Volunteering: Giving time for the common good

This week is National Volunteering Week. It provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the positive impact volunteers have on our community. Whether they’re packing food baskets or mentoring new students, volunteers play a critical role in enriching lives.

Volunteering also plays a massive role in the functioning of the nation, and contributes to creating approximately $290 billion in social production.

For Monash University, the Impact 2030 strategic plan emphasises the importance we can all play across the globe, as well as within our local communities. Aside from the immense value to society, civic and community engagement also builds the capacity of young people to tackle pressing issues with a robust set of skills and experiences.

Challenges to volunteering

Volunteering Australia, the nation’s peak volunteering body, defines volunteering as “time willingly given for the common good and without financial gain”.

Despite the power and significance of volunteering, there remain barriers for some people to volunteer. For example, having the time to volunteer, and knowing where and how to volunteer are often factors that may stop someone from taking on voluntary work.

Additionally, feeling as though they don’t have the requisite skills may also hold people back from having a go in volunteering settings.

The onset of COVID-19 also had a major impact on the volunteering rates of young people. In 2019, for instance, more than 36% of those aged 18-24 were involved in voluntary work. By 2021, this figure had dropped to 25.6%.

Compounding the challenges for voluntary work has been the economic climate in recent years. The price of rent, food, and transport has contributed to significant pressures on the financial wellbeing of individuals. Research by Volunteering Australia highlights that cost-of-living pressures are inhibiting the capacity of people to volunteer.

Volunteering at Monash and impact on the community

This year, Monash had its inaugural student cohort complete the Volunteering in Practice unit.

As part of the Monash Volunteering Program, the Volunteering in Practice unit focuses on developing the confidence and capacity of students to make a positive impact on the community through participating in, and leading, volunteering activities.

As a second-year elective unit open to all undergraduates, students in MON2000 complete 24 hours of volunteering placement with a local organisation while completing online modules and innovative assessments.

This year, students volunteered in a range of diverse organisations. Many volunteered at Our Village (St Kilda Mums), for example, where they worked to rehouse essential items for babies and children in need. Other students volunteered at SisterWorks which focuses on assisting women from refugee, asylum-seeker or migrant backgrounds to build new skills for economic opportunities.

Monash students were also involved at FoodFilled, which rescues healthy and nutritious food that would otherwise be thrown away, and provides it to those in need.

Volunteering at Monash and the impact on students

With such a rich variety of organisations and experiences on offer, students have been developing new skills, networks, and professional horizons in their voluntary roles.

Some highlights include a student outlining their experiences of volunteering to a state government minister, while others have developed interpersonal and time management skills they will use in their studies and professional careers.

Some organisations were so impressed by our students that they offered them paid positions at the completion of their voluntary role.

These stories highlight the value of civic engagement and the positive impacts it has on the community and for the individuals involved.

Volunteering in the future

Volunteering has been facing major headwinds in recent years, with the pandemic and cost-of-living challenges creating major barriers for young people to get involved in voluntary work.

The Volunteering in Practice unit is one way in which Monash can make a sizeable impact on the community. The number of projects our students participated in demonstrates the critical need for volunteers across the local area.

Moreover, the development of students’ skills and networks highlights the positive impact for volunteers.

As we mark Volunteering Week 2024, we thank existing volunteers for their role in bettering society, but also encourage those who may be a bit hesitant to volunteer to have a go.

As the experiences of our students show, our community benefits as do those who willingly give their time for the common good.