National taskforce looks to Government for help as costs hit 9 out of 10 volunteers
[22 January 2007 | Volunteering Australia]
The national Costs of Volunteering Taskforce today urged the Australian Government to consider its report in response to the rising cost of volunteering at a press conference in Melbourne.
The Taskforce, convened by Volunteering Australia, publicly released their report outlining several options for a national scheme to reimburse volunteers' out-of-pocket expenses. The report was presented to the Government in December 2006.
Last year, a Costs of Volunteering Survey found that 88% of volunteers faced annual out-of-pocket expenses averaging $693 each; and almost 10% of respondents said these costs had led to them either reduce or stop their volunteering in the last 12 months.
Sha Cordingley, CEO of Volunteering Australia said "Volunteers don't want to be paid; but many face personal costs of around $700 a year for things like travel or uniforms, and these costs are beginning to impact on their participation".
She asked "What would we do if 10% of volunteer fire-fighters could no longer afford to volunteer?"
Chairman of the Taskforce, Professor Myles McGregor-Lowndes, Director of the Centre of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies at QUT, said that volunteering was an integral part of our society with 6.3 million people giving 836 million hours a year.
"We hope the Government will consider the options and work with the Taskforce to bring in a simple and fair solution for the largest number of volunteers," Professor McGregor-Lowndes said.
Professor McGregor-Lowndes said that while the details would need to be worked out, the Taskforce recommended that individual reimbursements are capped and criteria set for organisational eligibility.
Senator Guy Barnett, who has promoted the idea of a national reimbursement scheme for volunteers since he came to Parliament said, "Many Australians will be recognised for their contribution to this country on Australia Day on Friday and many of these will be volunteers. Essentially our volunteers are under-recognised and undervalued. All levels of Government and the community can do more to help our volunteers.
"I hope the options in taskforce report will be seriously considered by the Australian Government" he said.
The Taskforce report follows on the heels of a separate report released last week by Attorney General Phillip Ruddock, which found emergency management volunteers face annual out of pocket costs of $950 each.
To arrange interview contact:
Irena Bukhshtaber, Volunteering Australia
M: 0412 424 523 T: (03) 9820 4100
Download the report and survey results from www.volunteeringaustralia.org