Page 3174 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 24 September 2014
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MS PORTER: As I was saying, we are faced with the current federal government policies which we all know have the potential to further entrench disadvantage. Despite our small size, it is pleasing to know that over a third of ACT residents actually volunteer, which is similar to the national average. I can provide some more figures. According to research undertaken by Volunteering ACT, more women than men volunteer, with the most common age groups being 35 to 44 for women and 45 to 54 for men. Seven in 10 volunteers are female, and half are in the 55 to 74 age group. Half are retired, a quarter are in full-time employment, and three-quarters are tertiary qualified.
The two main reasons given for volunteering are to give something back to the community and to make a difference. Although volunteering is related to feelings of wellbeing, work and family reasons sometimes mean that people stop volunteering—particularly the case for people aged 24 to 44.
The ACT government value the significant contribution of volunteers. We recognise that volunteers have an essential role in the wellbeing of our community, and in many ways volunteering embodies the finest qualities of a healthy community. As we know, some of what volunteers deliver are essential services to the community which greatly improve the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of citizens in the ACT. Such benefits fit into the government‘s priorities of improving the liveability and opportunity of the ACT and into the Community Services Directorate’s strategic theme of increasing participation for all members of the ACT community.
We also know that volunteering delivers significant social and health benefits. It combats depression and builds self-confidence, which is good for your health at any age but it is especially beneficial in older adults. Those who volunteer have a lower mortality rate than those who do not, even when considering factors like the health of the participants.
A recent study at the University of Adelaide estimated that volunteering is now worth more than $200 billion a year to the Australian economy, surpassing even the mining, agriculture and the retail sectors. Research has consistently shown that voluntary work also builds social capital and cohesion through people’s participation, networking and shared values around human rights, equality and civic engagement. As stated earlier, the ACT government understands this and values the contribution volunteering makes to the ACT.
Mr Assistant Speaker, as you are aware, the government supports and conducts a range of volunteering programs and opportunities in areas as diverse as the environment, health, sport and recreation, and education and tourism, and this support is guided by a high-level ACT volunteering statement. Just to give an example, more than 400 volunteers—including university students, retirees, parents, carers and full-time workers—support the work of the Canberra Hospital and community health aged day care programs. This support occurs through a range of programs, including trolley service to the wards, hospital guides, a library service, and hand and foot massages to oncology patients.
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