The Heart of Community: Volunteering's Impact in Australia

In a world increasingly focused on personal achievement, the spirit of volunteering in Australia remains a powerful force for community connection and support. Lucy Stevens, a 24-year-old from Adelaide, exemplifies this passion, having dedicated over a decade to various volunteer efforts.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, in 2025, approximately 9.5 million Australians engaged in volunteer work, both formally and informally. Stevens' journey took her to Zimbabwe and South Africa in 2018 as part of the Duke of Edinburgh award program, where she worked with World Vision and contributed to remote communities. "It changed my life as a 16-year-old. That's how far volunteering took me," Stevens reflected on her transformative experience.

Recognized for her commitment, Stevens received the Young Volunteer Award at the South Australian Volunteer Awards last year and recently participated in a National Youth Volunteer Week panel discussion. Her role as a manager of 40 volunteers at The Smith Family, a children's charity, underscored the importance of volunteering as a pathway to employment, enriching resumes and fostering valuable connections.

Volunteering serves critical roles across Australian communities. The ABC Your Say initiative highlighted how volunteers are vital in addressing needs ranging from neighborhood support and wildlife care to emergency responses. The ABS General Social Survey noted that in 2025, 16.4% of youth aged 15 to 24 volunteered with organizations, while 22.9% participated in informal volunteering.

In Sydney, the Early Bird Cafe, run out of St Stephens Uniting Church, is a testament to the impact of volunteer efforts. Over the past financial year, the cafe served 63,000 meals to those in need, thanks to a dedicated team led by Carol Lewis, who has volunteered there for eight years. Despite a $90,000 shortfall in grant funding this year, the cafe continues to serve as a lifeline for the community.

Further afield in Dubbo, the Sing Out Choir, which brings together individuals living with dementia, relies on around 30 volunteers to function. Coordinator Anne Gemmell describes the choir as "medicine for the brain," emphasizing the joy and connection it fosters for participants and their caregivers.

While the 2025 volunteering statistics reflect a resilient spirit, Volunteering Australia notes that the sector is still recovering from the impacts of the COVID pandemic. The rising costs associated with the ongoing fuel crisis have posed challenges for volunteer organizations, particularly those reliant on transportation. As the next ABS census results emerge, they will shed light on the current state of volunteering and its essential role in Australian communities.

Source: www.abc.net.au