It’s National Volunteer Week and it has never been more evident the vital role they play in Australia with the floods, drought, bushfires and COVID-19. They work tirelessly in aged care homes and retirement complexes, let alone in keeping our love of sport alive. In fact, they are the backbone of this country and we should be proud of them.
There are almost six million volunteers in this vast country and they give over 600 million hours of their time to help others.
The theme for National Volunteer Week 2021 is:
RECOGNISE, celebrate and thank volunteers for the vital role they play in our lives;
RECONNECT to what is important by giving our time to help others and ourselves; and
REIMAGINE how we better support volunteers and communities they help.
Since 2014, Australia has seen a 20% decline in the number of hours volunteers give. During COVID-19, two-thirds of volunteers stopped working and a recent study highlights that social purpose organisations continue to lose one in four volunteers due to illness or caring responsibilities.
If you know someone who has the time to volunteer to help others, let them know. It is so rewarding.
