Stage 1 of this consultation has now closed and we are collating your ideas to develop the draft volunteer strategy. The draft will be out for public exhibition in June for further feedback.
We know people who volunteer feel better - physically, mentally and emotionally better. It’s great for making social connections, enhancing your CV, having a sense of purpose and all the while the community benefits.
We recently ran a study looking into the who, what, where and why of volunteering in Yarra.
Volunteering in Yarra
- In 2016 more than 21% of Yarra’s population were volunteering,
- Those 21% contributed an estimated $55 million of economic benefit to our community,
- That same year a quarter of our 18 to 24 year olds were participating in volunteer work,
- There are more than 500 charity organisations listed in the City of Yarra,
- Yarra's top six areas for volunteering are sporting clubs, activities with children and young people, visual and performing arts, court and legal support and community gardening/ sustainability related activities, and
- Volunteering roles include offering professional expertise like IT services, marketing/PR, writing/editing and business/legal advice.
A comprehensive consultation process, held between August to October last year, sought input from a large cohort of the Yarra community. The key focus areas included feedback on:
- Motivation : why people volunteer, the types of programs of interest, preferred frequency for volunteering.
- Barriers : factors that prevent or limit people from volunteering.
- Issues / challenges : key issues volunteers, managers of volunteers or people wanting to volunteer currently experience in the local sector.
- Opportunities : suggestions for potential partnerships or ways to enhance and grow volunteerism in the Yarra municipality.
- Support : how Council can best recognise and support local volunteerism.
