Want to volunteer? Join the queue

Taronga Zoo received 400 applications for its annual volunteer recruitment in March. About 150 were given interviews and just a few zoo-keepers selected. Last year, the Wayside Chapel at Kings Cross filled 200 Christmas volunteer roles in an hour.

By InvestSMART · 29 Jul 2012

By InvestSMART ·
29 Jul 2012

Comments

But while some organisations are forced to turn away applicants, others struggle to supply their volunteer programs.

The Anglican Retirement Villages, which run 14 centres across Sydney, are consistently advertising for volunteers. The shortfall is not surprising as experts say community service areas such as aged care and welfare have a regular turnover and often need volunteers.

More than 6 million Australians volunteered in 2010, according to the Bureau of Statistics, with many Sydney organisations confirming they have waiting lists for popular positions.

Volunteering NSW said among the reasons for the wait for a position is competition between organisations. "The power of the brand is very strong," research manager Tony Frew said.

Publicity surrounding certain issues, such as the environment, can also be a strong pull factor, he said.

"Fluffy, cuddly animals attract people more than some of the more serious social issues," he said.

Volunteering booms at Christmas and during natural disasters but at times people find they are turned away due to lack of training, Volunteering Australia's Peter Cocks said.

"You can't expect to walk in on Monday and volunteer on Tuesday," he said.

There are 2040 active positions listed in NSW on Volunteering Australia's online referral system GoVolunteer at present. The organisations that receive the most interest on GoVolunteer are Mission Australia, Wesley Mission, Anglicare, Cancer Council and the Smith Family. However, these organisations provide widespread services and are consistently looking for more hands.

"When there is a sense of financial uncertainty, a lot of welfare organisations are finding more demand for their services," Mr Cocks said.

Go to Google News, then click "Follow" button to add us.

Share this article and show your support

Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…

How competitive is volunteering at places like Taronga Zoo or the Wayside Chapel in Sydney?

Very competitive for popular roles. The article says Taronga Zoo received 400 applications for its annual volunteer recruitment, gave about 150 interviews and selected only a few keepers. The Wayside Chapel filled 200 Christmas volunteer roles in an hour, showing high demand for well-known or seasonal positions.

Where can I find volunteer positions in NSW and how many opportunities are listed?

Volunteering Australia’s online referral system GoVolunteer is a key place to look. At the time of the article there were about 2,040 active positions listed in NSW on GoVolunteer, making it a useful starting point to find local volunteer roles.

Which organisations attract the most volunteer interest on GoVolunteer?

The organisations that received the most interest on GoVolunteer at the time were Mission Australia, Wesley Mission, Anglicare, the Cancer Council and the Smith Family. These groups provide widespread services and are consistently looking for more volunteers.

Do I need training before I can start volunteering or can I begin right away?

Most organisations require training or onboarding. Volunteering Australia’s Peter Cocks warned you can’t usually “walk in on Monday and volunteer on Tuesday,” and a lack of training capacity is one reason some volunteers are turned away.

Why are some community groups, like aged-care providers, constantly advertising for volunteers?

Community service areas such as aged care and welfare often have regular turnover and ongoing needs. The article notes Anglican Retirement Villages, which run 14 centres across Sydney, are consistently advertising for volunteers because of this continual demand.

When does volunteering tend to boom and why should I expect peak demand at certain times?

Volunteering typically booms at Christmas and during natural disasters. Those seasonal and emergency periods drive spikes in interest and need, which can create both many volunteer opportunities and high competition for popular roles.

How does an organisation’s brand or publicity affect volunteer sign-ups?

Brand and publicity are strong pull factors. Volunteering NSW’s research manager Tony Frew noted the ‘power of the brand’ and that publicity around certain issues (for example, environmental causes or ‘fluffy, cuddly animals’) can attract more volunteers than less-publicised social issues.

Does economic uncertainty change the demand for volunteers and social services?

Yes. The article quotes Peter Cocks saying that when there is a sense of financial uncertainty, many welfare organisations find more demand for their services, which increases the need for volunteers to help meet that demand.