Volunteering
Press release
6 December 2010
The number of older people giving back to the community through volunteering shows the valuable role older people play in society, says Australia’s largest seniors’ group.
National Seniors Australia is recognising seniors who give up their time and efforts to volunteer as part of International Volunteering Day (IVD).
Chief executive Michael O’Neill said IVD was an important occasion to say “thank you” to the many thousands of selfless volunteers who willingly give unpaid help in the form of time, service or skills.
“In many communities around Australia, volunteers are the absolute lifeblood of these places,’’ O’Neill said.
“The volunteer rate for for older Australians has increased steadily over the past decade whether it be through volunteering with an organisation or group or as individuals who might be carers.
“In fact the Australian Bureau of Statistics ABS 2006 Volunteer Work Survey shows couples aged 55 years and older contribute the most voluntary hours per year (170.3 hours) of any age bracket surveyed.”
A 2009 National Seniors’ report revealed the cost to the economy of replacing older Australians who provide unpaid child care and unpaid help to people with a disability with paid workers would be $4.8 billion a year.
The National Seniors’ Indigenous Skills Transfer and Exchange Partnership (INSTEP) program, which places seniors in Aboriginal communities, is a popular way for seniors to get into volunteering.
INSTEP volunteers go into communities and pass on a range of skills assisting with projects like schooling, trades such as market gardening, community governance, healthy eating and more.
“Our experience has been that our volunteers have gained great satisfaction from giving of themselves in this way to help communities. The improved understanding between Indigenous community members and our volunteers has been extraordinary,” O’Neill said.
In the 2009-10 financial year, 26 seniors collectively volunteered more than 926 days in Indigenous communities. INSTEP volunteers contributed an estimated 4,961 voluntary hours in Indigenous communities.
INSTEP is looking for more ‘grey nomads’ to donate their time and expertise in regional communities and in some metropolitan locations around Australia.
To find out more about volunteering opportunities for INSTEP phone Karen Furnivall on 1300 76 50 50.
With around a quarter of a million members, National Seniors is Australia’s largest consumer organisation for the over-50s and fourth largest group of its kind in the world.
6 December 2010
Seniors give back by volunteering
The number of older people giving back to the community through volunteering shows the valuable role older people play in society, says Australia’s largest seniors’ group.
National Seniors Australia is recognising seniors who give up their time and efforts to volunteer as part of International Volunteering Day (IVD).
Chief executive Michael O’Neill said IVD was an important occasion to say “thank you” to the many thousands of selfless volunteers who willingly give unpaid help in the form of time, service or skills.
“In many communities around Australia, volunteers are the absolute lifeblood of these places,’’ O’Neill said.
“The volunteer rate for for older Australians has increased steadily over the past decade whether it be through volunteering with an organisation or group or as individuals who might be carers.
“In fact the Australian Bureau of Statistics ABS 2006 Volunteer Work Survey shows couples aged 55 years and older contribute the most voluntary hours per year (170.3 hours) of any age bracket surveyed.”
A 2009 National Seniors’ report revealed the cost to the economy of replacing older Australians who provide unpaid child care and unpaid help to people with a disability with paid workers would be $4.8 billion a year.
The National Seniors’ Indigenous Skills Transfer and Exchange Partnership (INSTEP) program, which places seniors in Aboriginal communities, is a popular way for seniors to get into volunteering.
INSTEP volunteers go into communities and pass on a range of skills assisting with projects like schooling, trades such as market gardening, community governance, healthy eating and more.
“Our experience has been that our volunteers have gained great satisfaction from giving of themselves in this way to help communities. The improved understanding between Indigenous community members and our volunteers has been extraordinary,” O’Neill said.
In the 2009-10 financial year, 26 seniors collectively volunteered more than 926 days in Indigenous communities. INSTEP volunteers contributed an estimated 4,961 voluntary hours in Indigenous communities.
INSTEP is looking for more ‘grey nomads’ to donate their time and expertise in regional communities and in some metropolitan locations around Australia.
To find out more about volunteering opportunities for INSTEP phone Karen Furnivall on 1300 76 50 50.
Media contact: 07 3233 9135
With around a quarter of a million members, National Seniors is Australia’s largest consumer organisation for the over-50s and fourth largest group of its kind in the world.
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