Volunteering Issues.

In Volunteering Australia’s National Survey of Volunteering Issues, 44.9% of volunteers in

2011 and 60% of volunteers in 2010 stated they had been reimbursed fully or partially for

out-of-pocket expenses, while 25.3% (2011) and 30.3% (2010) stated they had not been

reimbursed.

11 Australian Bureau of Statistics (2007) Voluntary Work, Australia 2006, 4441.0

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Respondents in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra research were asked what type of

reimbursement they expected as a volunteer. Reimbursement of volunteer work-related purchases

and petrol were the most commonly expected items, representing 28.9% and 24.2% of responses

respectively, followed by meals (17.6%), travel (15.6%) and telephone (13.7%) expenses (Table 13).

Upon comparing organisations’ reimbursement of petrol and travel across the Local Government

Areas covered in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra study, it appeared that organisations in

Kiama, Shellharbour and Shoalhaven reimburse volunteers for more travel/petrol than those based in

Wollongong (Figure 6). Despite the significant distances for travel (and costs for petrol) none of the

organisations reimbursed volunteers for their travel to and from ‘work’. Most commented that only

travel for volunteer activities and with clients is reimbursed. One organisation commented that they

“applied for grants to give travel vouchers to volunteers for when they undertake volunteer role related

travel”. Money was considered a barrier to volunteering by only 4.8% of respondents with most

respondents in this category being in the 55 to 64 age group. However focus group participants

confirmed that the cost of fares to and from volunteer workplaces was of concern to those volunteers

in receipt of income support.

Figure 6: Volunteer Reimbursement versus Local Government Area

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

Kiama Shellharbour Shoalhaven Wollongong

Petrol

Travel

The National Survey (2011) identified that reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses was

one of the least important factors when deciding to continue with volunteering.

The volunteer manager focus groups that participated in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra

research, discussed how information regarding reimbursement was disseminated among their

volunteers. Providing information in Volunteer Handbooks and at induction were most often cited, but

some volunteer coordinators noted that they had not specifically mentioned the opportunity for

reimbursement to their volunteers. One participant stated that they did not reimburse, but used the

recognition program as a ‘replacement’. Another focus group participant said “volunteers have never

Page 30


requested reimbursement” and another mentioned that of “100 volunteers on phone call services only

about five claim these calls from their home phone.”

Reimbursement practices varied greatly between organisations with some having a policy in place,

aligning this practice with staff reimbursement or with Australian Taxation Office deductions. Most

focus groups noted that they were aware that reimbursement was necessary for those volunteers who

were socio-economically disadvantaged, to ensure their volunteer efforts were not a financial burden.

While reimbursement for volunteer out-of-pocket expenses is recommended in the National

Standards, volunteers seemed to place a low value on receiving reimbursements. The results of the

State of Volunteering in the Illawarra study, along with those conducted nationally and in Tasmania

indicate that organisations must understand the needs of their volunteers in relation to reimbursement,

and the role of reimbursement as an enabler for them to attend volunteer work into the future.

Challenges in Managing VolunteersThe State of Volunteering in the Illawarra volunteer managers’ survey asked about the challenges they

face. The top three challenges faced by volunteer managers/coordinators were recruiting suitable

volunteers (80.3%), the ageing of the volunteer workforce (48.5%) and retention of volunteers (43.9%)

(Table 14). In comparison the State of Volunteering: Tasmania report noted that recruiting suitable

volunteers was the largest challenge at 70%, followed by the ageing of the volunteer work force (43%)

and matching volunteers to the organisation (43%). Retaining volunteers was in fifth place at 34%,

ranking below providing appropriate training at 37%. When separating the challenges by the different

types of volunteer management, a clearer picture emerged.

Those organisations with no coordinator found recruitment and matching volunteers to the

organisation to present the greatest challenge.

Recruitment was seen as a challenge by 80% of paid managers and 85.7% of unpaid

managers.

An ageing volunteer work force was seen as a challenge by 53.3% of paid managers and

42.9% of unpaid coordinators.

Retaining volunteers was seen as a challenge by 42.2% of paid managers and 64.3% of

unpaid managers.

Not having enough time to achieve goals was a challenge by 22.7% of organisations.

Matching volunteers to the organisation was a challenge for 37.9% of organisations that

also saw recruitment as a challenge.

Volunteer RecruitmentAn ongoing and effective program for the recruitment of volunteers is critical for volunteer

organisations. In the short-term recruitment is necessary to ensure a stable and continually refreshed

pool of volunteers is available to support the work of the organisation and in the long-term it is

necessary to reduce the impact of an ageing volunteer workforce on organisational sustainability.

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In Volunteering Australia’s National Survey of Volunteering Issues 2010, organisations

said they had recruitment and screening procedures in place with 58% stating it is fully

implemented and 33% that it is partially implemented.

The State of Volunteering in the Illawarra research found that 56.2% of organisations surveyed have a

recruitment process for volunteers fully in place with 32.8% stating it is partially in place. Only 9.4% of

organisations stated they had no process. Interestingly, the majority of volunteer organisations

conducted an entry interview with potential volunteers, regardless of whether they conducted a full

recruitment process, with 81.2% of organisations having this in place.

The individual volunteer survey showed that 75.3% of volunteers expected that the organisations that

they volunteered with would have a recruitment process and 80.8% expected an entry interview. The

recruitment process and entry interview were important and very important to 46.2% and 50.6% of

volunteers, with a response average of 3.41 and 3.5, respectively (Table 7).


volunteers wanted open recruitment/screening processes and 75.9% of volunteers were

satisfied with their organisation’s performance against this expectation.

Six (12.5%) of the organisations that participated in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra research,

all of them employing a combination of full-time and part-time volunteer managers, stated that they

found it difficult to recruit suitable volunteers, but none of these organisations had a recruitment

process in place. Three of those six organisations also perceived that the ageing of the volunteer

workforce presented a challenge.

Illawarra volunteer manager focus groups discussed recruitment of suitable volunteers and the

challenges that this posed. Participants from the Shellharbour, Kiama and Shoalhaven Local

Government Areas in particular commented that their volunteers retired more quickly than they could

recruit replacements for them. They suggested that a paid volunteer coordinator position made a

difference to the success of the recruitment program. Those organisations without a volunteer

manager found it challenging to recruit suitable volunteers and to match volunteers to the

organisation’s needs.

Participants were aware that the landscape of volunteering is changing. They discussed how older

volunteers faced many demands including looking after their elderly parents and their grandchildren to

help out their working children. They also noted that older potential volunteers are working longer or

volunteering at multiple organisations, which restricts the time they have available, and many

volunteers travel. Participants commented that during winter or holiday seasons, older volunteers

disappear to pursue travel, leaving a gap in service capacity, yet funding bodies, government and

clients of their services have an expectation of continuous service.

Focus group participants also noted that people who are on income support are often looking for more

volunteer hours than an organisation could offer or than could fit with their needs. A rural volunteer

coordinator discussed how they have created volunteer job share arrangements, through partnering

with similar organisations.

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Interestingly, focus group discussions with volunteer managers revealed that some larger

organisations and those with good structures did not see recruitment as an issue. They felt that their

organisational “brand” and their structure were attractive to volunteers and allowed them to be

selective in recruitment. These organisations had a centralised approach to recruiting volunteers for

their various programs (and regions). For smaller organisations, the relationships in the community

helped recruitment activities. Organisations had been successful in attracting Generation Y volunteers

by allowing the flexibility for peers to come along and look at the organisation before entering into a

commitment, as well as by developing programs specifically for young people that reduced the barriers

to entry.

Cost of RecruitmentVolunteer organisations that participated in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra study noted that

the cost of recruitment is significant, with volunteer manager focus group participants stating a range

of 20% to 35% and even 50% (by one participant) of their work hours being spent on recruitment. The

cost of recruitment for an organisation includes the time taken to recruit, undertake police checks,

training and induction, and supporting volunteers with a buddy. In comparison, a Mercer Human

Resources Consulting study “estimated staff turnover costs to range from 50% to 150% of a person’s

salary”12 in a for-profit company. A costing for volunteer recruitment could not be sourced in the

literature, indicating that this item has not been quantified.

Promotion of volunteering opportunities was also identified as a cost factor by participants in focus

groups, because budgets for paid advertisements were almost non-existing and free media did not

always work. Across the focus groups there was agreement that promotion was the key element when

it came to recruiting volunteers.

“I found some funds to pay for an advert in the paper and had 25 replies with 12 volunteers selected

and signed up for our programs. This was a fantastic result. But I cannot afford this again.”

Additionally, focus groups noted that the cost to volunteer organisations of recruitment is increased

due to the higher turnover of particularly younger volunteers, who may only stay for a few months or

even weeks before moving on. It was noted that the education system is playing a significant role in

helping to develop a commitment to contributing to social capital among young people. Participants

hoped that the habits which were fostered in young people now would prove to be building blocks to

long-term volunteer habits that will return a benefit to the sector in years to come.

Challenging RolesSpecific recruitment challenges were identified by volunteer managers in relation to attracting

volunteers to work in:

One-on-one client services particularly in the health, aged and disability care services.

Administrative roles, as administration is not funded by funding bodies, increasing the

competition for experienced persons.

Community Bus Drivers as they have specialist licences which cannot be obtained readily.

12 http://www.exitinterviews.com.au/staff-turnover.htm

Page 33

http://www.exitinterviews.com.au/staff-turnover.htm


Roles with a specific (higher level) skill set.

Rural areas where the pool of volunteers is smaller and travel distances higher.

In addition, as younger generations enter the volunteer force, organisations will increasingly face a

balancing act of recruiting skilled versus unskilled volunteers.

Matching Volunteers to OrganisationsFinding suitable work was considered a barrier to volunteering by 8.9% of volunteer survey

respondents in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra study. “Finding volunteers to join who then

won't offer help when asked to do something” was identified as a barrier to volunteering in similar

contexts by several volunteers.

Respondents to the individual volunteer survey stated that they value having a position that meets

their interest with 79.7% respondents considering this as important to very important, while 76.5%

value having a position which uses their skills. Only 52.9% of volunteers stated they value having a

position which develops their skill. Mean responses indicate that younger generations assigned higher

value to positions meeting their interest or skill requirements; however, the sample was too small to

assess if this difference is statistically significant (Table 8).

Follow up calls with prospective volunteers referred during 2011, as part of the State of Volunteering

in the Illawarra study, identified some surprising results about retention. While from the 46 calls made,

45.7% of participants had not taken up the referral, 32.6% had terminated the volunteer work, although

two thirds stated they had enjoyed the work. Only 21.7% of those contacted were still working in the

referred volunteer organisation. Triangulation with interview questionnaires identified that the most

common reasons for leaving a voluntary position with an organisation were changed time

commitments due to commencing work or study, changes in health or other personal circumstances,

and the organisation no longer having a position for a volunteer (Table 15).

Retaining VolunteersConsidering the difficulty in recruiting volunteers and the lifestyle changes, it is not surprising that

retaining volunteers was the third largest challenge identified by volunteer organisations in the State of

Volunteering in the Illawarra study. One volunteer organisation focus group concurred that they

experienced a turnover of one third (⅓) of their volunteers per annum, while another one third (⅓) of

the volunteers on their books was considered inactive.

The research indicated that volunteer organisations in Kiama and Shellharbour LGAs did not face

particular challenges when it came to volunteer retention. In the Shoalhaven, however, 61% of

organisations and in Wollongong 49% of organisations stated that this as a problem. These results are

to be taken cautiously, as the sample for some regions was small and branches of volunteer

organisations that are located across the region studied may be managed centrally.

Analysis indicates that those organisations finding it challenging to retain volunteers are more likely to

have:

younger volunteers;

set working hours (57.1%);

Page 34


work only available at a pre-determined location (47.8%); and

volunteers working a regular time each week (47.2%).

Of the 29 organisations that considered volunteer retention to be a challenge:

seventy-six percent (76%) did not have paid training in place;

fifty-seven percent (57%) did not provide training or professional development; and

14.3% did not provide an induction to WHS and 33.3% did not provide training in WHS.

Respondents stated that 14.3% of volunteer managers did not have regular meetings with volunteers

and 23.8% of volunteers did not have regular contact with staff or volunteer coordinators, while 61% of

volunteers did not have meetings with staff. Discussion also revealed that volunteers had a higher

expectation regarding opportunities to attend meetings and regular contact than is currently provided

by organisations.

Of individual volunteers 17.8% stated in open text responses gathered during the State of

Volunteering in the Illawarra study, that organisational matters were a barrier to volunteering. Recent

research in Canada shows that two thirds of volunteers have a negative experience13 and another

study in the USA states that bad previous experience is putting Generation Y off volunteering14. A

previous study by Volunteering Illawarra showed that volunteers with three bad experiences will not try

again. It seems that the type of ‘work conditions’ they will be subject to matter to volunteers.

The Millennial Impact Report identified that Generation Y volunteers often start with short-term projects

as a means to get to know the organisation. A means for organisations to ensure continued

engagement is to ensure that a volunteer can see a ‘career’ trajectory within the organisation,

commencing with micro-volunteering and building up to group and longer-term projects, or even to

taking on leadership roles including being on committees and Board of Management. The volunteer

manager focus groups that contributed to the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra study, showed an

awareness of the benefit of providing a variety of roles in the organisation and helping volunteers

change role when the program they are volunteering for finished or when they felt like moving on.

Volunteer manager focus groups confirmed that older volunteers, particularly those above 65 years,

were more likely to stay with a volunteer organisation and were more committed to their volunteer role

than younger generations who study or move into the workforce. One participant stated that their

clients did not like this turnover, but were powerless to do anything about it.

“TAFE students stay around one to two years (or even less), depending on the stage of the course,

and university students want to volunteer during summer. Also, the interest for volunteering has

changed, as the new course structures have more practicums and student placements.”

One participant said that they recruit young volunteers who state upfront that they want to work in the

sector. “We give them a buddy and the opportunity to see as much of the organisation as possible to

help them along.” Other participants perceived the situation where volunteers gain experience through

13 Fritz, Joanne (2012) Does Your Nonprofit Appeal to the ‘New’ Volunteers? Online: http://nonprofit.about.com/od/volunteers/a/Does-Your-Nonprofit-Appeal-To-The-New-

Volunteers.htm

14 Feldmann, Derrick; Nixon, Joanna; Brady, Justin; Brainer-Banker, Lara; Wheat, Kara; Fry, Wesley; Gossnickle, Ted; White, Angela E.; Lepsky, Deanna; Krull, Tim; (2012)

The Millennial Impact Report, Connect, Involve, Give, Online: http://themillennialimpact.com/

Page 35

http://themillennialimpact.com/

http://nonprofit.about.com/od/volunteers/a/Does-Your-Nonprofit-Appeal-To-The-New-Volunteers.htm



volunteering and then move on to paid employment as a positive (comment from aged care sector),

because it meant that good committed people were moving into the sector where they are needed.

Where organisations can provide for a better person-organisation fit of work values, people are more

committed and less likely to leave an organisation. The one group of volunteers that were identified by

respondents in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra study as staying longer-term, were those who

are dependent on income support. However, the successful management of this group of volunteers,

challenges volunteer organisations to better understand and adapt to the changing nature of

volunteering and the meaning of being a volunteer.

Job DescriptionsAccording to Sheahan, changing mundane positions and making them more interesting will support

the retention of generation Y workers. But Baby Boomers too want creative and more challenging

volunteer work (Recommendation 2a).


volunteers have not received a written job description for their volunteer role, however,

93% of volunteers reported that they know what is expected of them in their volunteer

role, either all or most of the time.

The State of Volunteering in the Illawarra study indicated that 68.7% of organisations provided job

descriptions for volunteers, while 21.9% stated they were partly in place and 6.2% did not have job

descriptions. This compares to the State of Volunteering: Tasmania research, which indicated that

54% of organisations had volunteer job descriptions in place, 27% had them partly in place and 15%

not at all. Twenty-seven percent (27%) of organisations surveyed by Volunteering Illawarra ranked the

provision of job descriptions among the top three factors in managing volunteers; however, job

descriptions ranked second last in importance of the seven factors associated with managing

volunteers (Figure 7).

Page 36


Figure 7: Job Descriptions – Comparison between Illawarra and Tasmania

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Yes Partly No Not relevant Not sure

%Illaw arra

Tasmania

Source: State of Volunteering Report: Tasmania 2010

Individual volunteer survey respondents in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra research valued

having a position description as less important than any other factor. However, 90.4% of volunteer

respondents expected organisations to have position descriptions in place and 61.3% thought this was

important to very important. There was only a marginal difference between the level of importance

attached to having position descriptions by younger generations and the level of importance attributed

to them by Baby Boomers.

Differing views on the importance of job descriptions were expressed during focus groups with

volunteer managers. Those organisations that provided position descriptions thought it important to

ensure their volunteers knew their responsibilities and were aware of the tasks they were required to

perform, to help manage expectations and boundaries. Others commented that not all volunteer roles

lend themselves to a position description, particularly those where volunteers do ad hoc and one off

project work. As one participant commented:

“Job descriptions are key in recruitment. If they are too complex then the position should be a paid job

and the need for this position needs to be communicated to the funding body. We have successfully

lobbied for a position this way.”

Noble et al propose that job descriptions for staff and volunteers should differ in their complexity,

taking into consideration the fact that a volunteer is less likely to understand sector related issues,

particularly if they are not trained or experienced in paid work in the sector in which they are

volunteering.

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Of nine interviewees in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra research who indicated that they had

previous volunteer experience, six had worked with an organisation that had provided them with a job

description and three of the six stated that their job description had matched the role that they were

undertaking. This demonstrates the importance of volunteer organisations reviewing volunteer position

descriptions on a regular basis, to ensure they are aligned with organisational needs and project

requirements and that they remain up-to-date.

Barriers to VolunteeringThe State of Volunteering in the Illawarra individual volunteer survey asked volunteers about any

difficulties or barriers to volunteering that they had experienced. One hundred and six (106) responses

were received, of which almost 11% stated that they had not experienced any difficulties/barriers to

volunteering. The other respondents stated organisational matters (17.8%), time to balance all

demands (14.4%) and work or study (11.6%) or family (8.9%) as the main impediments to

volunteering. Other factors mentioned were the suitability of the work, including matching their skills to

the needs of the organisation, the distance or access to the place of the volunteer work, health,

money, hobbies and language (Table 16). For new volunteers the biggest challenge was balancing

work/study commitments and the need to regularly commit to volunteer work.

The organisational difficulties/barriers to volunteering that were identified by respondents consisted of:

work requirements to attend meetings, expectations and demands or program changes (38.5%),

issues with other volunteers (27%), staff (23%), or clients/customers (11.5%). There was no significant

difference between the generations in terms of the types of difficulties/barriers to volunteering that

were identified.

“Finding some volunteers too demanding and troublemaking when I'm trying to please every aspect of

the groups needs…negotiating with them to solve the problem only to find they won't change their

mind.”

“Working 7 days a week as a volunteer, phone duties 24hrs a day and being so conscientious to

maintain the good name of the group and keep it afloat financially.”

“Dealing with paid staff who do not value or understand volunteers (and particularly volunteer

motivation) to the extent that they should.”

“Clear definition of role; adequate instruction and communication on what is expected from me; and

face-to-face communication if I have done something wrong and need some correction.”

Participants in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra individual volunteer survey, who had not taken

up a referral to a volunteer position commented must commonly that they had been unable to reach

the contact within the organisation or, when they followed up on their referral, the organisation no

longer had a vacancy. Personal reasons such as work, health or pregnancy were other barriers.

Finally, a number of volunteers stated that they were not interested in the type of voluntary work that

they were offered via the referral even though they accepted the referral. Considering the large

number of referrals which were not taken up by volunteers (over 45%) improvements could be made

to the referral process by ensuring that in instances where the initial position they are referred to does

Page 38


not meet their interest, volunteers are referred back to the volunteer referral centre and that

mechanisms are in place, so the potential volunteer can be referred again when a position more suited

to their skills and interests becomes available (Recommendation 3d).

During volunteer coordinator/manager focus group discussions intergenerational matters were

discussed and it was highlighted that the Baby Boomers did not feel they had much in common with

the 20 to 30 age group and preferred connecting with the same generation. Comments in relation to

younger people were: “they lack common sense”, “play with phones instead of undertaking tasks”,

“want to be the manager”.

There is potential for these problems to be addressed by volunteer organisations clearly articulating to

young people organisational values (including the importance of respect) and expectations. It was also

suggested that organisations could address these issues by communicating organisational policy and

boundaries regarding the use of technology (eg mobile phones) during volunteering time and by

monitoring compliance.

According to Heartbeat Trends, Baby Boomers see bureaucracy as a barrier to volunteering and

Generation Y does not wish to wait weeks to hear back to be invited for or after, an interview. This

means the volunteer recruitment process needs to become speedier. Current practice is that criminal

records checks, working with children checks, confidentiality agreements, personal details and other

forms need to be completed with each organisation with whom a potential volunteer registers.

Considering Baby Boomers volunteer in multiple organisations and Generation Y change role

frequently, this increases administrative work not just for the volunteer, but also for the volunteer

agencies, where the same person may be processed multiple times by multiple agencies in the same

period. Illawarra volunteer organisations that participated in focus groups however, stated that they

were not concerned about the amount of paperwork that needed to be completed nor the amount of

time it took to complete.

Volunteer Work Preferences

Hours AvailableThe organisations that participated in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra study calculated the

number of volunteer hours worked per annum to enable comparison to the Australian Bureau of

Statistics (ABS) Volunteer Work Survey. There was considerable alignment in the hours worked by

volunteers as reported by organisations in the Illawarra and the ABS data, with 41% of volunteers

working less than 50 hours per annum (ABS 46%) reducing to zero for those working 300 to 350 hours

per annum and rising again to over 7% per annum for those working more than 400 hours per annum

Figure 8).

The ABS survey identified that the number of volunteers has increased but the hours per volunteer

have decreased “74 hours per annum in 1995 to 72 hours in 2000 to 56 hours in 2006”. It is expected

that this trend will continue due to the lifestyle values, motivations and barriers to volunteering

expressed by participants in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra study.

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The data provided by volunteer organisations that participated in the study indicated that volunteers

with a paid volunteer manager provided more hours of assistance than those managed by an unpaid

volunteer manager. However, it appeared that volunteers in organisations that did not have a

coordinator at all work the most hours per month. For the latter group, it would be worth exploring if,

for those volunteers, they feel the need to continue to work a high number of hours out of a sense of

obligation to keep the organisation running.

Figure 8: Hours of Voluntary Work

1 to 49 50 to 99 100 to 149 150 to 199 200 to 249 250 to 299 350 to 399 400 over0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

Illawarra ABS Australia

Hours of voluntary work

Source: Adapted from Australian Bureau of Statistics (2007)

The Illawarra study found that volunteers aged 55 plus reported spending more time on volunteer work

than those aged 25 to 44 (excluding respondents on income support, who need to undertake 15 hours

per week). This matched organisational perceptions of the level to which volunteers assist in their

organisations. The organisations reporting voluntary activity of more than 200 hours per annum per

volunteer, also reported that the majority of their volunteers were in the age range 55 to 64 and 65 to

74 years, while organisations reporting less than 200 hours per annum per volunteer of activity

reported an age range from 18 to 75 years for their volunteers. One volunteer manager who attended

the focus groups stated:

“…there are so many choices now. The number of places wanting volunteers increased and the

volunteer pool decreased thinning the distribution of volunteers. We are all fighting for the same

people and our volunteers are exhausted because they work too many hours per week across multiple

organisations.”

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Volunteer RostersOrganisations that participated in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra research were asked about

patterns of work for their volunteers (Table 17) and volunteers were asked what best described when

they expected to volunteer (Figure 9).

Over 56.2% of organisations stated that their volunteers work a regular time each week,

with the health and community/welfare sectors reporting a higher than average level of

regular hours for volunteers, with 69.2% and 59% respectively. This corresponds to the 57%

of Illawarra individual volunteer respondents but is lower than the level of regular working

hours for volunteers reported in the National Survey of Volunteering Issues 2011, where

73.9% of respondents stated a high level of regular volunteer work hours. A volunteer

manager stated during the focus group discussions “I would be put off by an application

form which asked me to work regular hours every week.”

Fifty-seven percent (57%) of organisations surveyed for the Illawarra research stated that

their volunteers could undertake tasks when it suits them, with health sector agencies the

least flexible, at 46%. Only 28.5% of volunteers expected to work when it suited them,

indicating that organisations are providing a greater level of flexibility than they are, strictly

speaking, required to offer to satisfy their volunteers.

Slightly less than 22% of participating organisations stated that volunteers have to work set

hours, with health sector organisations requiring this from 30.7% of their volunteers and the

community/welfare sector from 20.5% of volunteers. Of volunteers 32.2% expected to work

set hours.

Thirty-six percent (36%) of the organisations surveyed in the Illawarra stated that their

volunteers work from a predetermined location, with the community/welfare sector indicating

this in 43.6% of cases, while health organisations required this only from 30.7% of

volunteers. Volunteer responses matched with 36.7% expecting to work from a

predetermined location.

Of the three parts of the day available for volunteers to be rostered to work, organisations

offered evening work the least often (12.5%), followed by afternoons (18.75%) and

mornings (28.13%). This was in keeping with the views of individual volunteers who were

surveyed, who indicated their preference for morning, followed by afternoon shifts, with

evening as the least favoured period for work (Table 18).

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Figure 9: Volunteering Rosters by Organisations Offering and Volunteers Expectations by Age

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

Organisations 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75-84

Morning Afternoon Evening Regular Time When it Suits me Set Hours Predetermined Location

The preference not to work evenings was, however, by no means universal, with regularity of

volunteering rosters being considered a barrier by 6.2% of volunteer respondents and “no volunteer

work in the evening” being stated as one of the reasons that people did not volunteer. Many volunteers

work in multiple volunteer roles. This would precipitate a need for regular weekly commitment by

volunteer organisations to accommodate volunteers who do not wish to work different shifts, but who

want the flexibility to change their work hours when their circumstances change (Recommendation

2b). A common desire expressed by volunteers across all generations who participated in the survey,

was the need for more flexibility in work schedules.

In the future, structured, ongoing volunteer positions, which require a regular commitment from

volunteers over multiple years, may be more difficult to fill. Unlike the Builder generation, subsequent

generations see volunteering not as a civic duty, but rather a life enhancing opportunity for themselves

and the community, when they have time.

Volunteer SettingThe State of Volunteering in the Illawarra individual volunteer survey asked respondents which work

setting they would like to volunteer in. Results indicate that most respondents prefer to volunteer in a

group, within the organisation, with peers or friends (Table 19). Generational analysis identified that

working in a group and within the organisation were the top two preferences for volunteers of all ages.

The 18 to 24 year olds were the only group where a majority of respondents reported that they would

like to have time or programs available through their work place (Table 19) and this was the only

instance which indicated a statistically significant difference in response between Generation Y and

Baby Boomers (p<0.05). Images of volunteering in corporate settings were judged as depicting the

least favourite context for volunteering (three images) due to the formal (office) environment they

represented. However, corporate settings appealed to respondents along the dimension of showing an

Page 42


organised and sharing team culture. The 25 to 34 age group seemed the least likely to enjoy

volunteering alone or from a distance to the organisation. The 35 to 44 age group wanted to volunteer

the least one-on-one with clients, while the 55 to 64 year old group were the least concerned as to

whether they volunteered in groups or alone, and the 65 plus age group had a higher preference to

volunteer within the organisation, in a group and with peers/friends than any other generational cohort

(Table 19).

The survey results were triangulated with the data derived from the visual methodology. The images

with the most appeal (and never chosen as a least favourite) were:

group photos of Generation Y (12 times) with the appeal being friendship, support, team

work, fun, activity and accomplishment;

people working together in the community improving the environment (in and outdoors) and

on building sites (10) with the appeal being group work, helping each other, team work,

happy and accomplishment; and

working one-on-one with people (10) with the appeal being taking care of the elderly,

support and helping the less fortunate, compassion and rewarding.

The appeal of these images to those surveyed reflects the fact that one of the main values associated

with volunteering is helping the community. However the clear preference for group and team work

within the organisation will create challenges for volunteer managers in relation to developing effective

leadership structures and relationships for each group. The volunteer manager focus groups agreed

that multiple versus limited touch points for volunteers with management and staff had the ability to

influence the volunteer experience. Finally, this research indicates a fluid and mobile volunteer force,

often not bound to the organisational structure and working at a distance from the manager or other

staff.

Volunteer EngagementThere was some debate among focus group participants in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra

study, as to whether volunteers should be treated in the same way as employees. Opinions varied

greatly. “We need to understand that a volunteer’s motivation is very different to employees.” While

motivations differ, the study identified that there are some conditions under which volunteers should be

treated the same as paid workers, namely in relation to legislated obligations, supervision, training and

feedback. Correlations can be drawn between volunteer organisations and the business sector, where

employee retention is also an emerging challenge.

The BlessingWhite Global Study identified the key issues behind retaining human resources. The

study assessed retention through employee engagement. They found that full engagement aligns an

employee’s job satisfaction and their contribution with the company’s success. This includes an

employee’s ability to use their “talents, discretionary efforts to make a difference, passions and a line

of sight of their own future and the organisations mission and goals”. This is clearly congruent with the

values presented in the volunteer survey and discussed at an earlier point in this report.

According to the BlessingWhite study only 37% of Australian employees are fully and 23% almost fully

engaged in their workplace. Forty-two percent (42%) of Baby Boomers were “fully” and 22% “almost

Page 43


fully” engaged; Generation X was reported as being 35% “fully” and 24% “almost fully” engaged and

Generation Y only 23% and 20%, respectively iii. The study further found that, from all industries

surveyed, the highest employee engagement rates were reported in not-for-profit organisations (58%)

and in smaller organisations (40%). Seventy-seven percent (77%) of engaged employees reported

that they planned to stay with their employer, while 46% of disengaged employees reported that they

planned to leave the organisation. The BlessingWhite Report also found that managers play a critical

role in employee engagement and that the younger generation is the most passionate when engaged.

At the same time:

only 44% of managers delegate assignments effectively without micro-managing engaged

staff;

only 50% of engaged employees receive encouragement to use their talents from their

managers;

only 52% of engaged employees agree they receive regular, specific feedback on their

performance from their managers.

The BlessingWhite Report confirms that the availability of a coach or a mentor, other than the

manager, increases employee engagement through increasing the contribution an employee is able to

make in the organisation. It is likely that a “mentor not manage” approach will not only appeal to

younger generations’ need for coaching and delegation, but also to experienced Baby Boomers who

do not want to be ‘patronised’. McCrindle states “the best leadership style for Generation Y is

coaching, which balances between rank and role distinction and social relationships, is participatory

and both, directs and empowers” (Recommendation 1b, 1c).

The book ‘Uniting the Virtual Workforce’15 highlights the extent to which engagement of employees is

associated with physical, operational and personal relationship (affinity) distance. The authors claim

that the latter two are far more important than location. Physical distance reduces co-operation with

demographically different groups as they have a tendency to less information sharing. This could be

an issue for volunteer managers, as 64% of organisations state they utilise volunteers who do not

have a predetermined location from which to volunteer (affecting an estimated 2700 active

volunteers16).

Operational distance affects communication, perceived separation or disconnectedness and is

enhanced when multitasking is required which redirects the focus of tasks to what is close by.

Managers can directly influence operational distance by being consciously aware of it and how it

affects staff and volunteers. In particular, volunteer managers in a dual role would benefit from

increased consciousness as to how they allocate their resources to each role. Sobel, Lojeski and

Reilly advise that while technology can help overcome operational distance, it also requires an

understanding of its benefits and its limitations.

Relational distance is the most difficult to manage, as it includes an understanding and appreciation of

cultural, social and work values, and the differences in communication styles. Values directly impact

15 Sobel Lojeski K., Reilly R (2008) Uniting the Virtual Workforce: transforming leadership and innovation in the globally integrated enterprise, John Wiley & Sons, New Jersey

16 This figure is based on volunteer managers survey responses on the number of volunteers working in their organisation.

Page 44


on how a person feels about an organisation. Sobel Lojeski and Reilly found trust to be a direct

influencer of affinity distance with high trust generating high organisational citizenship and increasing

job satisfaction. To strengthen trust and organisational citizenship, managers should share information

with volunteers and engage with them through every possible means, such as meetings and social

events, and create boundary spanning activities for employees and volunteers iv. The BlessingWhite

Report supports these findings and states that:

trust correlates with engagement levels, with 81% of engaged employees reporting that they

trust senior management, compared to 19% of the disengaged and 89% of the engaged

reporting that they trust their direct manager, compared to 42% of the disengaged;

forty-nine percent (49%) of engaged employees feel their manager has created a sense of

belonging in the department or team.

The report concludes with advice to managers to take control of their own engagement level to ensure

they are able to effectively engage team members, build an environment which aligns organisational

values and vision with talent, interests and efforts and develop mutually beneficial relationships

through coaching. Regardless of the employment status of managers or workers ie volunteer or paid

employee, an organisation should endeavour to engage with its workforce if it wishes to achieve a

higher level of employee or volunteer retention (Recommendation 1c, 1d, 2a, 2b).

Marketing Message and RecruitmentStudies into differences between generations indicate that there is no difference in the commitment of

each generation to altruistic values such as helping others. Volunteer recruitment programs for all

generations can therefore capitalise on emphasising these values in their promotional and recruitment

programs. All generations want meaningful positions, have clear expectations, understand the value of

volunteering to the volunteer and to the organisation and recognise the expected outcome or impact of

their efforts. They also all want to learn, gain growth opportunities and experience challenges that will

foster personal development.

Volunteer managers who participated in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra survey stated that it

was important to clearly articulate what the organisation could offer its volunteers, including the work

and social aspects of volunteering to ensure volunteer expectations remained realistic.

Research and focus group discussions indicated that the availability of a volunteer coordinator’s role

provides a potential growth opportunity for younger volunteers. One focus group commented that in

some sectors volunteer coordination roles act as an entry level position that allows for a career start.

Promoting a volunteer career path, leadership opportunities and coaching by a volunteer manager or a

volunteer mentor would meet the need for responsibility that many Generation Y volunteers are

seeking, while giving Baby Boomers a growth opportunity and a more stimulating volunteering

experience (Recommendation 1d).

Language17 and symbols used in volunteering are an important, final, consideration in the message

that volunteer organisations communicates to potential volunteers. Ellis notes that vocabulary needs to

17 Ellis, Susan J. (2010) The Word “Volunteer” can reveal, conceal or confuse, Online: http://www.energizeinc.com/hot/2010/10dec.html and

http://0.tqn.com/d/nonprofit/1/0/a/9/-/-/ellisslide2.png

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http://www.energizeinc.com/hot/2010/10dec.html


differ depending on the target audience. The visual methodology undertaken in the State of

Volunteering in the Illawarra study indicated that commonly used volunteer symbols depicting one

hand or group of hands, the globe or digital images, may be confusing. In addition four common

themes of appeal emerged in the results from the visual methodology. The themes and the language

used by volunteers to describe the images are adaptable to the marketing message of volunteer

programs and projects (Recommendation 4c).

RelationshipsThe importance of relationships was consistently mentioned by participants in relation to all but the

Virtual Volunteering images. References were made to helping and working together, support and

team work, everyone being involved, bonding and friendship.

Generational Change“Young people helping” was noted as a powerful image within the one-to-one setting and the

technology setting. Comments on teaching and learning were elicited by images showing technology

and family settings. Participants in the imaging methodology component of the study commented that

many volunteers will be required in the one-on-one setting as Baby Boomers age.

EnvironmentPhoto images of the environment explored with study participants, related to both the physical

environment and the work environment. For the community and family images, improving the physical

environment and working outdoors generated positive comments, while for work environments fun,

friendly, good culture with work colleagues, interesting discussions, and assisting others through

teaching and active involvement (hands on approach) were appealing.

AttributesThe attributes that appealed most to participants in the image methodology phase of the State of

Volunteering in the Illawarra research project, were happy smiling people, learning and knowledge

sharing and most of all, reward and accomplishment.

Page 46


Part 3 – Volunteering into the Future

Ageing Volunteer WorkforceIn Volunteering Australia’s National Survey of Volunteering Issues 2010, organisations

said the age cohorts with the largest proportion of volunteers were 55 to 64 with 44% and

65 to 74 with 26% of respondents, respectively.

Volunteer manager respondents to the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra survey reported that they

saw the ageing of the volunteer workforce as a significant future challenge. Volunteers aged 55 to 64

years comprised 25% and those aged 65 to 74 years comprised 38.3% of volunteers in the

organisations that participated in the research. This is in stark contrast to the proportion of volunteers

ranging from 18 to 44 years, which represented less than one third (27.2%) of volunteers reported in

the research.

Further sector analysis indicated a higher representation of older volunteers in the community welfare

and health sectors than in parent/youth/children and education organisations, regardless of whether

they were the sole sector or combined with a secondary and tertiary sector. This mirrors the findings

by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2010) that people aged 55 years and older volunteer

predominantly in community/welfare, health and religious organisations, those aged 65+ in

Arts/Heritage, 25 to 44 year olds in parenting/child and youth development sectors, the 35 to 44 age

group in education and training, and those aged 35 to 54 years in sport and physical recreation.

Focus group participants from the health sectors stated that their volunteers soon will be clients and

one participant stated that “with an ageing population there needs to be greater realisation of more

need for volunteers, which requires more support and involvement by government.”

Finally, age group analysis indicates that volunteers in Shellharbour and Wollongong may be younger

than those in Kiama and Shoalhaven. With the exception of one organisation, all Shoalhaven

organisations reported that the most commonly occurring age group for their volunteers was either 55

to 64 years or 65 to 74 years, while Wollongong-based organisations reported a broader distribution of

age cohorts within their volunteer workforce. The ageing of the population has significant implications

for the future recruitment of volunteers in rural regions, where many young people leave the town in

which they grew up to attend university or work in the city.

Demographic ChangeThe ABS Future Population Growth and Ageing18 report documents population ageing trends in

Australia over the past several decades and forecasts future trends as people live longer and reduced

fertility and immigration only marginally compensate for the increase in the proportion the population

aged 65 and over. Growth estimates for Australia’s population predict an increase to a total population

of at least 30 million people by 2056, with a population growth average of up to 1.4% per annum. The

Productivity Commission Report The Economic Implications of an Ageing Australia19 states that by

18 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (2009) Future Population Growth and Ageing, Australian Social Trends 4102.0, 25 March

19 Australian Government (2005) Economic implication of an Ageing Australia, Productivity Commission Research Report, March, Online:

http://www.pc.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/69401/ageing.pdf

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http://www.pc.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/69401/ageing.pdf


2044-2045 one quarter of the Australian population will be aged 65 and over and the proportion of 80

year olds is expected to rise by almost 6%. The report identified that by 2044-2045 coastal urban

areas will have a higher proportion of aged people than metropolitan or inland areas due to internal

migration shifts, with an approximate population proportion of 26.8% of the 65+ age group. To place

this in perspective of the generational analysis presented in this report, by 2044-2045 Baby Boomers

will be 80 to 101 years old, Generation X 65 to 80 years, Generation Y 50 to 65 and Generation Z 35

to 50 years old. Currently the Baby Boomers constitute the largest population group in the Illawarra

with 23.4%, followed by Generation X with 19.8%, Generation Y and Generation Z with 19.4% each.

The Builders only comprise 13.5% of the Illawarra population, making the ageing population

‘phenomenon’ more pronounced. However, the Productivity Commission states that “an ageing

population is not a crisis” and that there will be a greater number of older people with more leisure time

to enjoy activities and contribute to the community.

The Productivity Commission report discussed the fact that population changes will lead to an

increase in volunteer numbers to around 6.8 million by 2044-2045. This means that there may be

more people available to volunteer in the region in the future, with those 75+ comprising 10% of the

national volunteer population compared to 4.8% in 2010v.

Salt’s projections for the future show that by 2020, 35% of the Australian workforce will be members of

Generation Y who have grown up in a world where technology is part of every day life. This cohort will

be commencing, or in the midst of, their child raising years (aged 28 to 42) in 2020. Generation X

(aged 43 to 57) who have adapted well to technology will constitute 37% of the working population and

Baby Boomers, currently less likely to work with technology than their younger cohorts, will only make

up 16% of the working population. In 10 years, most people still working and those only just retiring will

have adapted to and have had experience working with several forms of technology.

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Communicating with Volunteers

Communication Methods

Volunteer Organisations - Preferred MethodsThe State of Volunteering in the Illawarra volunteer manager survey asked about the types of

communications currently used with volunteers. Face-to-face communication, on an individual basis

was reported as being used most often, with 31.9% of volunteer managers identifying this mode,

followed by phone (25.1%), email (17.9%) and face-to-face in team meetings (15.7%). More cost

effective means of communication such as social media and SMS were used by only 4.5% and 4% of

organisations, respectively. Some organisations also advised that they communicated with volunteers

by mail (letter) (2), newsletter (3) and message board (1). Considering the distributed nature of

volunteer management, it was surprising that one-to-one communication was still relied upon so

heavily by not-for-profit organisations, to connect with their volunteers.

Volunteers - Preferred MethodsVolunteer survey respondents were asked how they expected organisations to communicate with

them. The results indicated that the number one preference for volunteers of all ages is face-to-face

communication, either individually (70.9%) or in team meetings (60.1%), followed by phone (55.7%)

and email (51.3%). Eighty percent (80%) of volunteer respondents stated that they use email

technology (Table 22). Interestingly, statistical analysis reveals that Generation Y preferred

communication via text messages (SMS) significantly more than Baby Boomers (p<0.05), confirming

that the younger generation is using SMS more than previous generations. For all other methods of

communication no statistically significant difference between the generations was apparent.

Focus group participants deemed email and SMS very efficient, particularly, for short and mass

messages. But they also indicated that follow up contact via a phone call was required. Discussion

with both managers and volunteers confirmed that their preferred communication technologies were

telephone, including text messages and email. They felt each technology should be used for best

effect:

Phone calls for discussions where questions may arise and more complex matters need

elaboration.

SMS for brief messages of changes, reminders or urgent notifications.

Email for information dissemination and non-urgent matters.

Respondents in the Millennial Impact Report (Feldmann et al, 2012) said that they did not like long

emails, but preferred the email to tell the main story and the action required with links to more

information on the topic. This is possibly due to viewing emails on a smart phone where longer emails

require more megabytes to download.

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Internet AccessIn the Illawarra, 79% of Illawarra residents accessed the Internet in 2010-201120 and 74% of

households have the Internet connected, with almost 69% connecting via broadband and 3.4% via

dial-up connection21. Of those residents with broadband connection, 78.4% live in a separate house,

11% in a flat, unit or apartment, and 9.8% in a terrace house or townhouse. Dial up connections are

slightly more common in the latter two dwelling types.

Ninety percent (90%) of Australians aged 44 and less access the Internet, 85% of persons aged 45 to

54 and 71% of the 55 to 64 year olds access the internet. Only 37% of persons aged 65 and over have

accessed the Internet in 2010.

Online TechnologiesThe State of Volunteering in the Illawarra volunteer managers’ survey asked about the types of online

technologies their organisations use. Responses indicated that most of the common technologies

were in use, including websites (48.4%), internet (26.6%) and some social media (20.3%) however

there was little evidence of the use of more recent or emerging technologies. While online calendar

and shareware were showing some take up by a few organisations, blogs, wikis, and online forums

were rarely used as a means of communicating with volunteers (Table 22). Interestingly, unpaid

volunteer coordinators seemed to be equally or more interested than paid managers when it came to

adopting online technologies with 42.9% working with internet compared to 22.2% of paid managers,

and a higher percentage using shareware and wiki - 7.1% for each, compared to 6.6% and 0%

respectively for paid managers (Table 20).

Among the six organisations which stated that they employed volunteers aged between 18 and 44

years, four used more than three online technologies, particularly websites and social media such as

Facebook and, to some extent, blogs. Conversely, the four organisations with volunteers in the age

group 65 to 85 reported using no online technology or only one online technology medium. None of

these four organisations had a website. A typical comment regarding the types of online technologies

used was “most seniors may not have or be up-to-date with mobile phones or internet”. This sentiment

was confirmed in the focus groups where there was general agreement across groups that older

generations preferred more traditional methods of communication such as phone calls and mail, and

younger generations communicated more online. They stated that older volunteers wanted to keep the

social and personal touch that they have lived with for most of their lives. Also, many older volunteers

do not have computers or mobile phones to readily access online technologies. One volunteer

manager said “(I) would like to go online, but am stopped by the older generation who are not on

email.”

Social NetworkingThe State of Volunteering in the Illawarra volunteer survey identified that new volunteers expected

their organisation to communicate significantly more through the internet, Facebook, Twitter, blogs,

wikis and shareware such as Google (p<0.05) than experienced volunteers (Table 22). It is interesting

20 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (2011b) Household Use of Information Technology, Australia 2010-11, 81460DO004_201011

21 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (2011a) Voluntary Work, Australia 2010, 4441.0

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to note that respondents anticipated use of the online calendar as a communication tool more

frequently than they expected Facebook to be utilised, even though the latter medium was generally

used as a communication tool by 35.5% of respondents versus online calendars at 18% (Table 22).

Respondents from Generation X and Generation Y were more likely to be engaged with social media

and to use SMS and other technologies for communication. Social networking sites were accessed by

88% of 18 to 24 year old volunteers, who identified as internet users, 75% of 25 to 34 year olds, and

58% of 35 to 44 year olds. Those aged 45 and above currently use social networking sites less than

younger age cohorts (Table 23) however adoption of Facebook among people from the 35 to 45 years

age cohort has grown during the past two years and continues to show significant increase.

Some volunteer managers during focus groups discussed the use of social media. They said they use

Facebook for some programs but not for others, depending on the target group for the project. Some

thought that the use of Social Media led to the organisation losing the “personal touch” with its

volunteers. Other participants stated they would have liked to use Social Media, but were stopped by

policy and approval processes which made access or information flow nearly impossible, or their

organisation was in the process of implementing policy and procedures which were deemed

necessary before technology was used (Recommendation 3e).

Bennett et al22 discuss how social networking in the workplace is still under-appreciated and under-

valued. They state that with these tools the control of content can shift from the site owner to the

contributor of material. The focus groups interviewed for the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra

research identified significant hesitation by volunteer managers to introduce social media because

they felt it would be something else they would need to maintain. However, social media is not just

about keeping people informed, but also a means for providing recognition, having conversations,

sharing knowledge, gaining feedback, creating social links and creating a fun collaborative and

participatory work environment. Bennett et al state “social networks, blogs, wikis and RSS feeds can

facilitate networked conversations, information sharing and problem solving” not just among

volunteers, but also among staff. A couple of volunteer focus group participants could see the benefit

of Facebook as a social connector at the broader organisation level. They commented that Facebook

could be used to disseminate organisational information, social events or engage volunteers in

discussion on organisational matters. Facebook was also considered an interactive alternative to email

to assist with attendance notices and replacement of volunteers unable to undertake their rostered

shift on any given day. For Generation Y, peers are the new family, and online peers are just another

part of their ‘family’.

New technologies also have the potential to have a positive impact on improving staff and volunteer

interactions and helping with matching volunteers to organisations. Social media has the potential to

break down hierarchical barriers and remove silos and therefore could provide empowerment to

volunteers to effectively contribute to a volunteer program or event and to organisational decision

making (Recommendation 2c).

22 Bennett, James; Owers, Mark; Pitt, Michael; Tucker, Michael (2010) Workplace impact of social networking, Property management, Vol.28, No. 3, pg.138-148

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The State of Volunteering in the Illawarra research unearthed a number of good examples of the use

of Facebook by volunteer organisations. One organisation promoted and used Facebook for a

Humanitarian Forum, which led to a lot of input and feedback by young people to whom they would not

normally have access. Another organisation advised that Facebook is an excellent tool for peer

support. One volunteer focus group participant provided an example of how Facebook was used to

help a Saudi Arabian family, who had moved into the neighbourhood without many household items.

Posting a request for assistance for household goods resulted in an overwhelming response.

Marketing to Volunteers via Information TechnologiesThe Millennial Impact Report found that social networks constitute a key channel for organisations to

engage with members, but they can also assist in sharing information about the organisation with

those in the community who are currently not part of it. The report found that “respondents shared

information on Facebook with 74% posting about cool events, 69% about statistics, 65% share news,

61% opportunities, 47% share videos, 39% invitations and 36% about the impact the organisation

has.” TheBernard23 notes that if Facebook is cultivated like a garden it has the potential to turn into a

recruitment tool attracting new volunteers. Bennett et al conclude that this “shift can lead to increased

brand reputation and a more transparent culture. When the Facebook community develops, it

becomes part of people’s life.” (Recommendations 3e, 2c).

The Australian Communications and Media Authority stated in its third report that during June 2011

555,000 Australians streamed video and movie content including using YouTube and it is predicted

that video streaming will emerge as the preferred medium for promotion and marketing in the coming

decade.

The Millennial Impact Report found that members of Generation Y want to find out about not-for-profit

organisations through a website (65%), social medial (55%), e-newsletter (47%), print (19%) and face-

to-face (17%). Therefore, a website is the primary point of contact and source of information for people

from this generation to find out about volunteering organisations. The report identified that when

people tap into a website, the “About Us” page of the site is usually viewed first, with 88% or

respondents interested in finding out the organisation’s purpose and values. Forty-three percent (43%)

looked at the donation page, 41% for volunteer opportunities and events and 30% for videos and

photos. The report found that the overall look of the website has to be professional, with compelling

visuals if it is to attract and retain visitors. Focus group respondents for this report stated that they

judge the character of an organisation from its website. In addition, websites need to be mobile phone

scaleable and readable, only featuring the most important content and remaining easy to navigate.

Volunteer organisations need to ensure that they have the appropriate online and communication

technologies in place to support their activities. Organisations with limited funding and resources to

facilitate the introduction of information and communications technology will find the road to a

networked environment more challenging unless funding and/or assistance from sponsors is sourced

to support this transition (Recommendation 2c, 3e).

23 Bernard, C (2011) Is Facebook an Effective Volunteer Management Tool? NTEN Change, A quarterly Journal for Nonprofit Leaders

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Mobile TechnologiesHaving access to the Internet is a pre-requisite for the use of online and communication technologies

via personal computer or laptops, but is not required for mobile phone communication.

A report into the emerging mobile telecommunications market in Australia, commissioned by the

Commonwealth of Australia’s Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)24, provides a

comprehensive overview of the use and uptake of communications technology during 2011. The report

states that:

Fixed line telephone services are declining. During 2011 19% of the total adult population,

and 37% of 18 to 24 year olds, do not have a fixed line telephone.

There are now more mobile phone consumers (87% of households) than subscribers to

fixed line telephone services (81% of household consumers).

Fixed line/home telephone calls are still the most often used method for communication with

97% in metro and 99% in non-metro areas.

Mobile phone calls were following closely behind fixed line phone calls with 90% in metro

and 88% in non-metro areas and texting from mobile phones was used by 80% of metro

and 72% of non-metro users.

Email communication was used by 84% of metro and 78% of non-metro respondents.

Social networking was used by 45% of metro and 39% of non-metro respondents, with

Facebook being used by about 7.6 million, YouTube by 5.77 million, and Twitter by 1.047

million Australian users.

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)vi was used by 34% of metro and 27% of non-metro

users with 25 to 34 year olds making up the majority of users (43%) followed by 18 to 24

year olds (21%) and finally the 35 to 49 age group (19%).

The ACMA report found that the mobile phone market for the 18 to 44 year segment was almost

saturated (96% to 98%), closely followed by the 45 to 54 age group with 91% of all persons with a

mobile phone. In addition, 78% of consumers 65 and above have taken up mobile phone technology.

Data regarding mobile phone dispersion among volunteers attending the Volunteering Illawarra

referral service since 2010, indicates that 25% of Baby Boomers do not have a mobile phone

compared to 6.3% of Generation Y (Table 21).

The ACMA report indicated that 37% of Australian mobile users own a smart phone. The State of

Volunteering in the Illawarra research identified that smart phones were used by just 25.2% of

Illawarra survey respondents, indicating that older mobile phone technology is still predominant in the

local market. However, as at April 2011 smart phone users accessed email and social networks (74%

each) through their mobile devices.

The ACMA report also considered generational differences in usage of mobile phones, with 18 to 24

year olds accessing six different communication services with a bias towards texting and social media,

while 55 to 64 year olds accessed four different communication services, reducing to three different

24 Australian Communication and Media Authority (ACMA) (2011a) The emerging mobile telecommunications service market in Australia, Communications Report 2, 2010-2011

series, Commonwealth of Australia

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communication services for those 65 and above. The last cohort demonstrates a bias towards voice

and email communications.

According to ACMA, VoIP services are increasing in popularity as services become more readily

available. Most VoIP is currently used for long distance and international calls as the price is much

lower than for a fixed-line call. However, current usage of VoIP in Australia is for video connectivity

which allows for a real-time link with others. People living in regional and urban areas reported using

VoIP less than those in metropolitan areas, but more than those living in rural regions. Surprisingly,

the distribution of users across age ranges is reasonably similar, with usage ranging from 25% to 33%

and the highest rate being reported for the 25 to 34 age group. Males reported using VoIP slightly

more than females with 29% of males and 27% of females classing themselves as users, while people

who were employed used VoIP slightly more than those who were unemployed, with figures of 29%

and 26%, respectively.

VoIP has the potential to assist in coordination of volunteers and projects at a distance to the

organisation or for managers coordinating multiple locations. It will assist in reducing the time for travel

to different locations, reducing the physical distance of locality, reducing the cost of phone calls and

improving visual cues during conversations and discussions.

Barriers to Using TechnologyVolunteer managers were aware that they need to move towards the use of online technologies if they

wish to communicate effectively with younger generations of volunteers and potential volunteers.

Focus group discussions with Baby Boomer volunteers identified that a minority of the participants

were familiar with using information technology on a regular basis and they had either a work or

personal need or interest for using it. There was strong disinterest among many Baby Boomer

volunteers in learning about information technology. However, there were also strong reactions from

volunteer managers which indicated that they themselves were hesitant to change and would need

training. “I would have to leave my job if I have to use them (online technology).” There was a

perception reported that online technologies were “more work” and that it was something else which

needed managing and looking after. “I do not want to create a hardcopy and online newsletter. It just

increases my work to do that.”

The ACMA25 report found that the lack of perceived want or need for a mobile phone is the highest

barrier to mobile phone uptake with 48% of respondents reporting this as their main reason for not

using this technology. Similarly the World Trends and Forecasts Newsletter reported findings on the

uptake of technology by senior adults. They stated that the biggest barrier for seniors was lack of

awareness of what technology could do and of the need for the internet in their life. However, the

article also noted that when seniors learn about technology and go online, they become enthusiastic

users, creating profiles on social networking sites, using text messaging and online banking26. There

25 Australian Communication and Media Authority (ACMA) (2011b) Converging communications channels: Preferences and behaviours of Australian communications users,

Communications Report 3, 2010-2011 series, Commonwealth of Australia

26 USC Annenberg School Center for the Digital Future, www.digitalcenter.org ; Association for Psychological Science, www.psychologicalscience.org; AARP, www.aarp.org in

Cohen, Aaron.M. (2010) Wiring the Elderly, World Trends and Forecasts, The Futurist, www.wfs.org

Page 54

http://www.wfs.org/

http://www.aarp.org/

http://www.psychologicalscience.org/

http://www.digitalcenter.org/


are significant opportunities to engage Generation Y volunteers to educate and mentor seniors in the

use of new technologies (Recommendation 2e, 5d).

Across the focus groups that contributed to the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra project, there was

consensus that the use of technology depended on the volunteer role and should only be implemented

if it benefited the volunteer role. However, one participant commented that “organisations should use

all available technology including social media, so they can cater for everyone even if not every

volunteer uses every technology available.” This sentiment was also voiced in the Millennial Impact

Report which states that organisations should use multiple platforms to engage with volunteers.

The cost of using and updating technology was another commonly suggested barrier to its

introduction, with these factors considered to be a challenge for both volunteers and volunteer

organisations. Cost was also considered a barrier by ACMA which found that a low end mobile plan

cost from just below $49 per month to more than $98 per month, making it prohibitive for people on

low incomes. Additionally, focus group participants commented that organisations would have to invest

resources to train volunteers in the use of the technology.

Creating Best Value For Volunteering Organisations From the Use of Online TechnologiesRespondents from volunteering organisations that participated in the State of Volunteering in the

Illawarra research indicated that traditional modes of communication remain the preferred method for

volunteer managers and electronic forms of communication are under-utilised. At the same time, the

literature review that informed the study indicated that many seniors do take up new communication

technologies. While the introduction of internet technology may provide less than optimum return on

investment for organisations in which a majority of their volunteers are aged 65 and above,

communication using mobile phone technology could be introduced more broadly as this technology is

widely used even among seniors. Although the communication methods favoured by older volunteers

may not appear to encourage the adoption of internet communication, organisations run the risk of

excluding younger volunteers or failing to connect with them in an effective way, if they do not also

introduce internet as a medium for engagement.

Sobel Lojeski and Reilly found that to breach “virtual distance” people should be asked what their

preferences for communication technology solutions are and which forms they see as being of benefit

for collaboration. Organisations seeking volunteers need to consider the type of volunteer they want to

attract, the type of media used by this volunteer target group and whether its use would benefit

collaboration in the project.

Members of Generation Y and, to some extent, Generation X, are generally more likely to embrace

newer technology and expect their peers, supervisors and managers to be able to work with these

technologies. Online applications, a website and social media, wikis, blogs and other forms of IT-

based communication are expected as the norm by this generation. Rather than each medium being

assessed for relevance and/or implemented on a stand-alone basis, the suite of applications needs to

be viewed and adopted as a package, including adequate resourcing to ensure they are maintained

for currency and appropriateness of content (Recommendation 2c, 4a, 4b). There is therefore an onus

on not-for-profit organisations to upgrade their technology and up-skill staff (Recommendation 2c).

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Organisations, particularly those that are resource poor, could benefit from a “shared service”

approach to online volunteer management, where one organisation hosts basic online technology that

is accessed by a number of others. For instance, member organisations could have the option to

receive access to a website space, which is centrally hosted, and uses easy web building tools (similar

to Weebly (www.weebly.com). This would reduce the cost to organisations in adapting to new

technology including hosting, registering domain names and using complex software or paying for

website updates (Recommendation 3e).

To get the best value out of technology, people who manage volunteers need to be aware of its

potential and trained in its use. The requirements set out in Ellis and Craven’s Virtual Volunteering

Guidebook provide a useful starting point for organisations and volunteer managers that wish to take

advantage of the opportunities for virtual volunteering that technology can offer.

In the final analysis, modernising the ways that organisations communicate with their volunteers needs

to be driven by volunteers – members of voluntary community management committees and boards.

They therefore need to be aware of how technology could benefit their organisation and willing to

make changes to the way things have always been done. Management committees/boards may be in

a position to draw on the skills and knowledge of younger board members to assist them in developing

a long-term technology strategy for their organisations to aid them in managing the different needs and

expectations of different volunteer age cohorts (Recommendation 2c).

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http://www.weebly.com/


Emerging Trends in VolunteeringThe State of Volunteering in Australia report released in 201227 states that one-in-two organisations

had introduced new ways of volunteering in recent times. Volunteering Australia’s National Survey on

Volunteering Issues 2011 asked respondents about using their professional skills, volunteering with

the family or through work, using technology and incorporating travel with volunteering. Findings from

these studies have been used to inform the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra research project and

to frame discussions and the scope of inquiry with volunteer focus group participants.

Technology and Virtual VolunteeringTechnology has the power to transform the ways that volunteering is undertaken. It has the potential to

provide services at a distance, and yet reduce distance while maintaining social presence using

technologies such as Skype (VoIP) and Facebook. The Virtual Volunteering Guidebook28 outlines how

volunteering via the internet can engage volunteers for technical assistance but also for direct client

contact, for instance undertaking an electronic ‘visit’, providing mentoring or instructions, help with

language instructions or online training.

The State of Volunteering in the Illawarra findings in relation to the incorporation of technology into

volunteering, showed that only 9% of volunteer respondents reported a preference to work in a

volunteer setting that relied on technology (Table 19). Interestingly there was no statistical difference

in relation to this preference between the generations, however there was a statistical difference within

the Baby Boomer generation between those aged 45 to 54 years and those aged 55 to 64 years

(p<0.05). The visual images methodology component of the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra

research showed that images relating to technology appealed (nine images) when technology was

used in group settings teaching or training others, particularly when the young were helping with

technology. Images relating to virtual volunteering (six) were the least preferred across all respondent

age cohorts. The reasons provided by respondents included a dislike of technology or a sense that

technology was boring. These views were reflected by focus group participants who in many cases did

not wish to work with technology or were hesitant to up-skill to new technologies. There is potential for

volunteer organisations to bring together members or volunteers who are skilled in the use of new

technologies (particularly younger people) to work with other volunteers (including older Baby

Boomers) to up-skill them in the use of communications technology.

The attitudes expressed by participants in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra research concur

with the National Survey of Volunteering Issues finding that:

In 2010, “2.6% of volunteers were performing volunteer duties virtually using technology”

and in 2011, “12.8% of respondents’ preferred way of volunteering will be through new

forms of technology including social media.”

27 Volunteering Australia (2012) State of Volunteering in Australia 2012 Report, pg.23

28 Ellis and Cravens (2000) The Virtual Volunteering Guidebook, ImpactOnline Inc, www.impactonline.org

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http://www.impactonline.org/


As a final consideration, the introduction of virtual volunteering models frequently relies on virtual

volunteers working in their own time and own space (at home). Volunteer organisations with paid staff

that engage a volunteer to work from home will be obliged to comply with their State’s Work Health

and Safety legislation, including the need to assess risks associated with the home site and develop

risk management plans to address those risks. Volunteer organisations thinking about the introduction

of virtual volunteering need to be clear about their duty of care regarding a safe work environment for

their volunteers, including the extension of WHS planning and monitoring to their volunteers’ homes 29

(Recommendation 5d).

Family Volunteering and the Engagement of Young People as VolunteersThe need to ensure that volunteer activities are compatible with life stage and life choices of current

and potential volunteers requires examination of the impact of family responsibilities and preferences

on volunteering. While volunteers and potential volunteers from the Baby Boomer generation are no

longer caring for their children, a significant proportion find themselves caring for grandchildren on a

regular basis, while members of Generation X are closely involved in raising their own children. This

indicates that models of volunteering that reflect “family centred volunteering” require consideration, as

this trend will remain for at least another 15 years.

In the 2011 National Survey of Volunteering Issues, volunteers stated that 10.8% of

volunteers would like the whole family to be able to participate in volunteering.

In the research conducted by Volunteering Illawarra, family volunteering was among the least

preferred settings with only 7% of respondents indicating a preference for this type of volunteer setting

(Table 19). The images of adults working with children did not generate a strong association in relation

to getting children involved in respondents’ volunteering activities. Baby Boomer focus group

participants overwhelmingly expressed a preference to keep their volunteer work separate from their

role in minding grandchildren. They stated that volunteer work was a special time for them and done

for personal satisfaction, while minding children was support provided to their family. Only one

participant, a Generation Y parent, thought she could see a benefit of involving children in

volunteering. “Not everything is about money, children can gain from helping others. I can see children

participating in aged care…for instance painting nails for the elderly.” However, it is also possible that

this type of activity will be done more on an informal basis, as members of Generation X and older

members of Generation Y will soon be required to provide care to their own, ageing parents.

Some respondents expressed concern regarding the ethical implications of having children

volunteering in work places, the demand for increased supervision of child volunteers, the quality of

work produced when supervising children and the need to ensure compliance with Work Health and

Safety legislation and insurance requirements. The constraints of WHS legislation and other health

regulations and standards required for aged care organisations will dictate the volunteering activities to

which children and young people can contribute in this sector. “Go Volunteering” provides some

examples of the type of projects family volunteering may be suited for30.

29 Work Cover http://www.workcover.nsw.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx

30 Go Volunteer (2009) Want to Volunteer: Involving Families in Volunteering, Accessed: 10 July 2012, Online: http://www.govolunteer.com.au/organisations/default.htm

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It is recommended that volunteer organisations that are considering family volunteering programs or

considering engaging young people under 18 as volunteers, review their insurance policy/ies. Some

insurance may include age restrictions which will need to be amended to cover people under the age

of 18 years. Alternatively, young people who are engaged in volunteering through schools, clubs or

church groups (as opposed to through a family volunteering program) may be covered by the school

or club’s insurance policy or via the insurance policy held by the leadership program that is auspicing

their volunteering activity (eg Duke of Edinburgh Award)31.

Organisations may also find that their policy and procedures may need to be updated to facilitate

engagement of younger volunteers, including but not limited to, clarifying organisational responsibility,

supervision of children and specification of the type of activities suitable for young people. Another

area for organisations to review is their risk assessment and risk management plan. “When

supervising young volunteers a ‘working with children’s check’ is not required, however a volunteer

declaration form should be completed” (Recommendation 5a, 5b).

One-to-One Service VolunteeringCensus data indicates that volunteers aged 55 and above are assisting mostly in the sectors of:

community/welfare, health and religion. This reflects the pattern of volunteering reported by

respondents to the Volunteering Illawarra State of Volunteering in the Illawarra survey. Baby Boomers

and younger members of the Builders generation constituted the majority of volunteers in the aged

and health care sector. People aged 75 to 84 years in particular, reported a higher preference for

volunteering in roles where they worked one-on-one with clients, compared to any other age group.

However, over the next decade, as the population ages and at the same time volunteers from these

age cohorts start to move from being service deliverers to service recipients, their increased need for

support services and their withdrawal from volunteering roles, will start to impact significantly on the

health system and service needs.

The Productivity Commission report on an Ageing Australia quotes “aged care expenditure increases

for those aged 80 and above, with the proportion of 80 year olds expected to rise to 9.1% by 2044-

2045 from 3.3% in 2002-2003. [In addition,] the Australian Bureau of Statistics projects that by 2021

less than half of people over 65 will be living in couple families and there will be fewer children per

family, reducing the number of potential carers per family. In addition, women bearing children later

will potentially reduce the capacity or willingness of women to also provide aged care.” The report also

projected that the ratio of females between 50 to 64 will drop “from 2.5 potential carers per person

over 80 in 2002-2003 to under 1.0 in 2044-2045”. In the short-term, the number of informal carers

available will reduce from 2013 onwards, disproportionately to the amount of care needed in the

community. This shortfall in the level of informal care available will impact on the demand for formal

community care, including the demand for formal volunteering services.

31 Youth Volunteering (2012) General Advice on engaging Volunteers under 18 years, Accessed: 10 July 2012, Online:

http://www.youthvolunteering.com.au/organisations/engaging-volunteers-under-18-years

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There is, however, some good news for the future of one-to-one volunteer service delivery in the

Illawarra. The ABS census 201132 data shows that the population of Baby Boomers aged 48 to 55

years of age, is larger than the Baby Boomer population aged above 55 and there is a larger number

of female volunteers in the 35 to 54 age group than in older age groups33. It is therefore reasonable to

predict that there will be an increased pool of potential volunteers moving into the 55+ (retirement) age

range over the coming decade. Respondents from this age group who participated in the Volunteering

Illawarra visual imaging activity indicated that the images representing people working one-to-one

supporting the elderly or assisting those less able, were among those with the most appeal. However,

volunteers who participated in other aspects of the survey overwhelmingly reported a preference to

assist the community in groups rather than alone or one-on-one, and within the organisation rather

than from a distance.

Life style values and volunteer preferences may require organisations that require volunteers to assist

in face-to-face service delivery (for example aged care facilities or in-home support) to review how

they provide their services and engage with volunteers. Baby Boomers, unlike the Builder generation,

may leave their volunteer role for a period of time to travel, while members of Generation X are busy

with their own family. Generation Y do not feature in high numbers in the volunteer cohort at present

and rely on close relationships with peers, making them less likely to put up their hands to volunteer in

traditional one-to-one settings. However, there may be opportunities for organisations to create a

number of social connections to an individual or family rather than relying on one individual to provide

voluntary care. For Generation Y, peers are often perceived to have the same status as family and

social interaction is more important for this generation than any other. Service providers may therefore

benefit from identifying opportunities to make the one-on-one service environment less solitary and

more social and from building in more flexible structures and approaches to delivering direct care

services via volunteers (Recommendation 5c).

Travel and VolunteeringThe trend for retirees from the Baby Boomer generation to “go on the road” for at least part of each

year has the potential to impact on their availability as volunteers and the capacity of volunteer

organisations to rely on them for “all year round” service. At the same time, there is potential for

volunteer organisations to draw on the skills and contribution of travellers as they pass through a city,

town or neighbourhood, for short-term projects and volunteering stints.

“I am combining my travel with my volunteer work in conservation. We are going to a remote

community to help them clean up debris and garbage from the waterways…. while the organisation is

the same, the role is very different to the one I have here...and I had to organise this myself.”

In the 2011 National Survey of Volunteering Issues, volunteers state that 25.2% would

like to incorporate travel and volunteering.

Focus group participants in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra research project were asked

about their attitudes in relation to combining travel and volunteering. There was some consensus

32 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (2011c) Census of Population and Housing, Illawarra (107) Online: http://www.abs.gov.au/census

33 The 55 to 64 age group excludes those persons volunteering in the community sector and receiving income support.

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http://www.abs.gov.au/census


across two groups regarding the opportunities associated with volunteering for an organisation that

has national presence, which would allow for volunteering through a network of linked agencies as

people travel. However some older volunteer respondents and others who were receiving income

support stated that the combination of travel and volunteering held little appeal for them.

Many volunteer travel organisations and opportunities to volunteer “on the move” can be accessed via

the Internet. However, most offer volunteer posts that are for a specific purpose and at a specific

location, usually on a short-term basis, eg one to two weeks. Some websites target Australia’s Grey

Nomads ie people aged over 50 travelling around Australia, often for an extended amount of time.

Websites such as www.thegreynomads.com.au are useful as they cater to organisations posting

volunteer jobs and volunteers posting their skills and scheduled availability for volunteer work.

A recent Volunteering Australia research project into ‘grey nomads’ potential to assist in projects in

outback towns, has resulted in several towns developing ongoing projects with which travelling

volunteers can assist (Onyx et al, 2010). The findings from the research indicated that grey nomads

are predominantly interested in talking to local people (84%) and visiting historic landmarks (75%) or

other local features such as craft, the natural environment or industries, as well as attending festivals

or sporting events. The type of projects respondents were interested in ranged from historic or

environmental preservation to sharing their knowledge and expertise with local students or

professionals.

Cridland34 investigated the patterns of grey nomad migration north in Australia during the winter

months. Volunteer organisation focus group participants in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra

project confirmed that the migration of local volunteers occurs during winter and creates a significant

gap for their organisations and for service provision. While there is little research that can provide

advice to directly assist local volunteer organisations breach the gap, there is information available on

patterns of the travelling volunteer that may assist with planning the volunteer workforce. For instance,

volunteer organisations could tap into the grey nomad market and recruit for volunteer roles outside of

the traveller’s normal place of residence, by building better connections between themselves and

sharing information and referral. Some organisations may find that a more cooperative approach will

enable their organisation to tap into a pool of skills for specific short-term projects.

Cridland in his research into the grey nomad phenomenon, takes into consideration age and socio-

economic factors such as employment and pension scheme. He identified that:

those retired people with a fixed residence are less likely to have a need to find employment

whilst travelling than those without a residence, with the former group being the majority of

travellers;

former professionals and managers are usually self-funded and former trades people,

farmers, self-employed, labourer and those who worked in transport are more often on a full

or part pension;

self-funded retirees tend to spend more per day, prefer caravan parks and are more likely to

stay in tourist towns/cities or large inland centres, while those on a part or full pension prefer

34 Cridland, Shane (2008) An analysis of the winter movement of grey nomads to northern Australia: planning for increase senior visitation, PhD Thesis, James Cook University,

Online: http://eprints.jcu.edu.au/7901

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http://www.thegreynomads.com.au/


camping sites, tend to spend less, which is linked to their preference to stay in smaller

coastal or inland towns;

most grey nomads plan a trip in less than one month usually travelling to the same location

each year with only 13.5% planning a trip four to six months ahead and 16.9% six to 12

months ahead. The latter are more likely to be those who want to experience multiple

locations and do not want to duplicate locations from previous trips;

as grey nomads age (65+) and their number of trips increases to above four, the stops

between destinations will shorten, they will visit fewer destinations and stay longer in a

single destination for the entire winter;

those aged 65 and below are more likely to wander around the country undertaking short

weekly stays to explore a location; and

grey nomad destinations are influenced by the type of activities they are seeking.

Influencers of the likelihood of a grey nomad visiting the same destination again include

social interaction with like-minded people such as travellers or locals. In some instances the

people that grey nomads regularly meet up with at their “homes away from home” become

their new social group.

The implications for volunteer organisations of the grey nomad phenomenon are:

the Baby Boomer generation is only just starting to enter retirement, the oldest Boomers

being 67 years of age, and the youngest due to retire by 2030. The number of volunteers

(and potential volunteers) expressing a wish to travel will increase, reducing the pool of

volunteers in their usual place of residence, but increasing the potential for volunteers who

are passing through to become involved in short-term projects;

organisations do not get a lot of notice when a volunteer organises a trip which will take

them away from their usual duties for a length of time. However, organisations

understanding the travel patterns of their volunteers may be able to plan better for these

events and consider alternatives such as increasing the number of students in work

experience that they take on during this time;

organisations in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven tend to be too far south to attract grey

nomads who are travelling to one destination, usually chasing the sun and warm weather.

However, organisations on the south coast could offer short-term projects suitable for those

wandering volunteers who want to experience the different regions in Australia;

organisations may benefit if they plan for certain types of volunteer jobs and projects that

are based on travelling volunteer preferences and that include provisions around timing, the

nature of the job/project and the place of promotion;

volunteer organisations could market the possibilities of volunteering in similar roles/

organisations in different locations across Australia; and

organisations may benefit from strategies that will increase travelling volunteers’ connection

with their organisation or their type of organisation

allow for knowledge sharing of projects and work methods across locations;

assist volunteers to create an ‘instant’ social network through volunteering.

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(Recommendation 3c)

“Volunteers” on Income SupportThere is considerable debate in the sector whether persons receiving income support

(Centrelink/Newstart) and working in the community are volunteers. This cohort has to undertake at

least 15 hours of work per week to be eligible for income support. One focus group consisted of

participants from this cohort. This group was very clear that they were not concerned with emerging

trends in volunteering. As they only work two (2) days per week, time constraints did not necessitate

combining family with volunteering and travelling was not feasible due to Centrelink requirements.

Also, corporate volunteering was irrelevant, given their current employment status. However, some

interesting comments were made about the role they take in organisations:

participants’ friends found it inappropriate for them to do work for ‘free’ – hence, even

though they are paid, the perception is still that this work is for free;

organisations were quick to understand the skill set these people bring to their organisation,

tap into these skills and “use us to run their business”;

there was some frustration among participants that organisations took on volunteers for

roles they should be appointing a paid worker for - “We are seen as a replacement to

permanent workers”;

with high unemployment levels in the Illawarra region, volunteering was seen as a better

option than having to attend Centrelink regularly; and

the cost of attending volunteer work locations made it prohibitive and often unfeasible for

these volunteers to attend more than two days per week.

“I am a volunteer first and then a Newstart recipient. That’s why I want to enjoy my work instead of just

taking on anything…I also want to be close to home due to travel costs.”

Corporate VolunteeringCorporate volunteering is an emerging trend within the context of corporate social responsibility and

receives a reasonable amount of coverage in the media. However this form of volunteering was not

seen as important among the participants in the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra research project

and only 6.5% of all respondents (15% of 18 to 24 year olds) expressed a desire to have corporate

volunteering programs or time made available through work. Indeed the two interviews held with

members of Generation Y as part of the study, indicated that for these respondents, a separation of

work and volunteering activities is desirable. Further research into the nature, opportunities for and

constraints in relation to corporate volunteering within the Illawarra will need to be undertaken, both to

better understand this phenomenon and to ensure that the potential for local organisations to benefit

from this trend is realised.

The National Survey on Volunteering Issues in 2011 found that 10.2% of participants

want to volunteer through their work, and employee supported programs may not be

taken up by employees because they are already volunteering independently to the

company.

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Part 4 – Recommendations and Conclusion

RecommendationsRecommendation 1 - Leadership

a) Volunteer organisations to recognise management committee and board members as

volunteers and to resource them to develop the leadership skills necessary for strong

governance of the organisation.

b) Volunteer managers/coordinators to link younger volunteer(s) with an experienced volunteer

or staff member to create a support system and a career development opportunity.

c) Volunteer organisations to develop a trust-based work environment to build organisational

citizenship and ensure a leadership style which permits engagement of employees and

volunteers.

d) Volunteer organisations to recognise their touch points with volunteers within the

organisation to ensure consistency of service and to create leadership structures and

values which can be adopted across multiple groups, units and departments.

e) Volunteering Illawarra to undertake more research into issues affecting management

committees and corporate volunteering.

Recommendation 2 – Strategic Planning

a) Volunteer organisations to ensure that their organisational culture is defined via a set of

values in the Strategic Plan and marketing message and that the organisational structure,

management functions and volunteer positions are aligned with these values.

b) Volunteer organisations to incorporate a “volunteer goal” with associated strategies and

activities in their Strategic Plan to achieve the required generational transition including:

flexibility of work arrangements; and

recruitment, retention and engagement.

c) Volunteer organisations to incorporate technology into organisational strategy to:

address generational transitions in the volunteer population, as well as new forms

of volunteering;

ensure appropriateness of the type and use of technology for programs, projects

and the marketing message; and

ensure training of staff and volunteers.

Recommendation 3 – Coordination of General Volunteer Activities

The sector has significant duplication in training and processing of volunteers. Therefore, it is

recommended that volunteer organisations develop and implement a centralised approachvii:

a) develop a centralised approach to training for volunteers, particularly in WHS and general

work related activities by sector;

b) centralise funding for training of volunteers, so organisations are not burdened by this cost;

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c) develop a central and transferable approach for processing and records managing

paperwork necessary for volunteer recruitment such as police checks, children checks,

confidentiality forms etc to assist travelling volunteers and reduce cost for organisations;

d) develop a database for volunteers to register their interest in a demand driven system,

rather than supply driven system, to help reduce the cost of recruitment, assist in matching

volunteers to appropriate organisations by identifying their skills and interests and

assessing against the requirements of the organisation; and

e) provide shared resources to not-for-profit organisations including:

access to a web space managed from a central host and domain;

develop a ‘model’ technology or social media policy for organisations who do not

have the capacity to undertake this (similar to the Model Constitution available from

Fair Trading NSW).

Recommendation 4 – Marketing Volunteering

a) Volunteer organisations and volunteer referral centres to adapt their marketing message to

facilitate the changes in technology and volunteer values and preferences and ensure it

reaches the desired volunteer group.

b) Volunteer organisations and the local volunteer referral centre to ensure the visibility of

volunteer roles online and promote the referral centre and its role in the community in

general media and on volunteer organisation’s websites.

c) Volunteer organisations and the local volunteer referral centre to manage the use of

volunteer symbols and images in the community to maximise effectiveness of message and

minimise confusion.

Recommendation 5 – New Forms of Volunteering

a) Volunteering Australia to develop specific resources to assist organisations with

implementing family volunteering, particularly in relation to WHS, insurance and other

legislative matters.

b) Volunteer organisations to review their programs to determine if they are suitable for family

volunteering and to promote these volunteering opportunities to members of Generation X.

c) Volunteering organisations requiring volunteers to deliver one-to-one personal services, to

review how their services are provided and establish a future-focused approach for these

services, based on volunteer preferences regarding working in groups or peers.

d) Volunteer organisations to review their business functions to explore opportunities to adopt

virtual volunteering as a means of gaining support for their organisation, particularly utilising

skilled professionals currently in the work force.

ConclusionThe State of Volunteering in the Illawarra report was commissioned by Volunteering Illawarra to better

understand the region’s volunteer sector and to articulate the context for local volunteer organisations’

strategic planning for the future. The report investigates the issues affecting volunteer management in

not-for-profit organisations and provides an analysis of the sectors utilising volunteers, expectations

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and perceptions regarding volunteering of experienced and new volunteers and explores generational

differences and emerging trends in volunteering. The report captures local issues, identifies

commonalities and challenges faced within the region and references the findings of Volunteering

Australia’s National Survey on Volunteering Issues, the State of Volunteering in Tasmania report

published in 2010 and a range of other recent government reports and academic literature.

The report was presented in four parts:

Part 1 - a literature review addressing generational change and its impact on volunteering.

Part 2 - discusses the findings regarding management and leadership from the State of

Volunteering in the Illawarra research.

Part 3 - explores the future of volunteering including the impact of new technologies and

emerging trends in volunteering.

Part 4 - provides recommendations derived from the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra

research project.

The report documents five objectives that Volunteering Illawarra sought to achieve through the State

of Volunteering research project:

Objective 1 - to better understand the organisational factors and characteristics that impact on

volunteer management. This research identified that there are many commonalities, but also

some significant differences in the ways that organisations manage their volunteers,

particularly between larger organisations, with a well-developed structure, functional

differentiation of job roles and an established organisational “brand” and smaller, less well-

resourced organisations. The research also revealed the growing pressure on health sector

organisations to find volunteers willing to take on the increasing number of positions in one-to-

one social support services. This in turn creates pressure for volunteer peaks to find and

match suitable volunteers to health sector organisations.

Objective 2 - to determine if there were particular trends and issues for different sectors

utilising volunteers. Outcomes against this objective were inconclusive due to the sample size

of both the organisational and volunteer survey.

Objective 3 - to assess the expectations and perceptions of volunteers in relation to

volunteerism. This aspect of the research led to the conclusion that in many instances

volunteers’ expectations regarding the systems and processes that organisations should have

in place are met. However, in a significant number of instances, organisations are not meeting

their volunteers’ relational and interpersonal expectations, in basic areas such as

introductions, regular meetings, feedback, recognition or even a verbal “thank you”, which

show volunteers on a regular basis that they are being valued by the organisation for which

they volunteer. Expectations regarding training and development, particularly for new

volunteers, were also not met sufficiently by volunteering organisations. A clear message for

volunteer managers emerged from the study, re the value of improving volunteer engagement

as a means to reduce the huge challenges posed by the time and cost associated with

volunteer recruitment and retention.

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Objective 4 - examined emerging trends in volunteering. The most significant trend affecting

organisations is the adoption of new technologies and the opportunities that technology

presents for use across different generations to maximise its effect.

Objective 5 - addressed the question of volunteering organisations’ readiness for generational

transition. The study concluded that only a few local organisations are working on ways to

ensure that, as the Baby Boomer generation moves on to a “post-volunteering” life phase,

they will be in a position to tap into subsequent generations’ motivations and expectations so

as to maintain a sustainable volunteer work force. Lifestyle changes, volunteer incentives and

increased competition for volunteers will make it increasingly difficult for organisations to find

volunteers as the Baby Boomers move on. Online and in particular communication technology

need to be embraced and implemented in organisations to attract younger volunteers in the

future.

The report concludes with a number of recommendations for volunteering organisations to assist them

in achieving a viable, long-term volunteer workforce:

1. better coordination of volunteer activities;

2. strategic planning;

3. new forms of volunteering;

4. leadership; and

5. marketing volunteering.

The recommendations are available for consideration, adaptation and possible adoption by

government agencies, volunteer referral centres and not-for-profit organisations.

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Appendices

Appendix 1: Research Design

Literature ReviewThe literature review examined motivations of current and future generations of volunteers, to identify

factors that will impact on the future sustainability of the voluntary sector. Analysis of popular culture,

opinion pieces and academic research allowed for a comparison of attributes, work and lifestyle

values, as well as leadership and volunteering trends, between Builders, Baby Boomers, Generation

X, and Generation Y (based on McCrindle’s typology). Generation Z were briefly addressed in the

review, but have been excluded from further analysis and discussion as the data available on the

attitudes and values of this emerging generation was too limited to allow accurate descriptors for this

group to be developed.

SurveyTwo questionnaires were developed using binary scales, importance rankings, multiple choice

selections and open text responses. In most questions respondents were ‘forced’ to provide an

opinion. The sectors and age ranges were aligned with descriptors from the Australian Bureau of

Statistics. In addition the survey questions permit comparisons to the State of Volunteering in

Tasmania Report 2010 and Volunteering Australia’s National Survey of Volunteering Issues.

One questionnaire was sent to not-for-profit organisations that utilise volunteers and the other to

volunteers in the region.

The volunteer organisation/managers’ survey was distributed to current or past Volunteering Illawarra

members and to other organisations sourced from publicly available directories. A total of 207 survey

requests were sent to organisations including 111 emails and 96 hard copy surveys, to reach

organisations without internet access. Organisations included all sectors with the exception of sporting

clubs, primary and high schools. These were excluded due to the nature of volunteers in these

sectors, either being participants in the sport or parents of children attending the sport or school.

Sixty-four (64) responses from not-for-profit organisations were received being 31% of the total survey

requests. Organisations were able to self-select the survey completion and therefore results may not

be completely representative of the region and should be read as indicative and not conclusive.

The volunteer survey was promoted through not-for-profit organisations utilising volunteers, the

media, through Volunteering Illawarra referral contacts and at the Volunteer Expo held during National

Volunteer Week 2012. A total of 166 surveys were received of which 92 were hard copy surveys, 18

were soft copy surveys returned by email and the remainder were online surveys. Eight hard copy

surveys were deemed invalid and were removed from the sample. The completion rate of the

remaining 158 surveys was 80.3 percent.

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Focus GroupsThe focus group data enhanced and complemented the survey data by providing more in-depth

qualitative data to issues discovered in the survey. The participants nominated themselves.

Seventeen (17) volunteer coordinators from different sectors participated in three focus groups; one in

Kiama and two in Wollongong and another eight participants attended the volunteering interagency

meeting at which some issues were explored further.

The focus group sessions were moderated and each group was asked seven (7) questions. The key

themes discussed were:

skills for managing volunteers;

recruiting the volunteer work force;

retention of volunteers;

recognition programs;

communication methods;

training; and

reimbursement.

The volunteering interagency meeting discussed four questions about:

succession planning;

time to achieve goals;

how to manage the aging volunteer force; and

treating volunteers like employees.

Eighteen (18) volunteers from the Baby Boomer generation participated in three focus groups in

Wollongong. In addition, two interviews were held with volunteers representing Generation Y. Two

themes were discussed:

emerging trends in volunteering; and

using technology including Social Media.

InterviewProspective volunteers could opt in to complete a short questionnaire during the referral interview at

Volunteering Illawarra. The interview questionnaire was to determine volunteer expectations and

motivations to volunteering. A total of 16 interviews were held from 27 May to 15 June 2012. Nine

respondents had volunteered before.

Referral Follow-Up CallsProspective volunteers completing the referral interview were listed in a referral book for follow-up

calls. Using a random sample, 46 follow-up calls were made with prospective volunteers attending

Volunteering Illawarra from May to October 2011.

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Visual Methodology - ImagesImages showing different settings relating to volunteering were presented to and discussed with

research participants. The aim of the images was to identify the appeal of and/or participants’

preference for particular volunteer settings. The settings were as follows:

community setting such as in construction, environmental, gardening, kitchen;

corporate setting such as presentations, meetings, team work;

family setting such as parent or adult working with children;

one-on-one setting where individuals assist the elderly or infirm;

generational group setting such as Generation Y or Baby Boomers in group photos;

technology setting showing individuals or groups maintaining computers or in computer

training;

virtual volunteering setting such as a single person sitting with or working on the computer

and photos stating online volunteering; and

volunteer symbols such as the hand or hands or generic digital images.

One image of each of the settings was combined in a stack from which participants were asked to

select the three images with the most appeal and the one with the least appeal. Participants were

asked to provide the reason of appeal for each image.

Twenty-two (22) participants attending the Volunteer Expo or focus groups selected 64 pictures with

the most appeal and 18 with the least appeal. Eighteen (18) participants were 55 years or older.

Presentation of DataParticipants in the research program self-selected and therefore results may not be completely

representative of the region. The data has not been weighted to be reflective of the Illawarra

population. Hence it should be read as indicative and not conclusive.

Percentages have been rounded to the nearest one digit and statistical differences were only tested

for volunteers for generational analysis and between new and experienced volunteers.

The average (mean) has been provided in addition to percentages. The mean is derived from the

importance ranking measured from 1 to 5. A higher mean indicates a higher level of importance

across all respondents.

Alignment of the age range of survey participants to Australian Bureau of Statistics age cohort

descriptors, means that for the purposes of the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra study, the Baby

Boomer generation is considered to be 45 to 64 years old and Generation Y is aged 18 to 34 years,

the Builder generation is 65 years and older and Generation X is the 35 to 44 age group which is

under-represented in the study. Both the Baby Boomer Generation and Generation Y take a couple of

the cusp years from Generation X (see literature review).

Overall response to the State of Volunteering in the Illawarra study showed that 52% of respondents

were aged 45 to 64, 6.6% were aged 35 to 44, 16.1% were aged 18 to 34, and 22.3% were above 65

years of age. The age range from all research instruments was compared to the ABS Census

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statistics in NSW and the Illawarra and the Tasmanian respondent profile. The respondent profile for

the Illawarra did not match the region’s demographic profile with a large proportion of participants

coming from the 55 to 64 age group.

SectorRespondents were asked to provide information on the sectors they work in. Up to three sectors could

be selected. The volunteers currently in the volunteer work force stated the sector(s) they were active

in and prospective volunteers stated the sector(s) they would like to volunteer in. Volunteer

organisation data is represented in Table 1 and volunteer data in Table 2 provides a comparison

between organisational data and volunteer data.

Community/Welfare SectorThirty-nine (39) (almost 61%) organisations stated that the community/welfare sector was the primary

sector in which they worked and six (31.58%) the secondary sector. Twenty-eight (28) organisations

worked only in this sector. In comparison, 55% of volunteer respondents worked in this sector with

43% stating it as the primary sector.

HealthThirteen (13) (20.31%) organisations stated this to be the primary sector, five (26.32%) the

secondary, and two the tertiary sector. Eight organisations identified health as the sole sector in which

they worked. Of volunteer respondents, 17.7% worked in this sector with 8.2% stating it as the

primary and 5% as the secondary sector.

Education/TrainingFour (6.25%) organisations stated this to be the primary, two the secondary and one the tertiary

sector, with three organisations stating education/training as the sole sector. Of volunteer

respondents, 24.7% worked in this sector with half stating it as the primary sector.

Parenting/Children/YouthThese organisations were represented with two primary, three (14.29%) secondary, and four (50%)

tertiary sectors indicating that parenting/children/youth are a major annexation to the community/

welfare and health sectors. Of volunteer respondents, 12.6% worked in this sector with 5% stating it

as the primary and 3.8% each as the secondary and tertiary sector.

The organisational survey indicated that the most common combination of sectors was health as the

primary and community/welfare as secondary sector with five organisations, and one organisation

stated this in reverse. Due to the sample size, reference to sectors is only possible for the community/

welfare and the health sectors.

Less than 6% of volunteer survey respondents were from the Sport and Recreation, Local

Government, Religion and Law/Justice/Political sectors, while organisations in these sectors provided

little to no input to the study.

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Figure 10: Volunteer and Organisational Respondents by Sector

0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00%

Law/justice/political

Religious

Local government

Sport/Physical recreation

Emergency Services


Other

Environment/animal welfare

Arts/Heritage

Health

Education/Training

Community/Welfare

Total Volunteer responses Total Organisation responses

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Appendix 2 – Generational Differences and Their Impact on Attitudes to VolunteeringOne of the key challenges faced by volunteer organisations into the future will be the sustainability of

the volunteer workforce. As the current generation of older volunteers continues to age, the attraction

and retention of successive generations of volunteers is critical. A literature review into generational

similarities and differences in work values, lifestyle values, leadership and management styles and

volunteering trends between Builders, Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y covered current

media and non-academic texts as well as scientific researchviii.

The literature review indicated a number of different approaches to generational segmentation. For the

purpose of this study McCrindle’s35 generational typography was adopted:

“Builders” born from 1925 to 1945;

“Baby Boomers” born from 1946 to 1964;

Generation X born from 1965 to 1979;

Generation Y from 1980 to 1994.

Baby Boomers’ attitudes to volunteering have been studied in two research projects: Heartbeat

Trends36 aimed to uncover the “needs, fears, expectations and aspirations in relation to retirement and

the fit of volunteering in this context” and Esmond37 investigated the motivations and barriers of Baby

Boomers entering the volunteer market, providing strategies to recruit and support this group of

volunteers.

The core and work values and expectations of each of the generations are summarised in Table 3. A

snapshot of generations in 2020 is provided for age, working population, life stage and volunteer

potential in Table 4.

BuildersBuilders are a relatively small generation with only 2.5 million people residing in Australia in 2000 38,

making up 13% of the population, with only 2% still working. This generation remembers and

experienced the Great Depression, World War Two, war rations, and high unemployment during

childhood and youth. Many of their traits arise from this experience. They value loyalty in every part of

their life blended with mutual obligation, moral responsibility and a high level of respect for elders and

authority. Their upbringing taught them to save and therefore they are financially conservative and

uncomfortable with debt. This has resulted in less consumption, a tendency to buy only to replace and

little need to follow trends, for instance in fashion where hand-me-down clothes were the norm. It

should be no surprise that this generation holds the largest share of wealth after Baby Boomers.

35 McCrindle, Mark (2009) The ABC of XYZ: understanding the global generations, UNSW Press, Sydney, Australia

36 Heartbeat Trends (2001) Older People & Volunteering, Premier’s Forum on Ageing, NSW Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care, September

37 Esmond, Judy (2001) BOOMNET: Capturing the Baby Boomer Volunteers, A research project into Baby Boomers and Volunteering, Department of the Premier and Cabinet,

Perth, Western Australia

38 Salt, Bernard (2001) The Big Shift: welcome to the third Australian culture: the Barnard Salt Report, Hardie Grant Publishing, Victoria, Australia

Page 73


This generation is cautious and at times untrusting of change and yet they have introduced major

change in the way Australians approach retirement, starting the ‘grey nomad’ movement and they

have witnessed major social transitions during their lifetime. As parents of Baby Boomer children, the

Builders are the first generation for whom regular contact with a number of – or indeed any –

grandchildren was not guaranteed (due to declining birth rates and Baby Boomer mobility). On the

other hand, the Builder generation is also often substantively involved in caring for grandchildren (due

to working Boomer parents). They are the last generation with gender-specific roles where women

stay at home to take care of children and parents. It is also the last generation that considered civic

duty before personal want. They are the generation that raised and supported Baby Boomers to

expect a carefree lifestyle.

Baby BoomersBaby Boomers are the largest generation, increasing the population by 1.6 million people from pre-

Boomer generations and making up 24% of the population. They have been described as the

generation who forged new culture in every lifecycle stage, and who will reinvent retirement to

downshifting rather than full retirement. As at 2009, 36% of Australia’s workforce is made up of Baby

Boomers and by 2020 only 16% will remain in the workforce. From 2011 on, the first Baby Boomers

will start to retire and from 2021 most will be at an age where volunteering is no longer viable. The

ageing of the Baby Boomer generation will have significant impact on demand for health services over

the next few decades39. Baby Boomers are more educated, assertive and demanding than previous

generations. Having grown up and spent most of adult life in a time of economic growth and business

innovation, they have been able to build wealth, and yet, their biggest concern is having enough

money to enjoy their accustomed lifestyle in retirement. It is therefore not surprising that being out-of-

pocket for expenses is a barrier to volunteering.

Some key attitudes affecting this generation are growing up with free education; organising life around

work; enjoying life; and “putting yourself first after a life of hard work”. Typical Baby Boomer

stereotypes are: valuing company loyalty, commitment and status; job security and stable work

environments; having respect for authority and hierarchy4041; preferring teamwork and discussion42;

and being idealistic and optimistic. Empirical testing identified that Baby Boomers are significantly

more optimistic than other generations while status is seen as less significant for this generation 43.

However this may be more attributable to their stage in life when compared to aspiring younger

generations.

39 Salt, Bernard (2006) The Big Picture: life, work and relationships in the 21st century, Hardie Grant Books, Victoria, Australia

40 Hui-Chun, Yu; Miller, Peter (2005) Leadership style: The X Generation and Baby Boomers compared in different cultural contexts, Leadership & Organization Development

Journal, Vol.26, Iss.1/2, pg. 35-50

41 Wong, Melissa; Gardiner, Elliroma; Lang, Whitney; Coulon, Leah; (2008) Generational differences in personality and motivation; Do they exist and what are the implications

for the workplace?, Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol.23, No.8, pg.878-890

42 Levy, Lester; Carroll, Brigid; Fancoeur, Joline; Logue, Mary; (2006) The Generational Mirage? A pilot study into the perception of leadership by Generation X and Y, 20:20

Series, Hudson, New Zealand

43 Cennamo, Lucy; Gardner, Dianne; (2008) Generational differences in work values, outcomes and persons-organisation values fit, Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol.23,

Iss.8, pg.891-906

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Baby Boomers have more lifestyle choices44 than any other generation before them and will spend

retirement travelling, in further education, informal volunteering as grandparents or carers of older

people and formal volunteering for organisations.

Baby Boomers are no less willing to make a difference than previous generations, however, they do

not do it as a civic duty as per the pre-Boomers mandate, but rather due to transferring their focus

from success in their careers to wanting to make a contribution to society and a rediscovery of the

idealistic side of their personality. They will need to know their involvement is making an impact and a

difference to remove the barrier to participation posed by indifference. Volunteering experiences for

this generation need to promote a sense of personal satisfaction and appeal to their sense of

organisational commitment, stability in work environment and status by showing the benefits of the

organisation, its structure and guidelines, providing a level of public recognition and giving a sense of

safety and support. Due to this generation’s professional life, they will bring a higher level of

expectation to volunteering. They demand well organised and professionally managed organisations

that do not waste their time; want limited bureaucracy or internal politics and set clear expectations;

and they expect meaningful, interesting, creative and challenging work to gain new insights. For

instance, training is valued by this generation to help acquire new skills. In this context, training should

focus on their volunteer roles. Baby Boomers also want support including insurance and work health

and safety (WHS) training. They will expect organisations to respond and act on feedback; they want

to be valued as an equal contributor to the organisation and considered within the rewards system.

In their volunteer roles, they look for routine and weekly commitment, but flexibility to change the

weekly time or postpone participation to undertake other activities. Volunteering should not add to the

stress of balancing other commitments, so their complex, multifaceted and time poor lives can create

barriers to them entering volunteering. Other barriers include missing the connection between what

they are passionate about, and the opportunities available, and a lack of knowledge about the sense

of satisfaction volunteering can bring. Many of these barriers could be reduced with marketing

messages that offer potential volunteers positive images relating to experiences, challenges,

stimulation and growth opportunities. Esmond recommends changing the marketing message, while

Baby Boomers are considering their retirement options and ahead of their lifestyle changes, to best

attract them to volunteering when the time comes.

Generation XGeneration X experienced childhood and adolescence during a period in history that included the

Vietnam War, political activism and political unrest, family unit changes due to divorce and major

economic and social change associated with the shift from manufacturing to service related industries.

In 2009, this generation made up 21% of the population and they comprised 44% of the work force. By

2020 workforce participation of this generation will have reduced to 37%. Generation X parent families

are often living on two incomes and maybe above their means, while they like to make sure they have

enough time for their family and are actively involved in their children’s education. Salt states that they

have forged far greater change in social values than Baby Boomers, changing courtship rules, opening

44 Merrill Associates (2002) Exploring the next generation of retirees: the Baby Boomers, Online: http://merrillassociates.com/topic/2002/08/exploring-next-generation-retirees-

baby-boomers/

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http://merrillassociates.com/topic/2002/08/exploring-next-generation-retirees-baby-boomers/



the door for gay and lesbian culture and having changed the expectation of staying in one organisation

for the duration of their career. Their personality traits are more individualistic; they tend to have more

self-esteem and are more assertive than Baby Boomers45. Generation X emphasis balance in life and

juggles many priorities such as family, friends, hobby, community work and the job46. Possibly as an

attribute of their busy lifestyle, members of Generation X are described as requiring less interaction

with other people than members of Generation Y.

At work they embrace technology, and are willing to work hard, but not without reward or at the

expense of the family. They are awaiting senior management positions and are keen for a change in

management style from directing to collaboration, from micro-managing to macro-managing and from

“IQ to EQ with people-centred leadership”. Alternatively, they are sidestepping into their own creative

businesses, developing new products and services by experimenting and thinking laterally. Cennamo

and Gardner state that Generation X is after more status than Baby Boomers. And Wong et al report

that Generation X are significantly more motivated by progression and power than the other

generations. Unlike Baby Boomers, Generation X see their job as a contract rather than a calling. This

makes Generation X more self-reliant and competitive than previous generations.

Reaching out to this generation to engage them in volunteering is facilitated via internet and

communication via email or text messaging. They have limited hours to spend on volunteering and

want local rather than global opportunities. Volunteer organisations need to provide flexibility in their

roles and schedules, offer technology centred opportunities and provide information on the impact of

being involved, as well as what volunteers will learn and gain from the experience47. Generation X

women have children later in life (average age for first birth has risen from an average of 26 years in

1993 to 30 years in 2010) and with the latest Xers only just moving into the life stage where they are

contemplating children, the volunteer availability of this generation will predominantly be in child

related activities for at least another decade.

Generation YGeneration Y was born into a context of social change and economic prosperity with a shift to the

knowledge based economy driven by information technology and a growing environmental awareness.

In 2009, they comprised 21% of the population with a workforce representation of 18%. This should

rise to 35% by 2020. Generation Y shares numerous characteristics with Generation X and builds on

these to create their own lifestyle. This generation focuses more on relationships with peers, rather

than family, akin to a tribal approach, looking out for each other, “as no one else will”. Wong et al

confirm that members of Generation Y enjoy interactions with others significantly more than members

of the Baby Boomer generation and Generation X.

Generation Y has been stereotyped as seeking instant gratification and being able to afford it, as they

live longer with their parents/family, are single for longer and delay child-bearing and would rather

45 Twenge, Jean M. (2010) A review of the empirical evidence on generational differences in work attitudes, Journal of Business Psychology, Vol.25, pg 201-210

46 Wendover, Robert W. (2006) Generational Shift, Government Finance Review, Apr. Vol.22, Iss.2, pg.90-92

47 Unknown (2008), Generation X and Y: Who they are and what they want, Board Matters Newsletter, Governance & Management Pty Ltd, Vol.8, No.3, November Online:

http://www.governance.com.au/board-matters/fx-landing.cfm?loadref=2

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work a second job than alter their lifestyle. Balance is important to members of Generation Y, they

have a hectic work and social life as life is as much about enjoyment, their friends and their many

other commitments as it is about work. Twenge found that Generation Y has less commitment to work

ethics and beliefs, that work is less central to their lives than Baby Boomers and he noted the

importance members of Generation Y place on life balance.

Sheahan states in his book “Generation Y: Thriving and Surviving with Generation Y at Work” that this

is the most educated, resourceful and tech savvy generation. They have grown up accustomed to

speed, triggered by information technology48. Recruitment campaigns seeking to employ volunteer and

paid workers from Generation Y will have to be completed more quickly, as members of Generation Y

do not want to have to wait weeks for outcomes49 or go through too many interview stages. Sheahan

states that members of Generation Y are not accustomed to working with old technology and expect

others to be as technologically minded as themselves. However, their know-how and creativity can be

tapped into for technology and process improvement and efficiency.

The job attitudes of members of Generation Y relate more to what business can do for them than to

what they can do for their employer. They will question their employer organisation’s provision of

training, career breaks, study leave, reporting lines, the work environment and performance

appraisals. They work overseas and travel, and change career path when they desire. Merrill

Associates state that the loyalty of Generation Y to employer organisations is low, as they have seen

the redundancies of their parents, however, Twenge’s literature review found no difference between

generations’ intentions to leave work. Generation Y want their jobs to have purpose and meaning, new

challenges and experiences and provide responsibility and promotional opportunities. Generation Y is

significantly more motivated by promotional opportunities, status and freedom than Baby Boomers.

Meier and Crocker’s50 study into work characteristic motivations found that promotions and respect are

only a small influencer (with 25% and 24%, respectively) when compared to characteristics such as

leadership and salary (100% each) or interesting work (79%). However, Cennamo and Gardner found

that this generation has lower person-organisation fit for extrinsic values (eg rewards, benefits, salary)

and status than Baby Boomers. It seems important for volunteer organisations to provide rewards,

recognition or other benefits to enhance the feeling for the younger generation that they are valued by

their volunteer organisation.

The work place needs to be fun, flexible, modern and provide a feeling of belonging and engagement

that generates passion and optimism. Meier and Crocker’s study confirmed work atmosphere to be the

fourth most important motivator with respondents citing that they enjoyed a fun, friendly, relaxed team-

oriented and positive environment, followed by flexible work schedules. With Generation Y happily

mixing social and work life, managers can turn their willingness to socialise and collaborate into

informal feedback sessions on work related issues. Managers need to ensure policies and procedures

48 Merrill Associates (2004) Five Generational Differences Shaping Leadership, Online: http://merrillassociates.com/topic/2004/08/five-generational-differences-shaping-

leadership

49 Sheahan, Peter (2005) Generation Y: Thriving and surviving with Generation Y at work, Hardie Grant Books, Victoria, Australia

50 Meier, Justin; Crocker, Mitchell (2010) Generation Y in the workforce: Managerial Challenges, The Journal of Human Resources and Adult Learning, Vol.6. Iss.1, pg.68-78

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http://merrillassociates.com/topic/2004/08/five-generational-differences-shaping-leadership



are practical and communicated clearly, along with their rationale and then hold volunteers from

Generation Y accountable for their actions.

While Sheahan states that members of Generation Y want individuality and personal growth

opportunities to increase their employability beyond their current employer organisation, Wong et al

found no significant difference in these motivations and personal traits between generations. Meier

and Crocker’s research shows that growth opportunities have only a mild influence on job motivation.

A Deloitte Survey found that volunteer programs offered by corporations are one of the benefits most

valued by Generation Y51 as volunteering as part of corporate social responsibility programs allows

them to combine the potential for personal growth with work.

They want supportive, energetic and inspiring leaders, who empower and mentor, rather than

managers who direct and restrict. Levy et al found in their pilot study that members of Generation Y

are seeking role models who can teach them and help them grow. Balancing autonomy and support

and the merging role of manager and leader will be among the many challenges for managers. In

addition, leadership is no longer associated with position, but is achieved by people with leadership

qualities and those who ‘earn it’. Those qualities pertain to managers who learn, experiment, make

mistakes and find solutions to problems in a transparent and collaboratively engaged way.

As volunteers, Generation Y can be reached through their peers and by using a range of information

technologies and social media. Volunteer organisations should design positions that are meaningful

and with real responsibility, provide leadership development challenges, and opportunities so young

people can work in a group or part of a group. James Adonis, quoted in the Auckland Herald, makes

the prediction regarding Generation Y as managers, that employees will need to become more

sociable, multi-taskers and independent thinkers used to macro-management rather than the micro-

management style typical of the Baby Boomer generation52.

Generation ZGeneration Z born from 1995 to 2009 is currently undertaking primary and secondary schooling. This

generation is growing up with world events such as international terrorism, wireless technology, crude

oil peak, environmental awareness and activism, and a shift from exploitation to environmental

protection and care. This generation benefits from the programs put into place across the education

system to support and foster a civic duty and volunteer habits in young people. McCrindle states that

this is the most materialistic generation yet, being mollycoddled by their Generation X parents living an

organised life with limited freedom, lots of extra-curricular activities and playing mainly indoors due to

the perceived danger in the local community. While this generation does not feature in this analysis of

generational impacts on volunteering due to the fact that their current age makes them a little too

young to recruit as volunteers, in 2013 the first of this generation will reach adulthood and by 2022 all

members of Generation Z will have reached their teenage years.

51 Trunk, Penelope (2007) What Generation Y really wants, Time, Thursday 5 July, Online: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1640395,00.html

52 Anonymous (2008) Next generation will do nicely thank you, Herald on Sunday, Auckland, New Zealand, 09 November, pg.51

Page 78


Appendix 3 – Research Data

List of Tables and FiguresTable 1: Organisations Responses by Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Sector..................................82

Table 2: Volunteer Responses by Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Sector.........................................82

Table 3: Summary of Work Values across Generations.......................................................................83

Table 4: Generations in 2020...............................................................................................................84

Table 5: Volunteer Management from the Volunteer’s Perspective......................................................84

Table 6: Sectors by Volunteer Management........................................................................................85

Table 7: Volunteers Expectation of Processes in Place in Organisations and their Relevant Importance Level..................................................................................................................................................... 86

Table 8: Value in Volunteering..............................................................................................................88

Table 9: Motivations to Volunteer.........................................................................................................89

Table 10: Importance Factors compared by Paid and Unpaid Volunteer Management........................89

Table 11: Differences between New and Existing Volunteers..............................................................90

Table 12: Recognition Factors Provided by Organisations and Volunteer Expectations......................91

Table 13: Reimbursements Expected by Volunteers............................................................................91

Table 14: Challenges Experienced by Paid and Unpaid Volunteer Managers.....................................92

Table 15: Matching Volunteers to Organisations..................................................................................92

Table 16: Barriers to Volunteering........................................................................................................93

Table 17: Volunteer Organisation Work Availability and Retaining Volunteers.....................................93

Table 18: Volunteer Work Preferences.................................................................................................94

Table 19: Volunteer Setting Preferences by Age..................................................................................94

Table 20: Use of Online Technology for Paid and Unpaid Volunteer Management..............................95

Table 21: Illawarra Volunteer Mobile Phone Users...............................................................................95

Table 22: Volunteers Expectations and Usage of Communication Technology...................................96

Table 23: Social Media Usage..............................................................................................................96

Table 24: Generations/Competencies Matrix.......................................................................................97

Figure 1: Volunteer and Organisational Respondents by Sector............................................................4

Figure 2: Paid and Unpaid Managers of Volunteers.............................................................................11

Figure 3: Volunteer Management – A Comparison Between Volunteers and Organisations in the Illawarra and Tasmania........................................................................................................................ 12

Figure 4: Organisations with Formal Training and Resources to Pay in Place.....................................15

Figure 5: Importance Factors - Managing Volunteers...........................................................................21

Figure 6: Volunteer Reimbursement versus Local Government Area...................................................30

Figure 7: Job Descriptions – Comparison between Illawarra and Tasmania........................................37

Figure 8: Hours of Voluntary Work.......................................................................................................40

Figure 9: Volunteering Rosters by Organisations Offering and Volunteers Expectations by Age.........42

Figure 10: Volunteer and Organisational Respondents by Sector........................................................73

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Table 1: Organisations Responses by Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Sector

Sectors No Primary

% Primary

No Secondary

% Secondary

No Tertiary

% Tertiary

Community/Welfare 39 60.94% 6 31.58% 1 12.50%

Health 13 20.31% 5 26.32% 2 25.00%

Parenting/Children/Youth 2 3.13% 3 15.79% 4 50.00%

Education/Training 4 6.25% 2 10.53% 1 12.50%

Emergency Services 1 1.56% 2 10.53% 0 0.00%

Other 2 3.13% 0 0.00% 0 0.00%

Sport/Physical recreation 1 1.56% 0 0.00% 0 0.00%

Arts/Heritage 1 1.56% 0 0.00% 0 0.00%

Environment/animal welfare 0 0.00% 1 5.26% 0 0.00%

Local government 1 1.56% 0 0.00% 0 0.00%

Table 2: Volunteer Responses by Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Sector

Sectors Primary Sector

Secondary Sector

Third Sector Total

Arts/Heritage 8.23% 5.06% 4.43% 17.72%

Community/Welfare 43.04% 8.23% 3.80% 55.07%

Education/Training 12.66% 8.23% 3.80% 24.69%

Emergency Services 4.43% 6.33% 1.27% 12.03%

Environment/animal welfare 8.86% 6.96% 0.63% 16.45%

Health 8.23% 5.06% 4.43% 17.72%

Law/justice/political 0% 0% 1.90% 1.90%

Local government 1.90% 1.27% 1.90% 5.07%

Parenting/Children/Youth 5.06% 3.80% 3.80% 12.66%

Religious 3.80% 1.27% 0% 5.07%

Sport/Physical recreation 3.16% 1.90% 0.63% 5.69%

Other 8.86% 2.53% 1.27% 12.66%

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Table 3: Summary of Work Values across Generations

Builders Baby Boomers Generation X Generation Y

Cor

e Va

lues

Dedication/sacrifice

Conformity

Law and order

Delayed reward

Duty before pleasure

Optimism

Idealistic

Youth

Health and wellness

Diversity

Personal satisfaction loyal to skills

Self-reliance

Pragmatic

Life-long learners

Diversity

Optimism

Confidence

Resourceful

Social ability

Street Smart

Take ownership

Wor

k Va

lues

Hard work

Respect for authority

Adherence to rules

Work hard

Loyal to employer

Team oriented

Earn money

Wants stable work environments

Respect for authority and hierarchy

Technically challenged

Will work hard but not at the sacrifice of family

Motivated by progression

Change jobs for promotion

Think globally

Money is not everything

Prefers to work alone

Technically savvy

Mix work and social life

Multi-taskers

Team oriented

Enjoy interactions

Technology part of life

Want inspiring leaders and collaborative work place

Are after promotional opportunities and status

Expe

ctat

ions

Promotions based on longevity

Loyalty to the organisation

Wait to be told what to do

Respect based on position/title

Live to work

Relentless pursuit of goals

Want to manage/control

Know the best way

Change is painful but inevitable

Rule the workforce

Create the culture

Work to live

Promotions based on ability

Mobility

Computers are part of everyday routine

Attitude/fun important in workplace

Expect a say and want to be heard

Prefer structured environments

Want a relationship with their boss

Want training, mentoring, responsibility and challenges

Relate best with Builders

Source: Adapted from Hui-Chun and Miller (2005), Patota et al (2007)

Page 82


Table 4: Generations in 2020

Generation Age 2020Working Population 2020

Life Stage Volunteer Population

Baby Boomers 57 to 75 16%

Retiring fast

Increased needs for health services

Comparing it to 2011 it will be the largest volunteer group

But reducing as Baby Boomers age

Generation X 42 to 56 37%

Working and taking on management positions

Children in late primary school education and onwards

Enjoying lifestyle as children move out

Increasing hours as children grow up

Planning for retirement – need to promote options for volunteer work

Generation Y 27 to 41 35%Working and taking on management positions

Family & Children focus

Reduced as focus turns to family and child raising

Generation Z 12 to 26 12%

Students

Early career stage

Tech savvy generation, which grew up with wireless technology

Increased involvement as schools and higher education institutions engage more

Generation most risk averse due to being mollycoddled

Table 5: Volunteer Management from the Volunteer’s Perspective

Count %

I currently don’t volunteer 33 20.89%

A full-time paid manager/coordinator 55 34.81%

A part-time paid manager/coordinator 15 9.49%

A volunteer coordinator 34 21.52%

A combination of paid and volunteer coordination 9 5.70%

No manager/coordinator needed/relevant 2 1.27%

No manager/coordinator, but it would be good to have one 0 0.00%

I don’t know 10 6.33%

Page 83


Table 6: Sectors by Volunteer Management

Sectors Paid Unpaid Not Relevant Not Sure

Arts/Heritage 47.37% 31.58% 0.00% 21.05%

Community/Welfare 71.01% 18.84% 1.45% 8.70%

Education/Training 53.85% 26.92% 3.85% 15.38%

Emergency Services 66.67% 25.00% 8.33% 0.00%

Environment/animal welfare 35.00% 50.00% 5.00% 10.00%

Health 63.64% 31.82% 0.00% 4.55%

Law/justice/political 100.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Local government 50.00% 25.00% 0.00% 25.00%

Parenting/Children/Youth 46.15% 30.77% 7.69% 15.38%

Religious 75.00% 25.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Sport/Physical recreation 33.33% 66.67% 0.00% 0.00%

Other 77.78% 16.67% 0.00% 5.56%

Page 84

State of Volunteering in the Illawarra: 2012__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Table 7: Volunteers Expectation of Processes in Place in Organisations and their Relevant Importance Level

In PlaceNo

answer

Not important Very ImportantMeanNo

answer Yes No % % % % %

Insurance cover for volunteers 5.48% 90.41% 4.11% 5.06% 7.59% 1.27% 10.13% 20.89% 55.06% 4.21

Introduction to relevant staff and volunteers 0.00% 93.15% 6.85% 3.16% 5.70% 3.16% 15.19% 31.01% 41.77% 4.03

Induction to Work Health and Safety relevant for role 0.00% 87.67% 12.33% 1.90% 5.70% 6.33% 17.72% 30.38% 37.97% 3.90

Induction to policy, procedures and processes 2.74% 87.67% 9.59% 2.53% 6.33% 6.96% 22.78% 23.42% 39.97% 3.82

Induction to role or service responsibilities 2.74% 87.67% 9.59% 3.16% 8.23% 5.70% 20.25% 29.11% 33.54% 3.76

Transparent feedback processes 12.33% 80.82% 6.85% 12.66% 7.59% 3.16% 21.52% 26.58% 28.48% 3.75

Regular contact with staff or volunteer manager/coordinator 5.48% 86.30% 8.22% 5.06% 7.59% 4.43% 23.42% 31.65% 27.85% 3.71

Policy and Procedures applicable to staff and volunteers 6.85% 86.30% 6.85% 5.70% 8.86% 3.16% 25.32% 25.95% 31.01% 3.71

Position descriptions for volunteer roles 4.11% 90.41% 5.48% 2.53% 11.39% 5.70% 18.99% 30.38% 31.01% 3.66

Training in Work Health and Safety 5.48% 78.08% 16.44% 4.43% 8.23% 8.86% 23.42% 25.32% 29.75% 3.62

Documented organisational values 2.74% 84.93% 12.33% 3.80% 8.23% 5.06% 28.48% 28.48% 25.95% 3.61

Recognition of volunteer contribution 1.37% 84.93% 13.70% 2.53% 10.13% 10.13% 19.62% 25.95% 31.65% 3.60

Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses 5.48% 82.19% 12.33% 4.43% 13.92% 7.59% 20.25% 19.62% 34.18% 3.55

Regular meetings with volunteer managers/coordinator 5.48% 80.82% 13.70% 3.16% 10.76% 6.96% 26.58% 25.95% 26.58% 3.52

Entry interview 2.74% 80.82% 16.44% 2.53% 10.13% 8.86% 27.85% 23.42% 27.22% 3.50

A Grievance Policy 2.74% 78.08% 19.18% 4.43% 13.92% 10.13% 22.78% 19.62% 29.11% 3.42

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In PlaceNo

answer

Not important Very ImportantMeanNo

answer Yes No % % % % %

Recruitment process 2.74% 75.34% 21.92% 3.80% 10.13% 11.39% 28.48% 21.52% 24.68% 3.41

Regular meetings with staff 5.48% 69.86% 24.66% 5.06% 12.66% 11.39% 27.22% 21.52% 22.15% 3.31

Training or professional development in other role related activities 5.48% 72.60% 21.92% 5.70% 16.46% 10.76% 20.89% 25.32% 20.89% 3.25

Paid training for volunteers 17.81% 47.95% 34.25% 7.59% 32.91% 13.92% 20.25% 12.03% 13.29% 2.55

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Table 8: Value in Volunteering

No answer

Not important Very Important Mean P Value

% % % % % Overall Centrelink clients

18-35 years

45-64 years

Gen Y vs Centrelink

Generation Comparison

BB vs Centerlink

Receiving support 0.63% 6.33% 4.43% 22.15% 31.01% 35.34% 3.85 3.68 4.16 3.66 0.19 0.06 0.82

Receiving respect 0.63% 7.59% 3.80% 9.49% 31.01% 47.47% 4.08 3.84 4.26 3.87 0.33 0.21 0.75

Receiving feedback 3.80% 9.49% 5.70% 19.62% 29.75% 31.65% 3.71 3.58 3.84 3.48 0.50 0.30 1.00

Receiving an induction to the organisation 1.90% 8.86% 5.06% 18.99% 31.65% 33.54% 3.77 3.63 4.00 3.64 0.34 0.26 0.75

Receiving an induction to the role 2.53% 7.59% 3.16% 13.29% 37.97% 35.44% 3.93 3.63 3.68 3.91 0.79 0.52 0.24

Receiving role specific training 1.27% 10.76% 3.16% 20.25% 29.75% 34.81% 3.76 3.37 3.84 3.66 0.23 0.56 0.22

Having a job description 3.16% 16.46% 11.39% 23.42% 20.25% 25.32% 3.27 3.37 3.26 3.10 0.98 0.70 0.65

Having a sense of purpose 1.90% 5.06% 0.63% 6.33% 32.91% 53.16% 4.31 3.47 4.37 4.09 0.03 0.25 0.10

Giving back to the community 1.27% 3.16% 1.27% 8.86% 32.28% 53.16% 4.33 3.32 4.79 4.09 0.00 0.00 0.01

Meeting people 10.13% 3.16% 5.70% 17.09% 29.75% 34.18% 3.96 3.16 3.47 3.30 0.48 0.66 0.51

Developing friendships 6.33% 3.16% 6.96% 24.05% 32.91% 26.58% 3.78 3.11 3.53 3.44 0.34 0.83 0.19

Having a position that meets my interests 1.90% 6.33% 2.53% 9.49% 32.28% 47.47% 4.14 3.68 4.21 4.03 0.28 0.56 0.31

Having a position which develops my skills 1.47% 19.12% 7.35% 19.12% 22.06% 30.88% 3.39 3.00 4.75 3.02 These questions only featured in the online

survey and the sample was too small for analysis

Having a position which uses my skills 0% 10.29% 5.88% 7.35% 30.88% 45.59% 3.84 3.17 4.88 3.54

*p<0.05 significant level using two sample t-test and assuming unequal variances

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Table 9: Motivations to Volunteer

Motivation to Volunteer Count %

Help/give back to community 108 44.08%

Learning/Work experience 22 8.98%

Meeting People/Friendship 21 8.57%

Satisfaction/Reward 18 7.35%

Purpose/Need 17 6.94%

Skills using/sharing 14 5.71%

Have time 12 4.90%

Active 8 3.27%

Interest/enjoyment 8 3.27%

Centrelink 7 2.86%

Feeling valued 6 2.45%

Duty 2 0.82%

Language 2 0.82%

Table 10: Importance Factors compared by Paid and Unpaid Volunteer Management

Important item when managing volunteers No Manager Unpaid Manager Paid Manager

Providing support to volunteers 13.57% 21.15% 19.74%

Respecting volunteers 16.43% 15.41% 17.29%

Building a relationship with volunteers 10.00% 18.13% 15.81%

Providing an induction to the organisation 14.29% 13.29% 15.37%

Providing an induction to the role 17.14% 11.48% 12.49%

Providing a job description 14.29% 12.08% 10.92%

Providing role specific training 14.29% 8.46% 8.38%

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Table 11: Differences between New and Existing Volunteers

Variable P(T<=t) two-tail

Mean New

Mean Experience

d

Receive feedback 0.01 4.16 3.60

Paid Training 0.04 3.15 2.43

Intranet 0.03 2.23 1.58

Facebook 0.04 2.03 1.43

Twitter 0.03 1.80 1.25

Blogs 0.01 2.03 1.31

Wikis 0.02 1.90 1.27

Shareware 0.04 1.90 1.33

*significance level at p<0.05, assuming unequal variances

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Table 12: Recognition Factors Provided by Organisations and Volunteer Expectations

Organisation

Volunteers

Recognition Factors Count P(T<=t)

two-tail*Not important Very Important

Mean% % % % %

Being valued as part of the Organisation

1 0.47 3.16% 1.27% 8.23% 13.46% 34.81% 4.23

Feedback 10 0.18 8.86% 1.27% 11.39% 22.78% 20.25% 3.69

Thank You Verbal 8 0.95 10.13% 3.16% 9.49% 18.35% 24.05% 3.66

Reference letter 0 0.03 17.09% 6.96% 15.19% 7.59% 15.19% 2.95

Certificate of Appreciation 18 0.37 20.89% 8.23% 10.76% 10.76% 12.03% 2.76

Length of service 10 0.38 21.52% 6.33% 15.82% 10.76% 9.49% 2.69

Morning/Afternoon Tea 10 0.56 21.52% 7.59% 18.35% 8.86% 6.30% 2.54

Lunch/Dinner 20 0.22 24.68% 5.70% 17.09% 10.76% 6.33% 2.51

Volunteer Week Celebration 10 0.56 25.32% 7.59% 13.29% 10.13% 7.59% 2.49

Conference attendance 1 0.64 26.58% 9.49% 13.29% 7.59% 6.96% 2.36

Recognition in Publications 10 0.9 27.85% 9.49% 9.49% 6.96% 8.86% 2.35

Thank You Cards or Letters 9 0.49 29.75% 11.39% 12.03% 7.59% 4.43% 2.17

Awards 5 0.85 30.38% 12.03% 11.39% 3.80% 6.96% 2.15

Party/Event 30 0.83 32.28% 8.86% 11.39% 5.70% 3.80% 2.03

Gift/Prize 14 0.89 39.24% 10.13% 8.23% 3.16% 2.53% 1.73

*significance level at p<0.05, assuming unequal variances

Table 13: Reimbursements Expected by Volunteers

Organisations VolunteersReimbursement Type Count Count %

Phone 5 35 13.70%

Travel 21 40 15.60%

Meals 11 45 17.60%

Petrol 18 62 24.20%

Volunteer work purchases 8 74 28.90%

Any reimbursements 18 Not measured

No reimbursements 6 45

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Table 14: Challenges Experienced by Paid and Unpaid Volunteer Managers

Challenges of Volunteer Management Overall Paid Manager (including mix)

Unpaid Manager

No Coordinator

Recruiting suitable volunteers 80.30% 80.00% 85.71% 100.00%

Aging volunteer workforce 48.48% 53.33% 42.86% 50.00%

Retaining volunteers 43.94% 42.22% 64.29% 0.00%

Matching volunteers to the organisation 37.88% 35.56% 35.71% 100.00%

Not having enough time to achieve goals 34.85% 40.00% 21.43% 50.00%

Providing appropriate training 31.82% 33.33% 28.57% 25.00%

Not enough money to achieve goals 22.73% 26.67% 21.43% 0.00%

Background checking for volunteers 18.18% 22.22% 14.29% 0.00%

Managing the relationship between paid staff and volunteers 18.18% 22.22% 7.14% 25.00%

Lack of security in funding 16.67% 17.78% 21.43% 0.00%

WHS/Risk management/Insurance needs 16.67% 20.00% 7.14% 25.00%

Lack of support from the governing body/senior management 7.58% 6.67% 7.14% 25.00%

A negative attitude from paid staff towards volunteers 4.55% 4.44% 7.14% 0.00%

Table 15: Matching Volunteers to Organisations

ReasonsNo Not

Taken Up Referral

No Terminated

Role

Why did you leave your

role

Time eg commenced work or study 2 3 4

Organisations had no vacancy/ job finished 4 1 2

Could not get an interview with organisation 4

Found volunteer work by themselves 3

Were not interested in the work that was referred 3

Health changed 3 2 2

Other personal circumstances changed 2 3 2

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Table 16: Barriers to Volunteering

Barriers to Volunteering Count %

Organisational matters including staff, other volunteers and clients 26 17.81%

Time/life balance 21 14.38%

Work/Study 17 11.64%

None 16 10.96%

Family 13 8.90%

Suitability of work 13 8.90%

Regularity of volunteering 9 6.16%

Health including learning ability 11 7.53%

Money 7 4.79%

Drive/place of organisation 7 4.79%

Hobbies/Travel 4 2.74%

Language 2 1.37%

Table 17: Volunteer Organisation Work Availability and Retaining Volunteers

Work Pattern Yes No Retaining Volunteers Challenge

Undertake the work when it suits them 57.81% 42.19% 43.24%

Regular time each week 56.25% 43.75% 47.22%

Work from a predetermined location 35.94% 64.06% 47.83%

Morning 28.13% 71.88% 33.33%

Work set hours 21.88% 78.13% 57.14%

Afternoon 18.75% 81.25% 16.67%

Evening 12.50% 87.50% 37.50%

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Table 18: Volunteer Work Preferences

Volunteer Setting Count % Responses % Respondents

Expect to work a regular time each week 90 28.50% 56.96%

Expect to work from a predetermined location 58 18.40% 36.71%

Expect to work set hours 52 16.50% 32.19%

Expect to work when it suits me 45 14.20% 28.48%

Expect to work in the morning 33 10.40% 20.89%

Expect to work in the afternoon 26 8.20% 16.46%

Expect to work in the evening 12 3.80% 7.59%

Total 316

Table 19: Volunteer Setting Preferences by Age

Volunteer Setting Overall Count

Overall % 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65<

Volunteer in a group 121 18.79% 15.09% 15.79% 16.98% 15.18% 22.53% 19.21%

Volunteer in the organisation 115 17.86% 16.98% 15.79% 13.21% 17.86% 15.93% 21.47%

Volunteer with peers/friends 89 13.82% 11.32% 13.16% 15.09% 14.29% 12.64% 15.82%

Volunteer alone 74 11.49% 13.21% 7.89% 13.21% 12.50% 13.19% 10.17%

Volunteer one-on-one with clients 67 10.40% 9.43% 10.53% 3.77% 9.82% 11.54% 10.73%

Volunteer using information technology 58 9.01% 7.55% 10.53% 9.43% 12.50% 6.59% 9.04%

Volunteer with family members 45 6.99% 7.55% 10.53% 9.43% 5.36% 8.24% 5.65%

Have time or programs available through my work place 42 6.52% 15.09% 7.89% 9.43% 8.04% 3.85% 4.52%

Volunteer from a distance to the organisation 33 5.12% 3.77% 7.89% 9.43% 4.46% 5.49% 3.39%

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Table 20: Use of Online Technology for Paid and Unpaid Volunteer Management

Online TechnologyOverall

Paid Manager

(including mix)

Unpaid Manager

No Coordinato

r

Count % % % %

Website 31 48.44% 48.89% 42.86% 50.00%

Internet 17 26.56% 22.22% 42.86% 25.00%

Social Media eg Facebook, Twitter, YouTube 13 20.31% 22.22% 21.43% 0.00%

Online Calendar 3 4.69% 8.89% 7.14% 0.00%

Blogs 1 1.56% 6.67% 0.00% 0.00%

Shareware eg Google Groups, Documents or Calendar 2 3.13% 6.67% 7.14% 25.00%

Online forums 5 7.81% 4.44% 0.00% 0.00%

Wikis 5 7.81% 0.00% 7.14% 0.00%

Table 21: Illawarra Volunteer Mobile Phone Users

Generations Count %

Builders 39 40.21%

Baby Boomers 96 25.00%

Generation X 15 8.47%

Generation Y 20 6.27%

Generation Z 1 20.00%

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Table 22: Volunteers Expectations and Usage of Communication Technology

No Answer

Not Important Very ImportantMean Technolog

y Usage% % % % %

Face-to-face – individually 1.90% 8.86% 5.70% 12.66% 27.22% 4

3.67% 3.81 n/a

Face-to-face in team meetings 3.16% 16.46% 6.33% 13.92% 27.85% 3

2.28% 3.39 n/a

Phone 2.53% 17.72% 5.06% 18.99% 26.58% 2

9.11% 3.33 n/a

Email 3.80% 27.85% 3.80% 13.29% 19.62% 3

1.65% 3.07 80.00%

Mail 3.80% 39.87% 12.03% 14.56% 16.46% 1

3.29% 2.34 n/a

Website 6.33% 48.73% 7.59% 13.29% 12.03% 1

2.03% 2.06 63.23%

SMS 5.06% 51.90% 6.96% 12.03% 12.03% 1

2.03% 2.03 n/a

Online Calendar 6.96% 63.92% 5.70% 11.39% 5.70% 6.33% 1.57 18.06%

Intranet 7.59% 63.29% 6.33% 12.03% 7.59% 3.16% 1.51 24.52%

Online forums 7.59% 68.35% 7.59% 9.49% 3.80% 3.16% 1.35 13.55%

Facebook 8.23% 69.62% 5.06% 9.49% 3.80% 3.80% 1.35 35.48%

Blogs 6.96% 72.78% 6.96% 8.23% 1.27% 3.80% 1.28 18.71%

Shareware eg Google Groups 8.23% 74.05% 5.06% 5.70% 3.16% 3.80% 1.25 12.26%

Fax 6.96% 75.32% 6.33% 4.43% 3.16% 3.80% 1.25 n/a

Wikis 7.59% 75.32% 5.06% 7.59% 1.27% 3.16% 1.21 14.84%

Twitter 6.96% 77.22% 5.06% 6.96% 0.63% 3.16% 1.19 7.10%

YouTube 7.59% 76.58% 5.70% 6.96% 0.63% 2.53% 1.16 25.81%

Table 23: Social Media Usage

Year Communication Services Social Networking Usage

18 to 24 6 88.00%

25 to 34 5.4 75.00%

35 to 44 5 58.00%

45 to 54 4.7 45.00%

55 to 64 4 29.00%

Page 96


65+ 3 32.00%

Source: ACMA (2011a)

Page 97


Table 24: Generations/Competencies Matrix

Page 98


Source: Patota et.al (2007) Leveraging Generational Differences for Productivity Gains, Journal of American Academy of Business, Cambridge, Vol.11, No.2, pg1

Page 99


Questionnaires

Questionnaire - State of Volunteering in the Illawarra – Volunteer Organisations PerspectiveVolunteering Illawarra is undertaking a research project into volunteer management and would

appreciate your time in completing this survey. The aims of the project are to gain a clear

understanding of issues concerning volunteering in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven region. Your input

will assist Volunteering in reassessing its services and better support the volunteer sector with their

volunteer needs, as well as assist you to adapt to the changes in the volunteer landscape.

The survey takes about 15 to 20 minutes to complete and is anonymous. The survey will form the

basis of focus group discussions.

Survey QuestionsQ.1 How are your organisations volunteers managed?

Please tick one

☐ By a full-time paid manager/coordinator

☐ By a part-time paid manager/coordinator

☐ By a volunteer coordinator

☐ By a combination of paid and volunteer coordination

☐ No manager/coordinator needed/relevant

☐ No manager/coordinator, but it would be good to have one

Q.2 What do you deem important when managing volunteers?Please rank a minimum of three with 1 being the most important item

Items Rank by Importance

Providing support to volunteers

Respecting volunteers

Providing an induction to the organisation

Providing an induction to the role

Providing a job description

Building a relationship with volunteers

Providing role specific training

Page 100


Q.3 Please indicate which of the following your organisation has in place for its volunteer manager/coordinator?Please tick the most appropriate answer

Manager/Coordinator: Yes Partly No Not sure

Not relevant

Receive support from the board/senior management in managing volunteers

Receive/have formal training or professional development in volunteer management/coordination

Receive sufficient resources to pay for training or professional development

Q.4 Which challenges do your volunteer manager/coordinators have?Please tick as many as applicable

☐ Recruiting suitable volunteers

☐ Aging volunteer workforce

☐ Matching volunteers to the organisation

☐ Providing appropriate training

☐ Retaining volunteers

☐ Not having enough time to achieve goals

☐ Not enough money to achieve goals

☐ Lack of security in funding

☐ Background checking for volunteers

☐ Managing the relationship between paid staff and volunteers

☐ WHS/Risk management/Insurance needs

☐ Lack of support from the governing body/senior management

☐ A negative attitude from paid staff towards volunteers

☐ Other (please specify)

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Q.5 Please indicate which of the following your organisation has in place for its volunteer management?Please tick the most appropriate answer for each statement

Yes Partly No Not sure

Not relevant

Recruitment process for volunteers

Entry interview for volunteers

Position descriptions for volunteer roles

Recognition of volunteer contribution

Policy and Procedures applicable to staff and volunteers

Induction to policy, procedures and processes

Induction to role or service responsibilities

Induction to Work Health and Safety relevant for role

Introduction to relevant staff and volunteers

Regular meetings with volunteer managers/coordinator

Regular meetings with staff

Regular contact with staff or volunteer manager/coordinator

Training in Work Health and Safety

Training or professional development in other role related activities

Paid training for volunteers

Insurance cover for volunteers

Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses

Q.6 How does your organisation show recognition of volunteer contribution?Open text response

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Q.7 What items do you reimburse volunteers for?Open text response

Q.8 Does your organisation have a Grievance Policy?Please tick the most appropriate answer

☐ Yes ☐ No ☐ Not sure

Q.9 Do your volunteers have an opportunity to give feedback?Please tick the most appropriate answer

☐ Yes, we have a structured process

☐ Yes, we have an informal process

☐ No, there is no opportunity

☐ Not sure

☐ Not relevant

Q.10 Do your volunteers have an opportunity to provide input into organisational decision making?Please tick the most appropriate answer

☐ Yes

☐ Yes, we involve volunteers in service orientated decisions

☐ Yes, we involve volunteers in strategic decisions


☐ Not sure

☐ Not relevant


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Q.11 How do you communicate with your volunteers?Please rank a minimum of three with 1 being the communication type used most

Communication Type Ranking

Face-to-face – individually

Face-to-face in team meetings

Phone

Email

Fax

SMS

Online Technology

Other

Q.12 What types of technology do you use for communications?Please select as many as applicable

☐ Website

☐ Intranet

☐ Social Media e.g. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube

☐ Blogs

☐ Wikis

☐ Online forums

☐ Online Calendar

☐ Shareware eg Google Groups, Documents or Calendar


Q.13 Which statement(s) best describes your organisations utilisation of volunteers?Please tick as many as applicable

☐ Volunteers work a regular time each week

☐ Volunteers work in the morning

☐ Volunteers work in the afternoon

☐ Volunteers work in the evening

☐ Volunteers can undertake the work when it suits them

☐ Volunteers need to work set hours

☐ Volunteers need to work from a predetermined location

Q.14 How many hours do your volunteers help per month?Number

Q.15 How many volunteers does your organisation have on its books?Number

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Q.16 How many active volunteers does your organisation have?Number

(Active relates to currently engaged with the organisation)

Q.17 If there is a big difference between the number of volunteers on your books and active volunteers, what in your opinion are the reasons for this difference?

Q.18 Which age range do your volunteers belong?Rank at least three age groups from highest number of volunteers in age group (1) to least number of volunteers (8)

Age Rank Age Rank Age Rank Age Rank

18-24 35-44 55-64 75-84

25-34 45-54 65-74 85 <

Q.19 Does your organisation have a succession plan in place for volunteer managers /coordinators?Please tick one

☐ Yes ☐ No

Q.20 Please indicate which sector(s) you are predominantly working in.Tick only one in primary, one in secondary, one in third sector

Sectors Which is your Primary Sector?

Do you service a Secondary

Sector?Do you service a

Third Sector?

Arts/Heritage

Community/Welfare

Education/Training

Emergency Services

Environment/Animal

Health

Law/Justice/Political

Local Government


Religious

Sport/Physical Recreation

Other

Page 105


Q.21 Which LGA are you located in?Select major one

☐ Wollongong ☐ Kiama

☐ Shellharbour ☐ Shoalhaven

Page 106


Questionnaire - State of Volunteering in the Illawarra – Volunteers Perspective

Volunteering Illawarra is undertaking a research project into the expectations of volunteers when

volunteering and would appreciate your time in completing this survey.

The aims of the project are to gain a clear understanding of issues concerning volunteering in the

Illawarra region. Your input will assist Volunteering Illawarra and organisations utilising volunteers in

reassessing their services and ensuring support meet volunteer needs.

The survey takes about 20 minutes to complete and is anonymous.

Survey QuestionsQ.1 In the organisation you are working in, who manages volunteers?

☐ I currently don’t volunteer

☐ A full-time paid manager/coordinator

☐ A part-time paid manager/coordinator

☐ A volunteer coordinator

☐ A combination of paid and volunteer coordination

☐ No manager/coordinator needed/relevant

☐ No manager/coordinator, but it would be good to have one

☐ I don’t know

Q.2 What setting do you like to volunteer in?(Select answer for each statement)

Yes No

Volunteer with family members

Volunteer with peers/friends

Have time or programs available through my work place

Volunteer one-on-one with clients

Volunteer in a group

Volunteer alone

Volunteer from a distance to the organisation

Volunteer in the organisation

Volunteer using information technology

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Q.3 What do you value in a volunteering role?(Select importance level for each statement)

Not Important Very Important

1 2 3 4 5

Having a position that meets my interests

Having a position which develops my skills

Having a position which uses my skills

Receiving support

Receiving respect

Receiving feedback

Receiving an induction to the organisation

Receiving an induction to the role

Receiving role specific training

Having a job description

Having a sense of purpose

Giving back to the community

Meeting people

Developing friendships

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Q.4 Please indicate which of the following you would like a volunteer organisation to have in place.(Select importance level for each statement)

In place Not Important Very Important

Yes No 1 2 3 4 5

Documented organisational values

Recruitment process

Entry interview

Position descriptions for volunteer roles

Recognition of volunteer contribution

Policy and Procedures applicable to staff and volunteers

Induction to policy, procedures and processes

A Grievance Policy

Induction to role or service responsibilities

Induction to Occupational Health and Safety relevant for role

Introduction to relevant staff and volunteers

Regular meetings with volunteer managers/coordinator

Regular meetings with staff

Regular contact with staff or volunteer manager/coordinator

Training in Occupational Health and Safety

Training or professional development in other role related activities

Paid training for volunteers

Insurance cover for volunteers

Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses

Transparent feedback processes

Page 109


Q.5 Does your organisation offer recognition for volunteers?(Select relevant answer)

Yes ☐ Continue by answering each statement in Q.6

None is offered where I volunteer ☐ Continue by answering each statement in Q.6

No recognition is necessary ☐ Go to Q.7

Q.6 What recognition would you expect as a volunteer?(Select importance level for each statement)


1 2 3 4 5

Party/Event

Volunteer Week Celebration

Lunch/Dinner

Morning/Afternoon Tea

Certificate of Appreciation

Recognition in Publications

Reference letter

Thank You Cards or Letters

Thank You Verbal

Length of service

Awards

Gift/Prize

Feedback

Conference attendance

Being valued as part of the Organisation

Q.7 Does your organisation offer reimbursements?(Select relevant answer)

Yes ☐ Continue by answering each statement in Q.8

None is offered where I volunteer ☐ Continue by answering each statement in Q.8

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No reimbursement is necessary ☐ Go to Q.10

Q.8 What reimbursements would you expect as a volunteer?(Select answer for each statement)

Yes No

Petrol

Travel

Phone

Volunteer Work Purchases

Meals

Q.9 How do you expect your volunteer organisation to communicate with you?(Select importance level for each statement)


1 2 3 4 5

Face-to-face – individually

Face-to-face in team meetings

Phone

Mail

Email

Fax

SMS

Website

Intranet

Facebook

Twitter

YouTube

Blogs

Wikis

Online forums

Online Calendar

Shareware eg Google Groups

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<single choice – radio button for each row– Hide Tip ‘No’>

Q.10 Do you use the following online technologies?(Select answer for each statement)

Yes No

I have access to online technology (if no go to question 12)

Email

Smart phone

Website

Intranet

Facebook

Twitter

YouTube

Blogs

Wikis

Online forums

Online Calendar

Shareware eg Google Groups

Q.11 Which online technology/ies do you use to research organisations to volunteer for?Open text response

Q.12 Do you have an opportunity to provide input into organisational decision making?(Select as many as apply)

☐ I currently don’t volunteer

☐ Yes, I am invited to staff meetings

☐ Yes, I am involved in client service/program orientated decisions

☐ Yes, I am involved in strategic decisions


☐ Not sure

☐ Not relevant

Page 112


Q.13 Which statements best describe how you expect to volunteer?(Select as many as apply)

☐ Expect to work in the morning

☐ Expect to work in the afternoon

☐ Expect to work in the evening

☐ Expect to work a regular time each week

☐ Expect to work when it suits me

☐ Expect to work set hours

☐ Expect to work from a predetermined location

Q.14 What difficulties/barriers do you have to undertake volunteer work?Open text response

Q.15 What motivates you to undertake volunteer work?Open text response

Q.16 How many hours can you help per week?Open text response

Q.17 How many years have you been volunteering?Months Years – number fields

Q.18 How many volunteer organisations have you volunteered for?☐ Zero

☐ 1-2

☐ 3-5

☐ 6-10

☐ 11-15

☐ 16-20

☐ 21+

Q.19 Which age range do you belong to?☐ 18-24

☐ 25-34

☐ 35-44

☐ 45-54

☐ 55-64

☐ 65-74

☐ 75-84

☐ 85 <

Q.20 Please state your Gender:

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☐ Male ☐ Female

Q.21 Please indicate which sector(s) you are volunteering in (current volunteers)/you like to volunteer in (new volunteers).Select only one in each column

SectorsWhich is your

Primary Sector?

Do you service a Secondary

Sector?Do you service a Third Sector?

Arts/Heritage

Community/Welfare

Education/Training

Emergency Services

Environment/Animal Welfare

Health

Law/Justice/Political

Local Government


Religious

Sport/Physical Recreation

Other

Page 114


BibliographyAnonymous (2008) “Next generation will do nicely thank you”, Herald on Sunday, Auckland, New Zealand, 09 November, pg.51

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (2007) Voluntary Work, Australia 2006, 4441.0

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Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (2011a) Voluntary Work, Australia 2010, 4441.0

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Endnotes

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i Generational differences have been empirically tested in several studies. Twenge (2010) undertook a

review of empirical evidence about the generational differences in work values and personality differences in

the work place. Meier and Crocker (2010) studied work characteristics and leadership preferences of

Generation Y who had entered the workforce. Cennamo and Gardner (2008) focused on comparing work

values across generations, between person-organisational value fit and their impact on organisational

outcomes. Wong et.al (2008) provided scientific insights into the existence of differences for personality and

motivations between three generations working in Australia. Levy et.al (2006) undertook a pilot study in

Australia and New Zealand on the generational changes affecting business and leadership, comparing

popular culture stereotypes with social science research.

ii The Volunteering Australia website promotes accredited training for volunteers. It links to the Community

Services and Health Industry Skills Council, which developed a Certificate I, II and III in Active Volunteering.

The Certificate completion takes 118 hours, 226 hours and 284 hours, respectively, and a total of 209, 332,

and 126 completions were recorded for 2010 (https://www.cshisc.com.au/index.php?

option=com_content&task=view&id=760&Itemid=184). The Certificate is not available by NSW TAFE

Illawarra Institute, despite the institute promoting voluntary work and work experience stating that through

volunteering people can gain skills, build or broaden social and work related networks

(http://www.illawarra.tafensw.edu.au/page/support-for-students/disability-services/voluntary-work-and-work-

experience/).

iii Globally, Australia had the highest engagement rates behind India. India has also the lowest

disengagement rates of all countries surveyed.

iv The authors are defining organisational citizenship as “those behaviours not strictly required by a job

description with many of those having an altruistic nature.” Examples giving were helping others, sharing

information, encourage team mates when they are down, finding out what is happening in the organisation

and how they can contribute.

Boundary spanning activities were those which could help build relationships for a collective identity across a

workforce separated by location or relationships.

v The Productivity Commissions Report on Ageing Population in Australia makes projections to possible

futures. These projections vary depending on Government policy in relation to fertility increases and

migration. The impact of longevity changes also impacts on the ageing population. Medical progress against

certain illnesses, population health, fitness and nutrition all influence if the population is able to grow older

(Ageing) or if the current upper age ranges remain the same (no Ageing) into the future. The Report found

that the latter change particularly can make a difference of about 5% in the 35-44 and 75+ for projected

volunteers per age group.

Figure – Projected share of volunteers by age group 2044-45 - with and without ageing

http://www.illawarra.tafensw.edu.au/page/support-for-students/disability-services/voluntary-work-and-work-experience/

http://www.illawarra.tafensw.edu.au/page/support-for-students/disability-services/voluntary-work-and-work-experience/

https://www.cshisc.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=760&Itemid=184

https://www.cshisc.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=760&Itemid=184

vi VoIP is either accessed by a PC or laptop using Skype or through a VoIP handset, which is similar to a

fixed-line handset (ACMA, 2011a). VoIP uses megabits (MB) which are deducted from the plans overall data

allowance (estimates are 28 to 76 MB for a one hour call or 2.3 too 6.3 MB for a five minute call) (ACMA,

2011b).

vii The proposed recommendation 2 – ‘Coordinating general volunteer activities’ fits with the NSW Office for

Communities “aim to continue our work with government agencies and the community sector and to develop

practical resources that support volunteering.” (http://www.volunteering.nsw.gov.au/about_us). A central

approach to a volunteer database (NSW or Australia wide) could consist of organisational information from

participating organisations, as well as persons interested in volunteering. This database could be updated by

participating organisations, volunteer referral centres and volunteers with position descriptions, contact

details, skills, and relevant personal checks and application information. Volunteers could register online and

set up their profile only visible to member organisations of referral centres. The profile could include interests

or skills of the volunteer, if a police check or work with children check is available and its currency. And

volunteer referral centres could update the database with organisational membership, currency of policy

checks (and others), and referral interviews undertaken.

The benefits of the central database and website space are

a ‘forced’ mechanism to get organisations online,

helping the transition that is necessary to make organisations be noted by volunteers (and to

survive),

a central access point for referral centres, but also volunteers looking for volunteer organisations

and positions in their area.

viii Generational differences have been empirically tested in several studies. Twenge (2010) undertook a

review of empirical evidence about the generational differences in work values and personality differences in

the work place. Meier and Crocker (2010) studied work characteristics and leadership preferences of

Generation Y who had entered the workforce. Cennamo and Gardner (2008) focused on comparing work

values across generations, between person-organisational value fit and their impact on organisational

outcomes. Wong et.al (2008) provided scientific insights into the existence of differences for personality and


motivations between three generations working in Australia. Levy et.al (2006) undertook a pilot study in

Australia and New Zealand on the generational changes affecting business and leadership, comparing

popular culture stereotypes with social science research.