Volunteering is good for you. It sounds like a slogan, but it’s true, says Volunteering Auckland (VA) Regional Manager Cheryll Martin: “studies have shown that people who volunteer live longer and are healthier.”

 


Nearly 90,000 non-profit institutions rely entirely on volunteers

She puts it down to the fact volunteers don’t dwell on their own problems – they’re busy helping others.

“People don’t tend to think what they’re doing is ‘volunteering’,” she says. “They’re the soccer team coach, or parent help, but if you’re doing something for someone for nothing, you’re volunteering.”

And volunteers can be counted in the hundreds of thousands. Statistics NZ figures show 436,500 help non-profit organisations and nearly 90,000 non-profi t institutions rely entirely on volunteers.

VA’s job is to keep those figures healthy – which is where the statistics hit some sobering facts.

“The core base of volunteering has been the seniors,” says Cheryll, “those in the 60-80 age bracket. But these are the people who now need support. If you look at the huge bulge of humanity coming through, the baby boomers, that need is just going to get bigger.”

So VA is about future-proofi ng, ensuring volunteering remains an integral part of life, of belonging to a community.

VA helps 240 member organisations recruit, train and retain volunteers in an environment which has changed dramatically.

Ten years ago, 70% of volunteers coming through VA were European Kiwis. Now 90% are migrants. The average age has dropped 10-15 years, there’s more turn-over and, with more time pressure, volunteers want short-term projects.

Part of VA’s job is to keep up with the challenge, look at where volunteering is going and ensure its future.

“We’re the only organisation in Greater Auckland entirely dedicated to volunteering, so it’s up to us to think through the impacts and trends, to fi nd out what will work and to futureproof,” says Cheryll.

“To make the most of the considerable talent that is on offer, organisations need to take a hard look at the opportunities they offer. It is how we respond to these changes that will prove or disprove the ‘disappearing volunteer’ headlines.”