At the heart of what we know as the Aussie spirit, is mates lending mates  a hand. And one of the most obvious ways we see this spirit in our community is through those who volunteer. 

Every week thousands of locals help out at our schools, coaching or managing a sports team, organising charities, coordinating local events, cleaning up our environment, and more. 

According to Volunteering Queensland's latest report, they donated over 719 million hours of their time, and are worth about $117 billion each year to Queensland!

But in recent years, volunteering has been on the decline - down 20% compared to pre-covid times. Fewer people are able to put their hands up, leaving dedicated volunteers stretched thin. So, what’s causing it? 

Many people report struggling to find the time due to work and family commitments. Anecdotally, where volunteering is on the rise however, organisations report that a strategy involving financial incentives and strong communication, are driving greater participation.

Head of Logan’s largest cricket club, the Springwood Suns, Secretary Steven Grey is one of the many locals having his say on what works when it comes to volunteering. 

“This season we combined the previous Government’s $200 Fair Play voucher with a membership discount for volunteers to effectively make enrolling juniors free. We’ve got to try new things if we want to keep growing.”

“It’s ideas like this one that will help inform how we can take volunteering forward, as part of a new Parliamentary Inquiry into volunteering, that’s why I want to hear from you” said Mick de Brenni, State MP for Springwood.

“What would make volunteering easier? What more support do volunteers and their organisations need? 

“I’m running a local survey to better understand the experiences of volunteers in our community, to ensure the Inquiry delivers good results for the community I represent.

If you’re a current volunteer or rely on them, thinking about getting involved, or have ideas on how to better support volunteers, you can take a minute to complete the survey here: www.surveymonkey.com/r/valuingvolunteers

The outcome? Ensuring volunteers and their organisations have the support they need to continue their contribution. 

“Because when mates lend mates a hand, we strengthen our entire community.” Mr de Brenni said.