Volunteers remain the muscles behind sporting clubs and organisations getting back on track after the pandemic, according to a new report from Sport Australia’s AusPlay.
Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sport Australia, Rob Dalton said AusPlay’s A focus on volunteering in sport Report identified volunteering as the lifeblood for organised competition.
Mr Dalton said the Report identified an increasing number of volunteer opportunities, particularly for those with a disability, retirees, low-income households and people who spoke a language other than English.
“Without volunteers, sport at the community level doesn’t exist,” he said.
“As a nation, we’re incredibly fortunate to have 2.9 million Australians put up their hand to volunteer and we owe these people a great amount of gratitude for their time and energy.
“But with 8.5 million adults and 3.4 million children participating in organised sport each year, it’s clear that more volunteers are needed to ensure that all Australians who would like to participate in organised sport can do so.”
Mr Dalton said AusPlay’s research found that most volunteers already had a strong connection to their sport, often as participants themselves or through children playing.
The Acting CEO said sports with the most participants also had the most volunteers, led by football/soccer, netball, Australian football and basketball.
“Nearly half (48 per cent) of volunteers are aged 35-54 and 56 per cent of volunteers are men,” he said.
Mr Dalton said the most common non-playing volunteer role was coaching, followed by officiating.
He said that around 774,000 volunteers took on multiple roles and that those roles changed as people aged.
“Our youngest volunteers are almost always taking on the coaching or officiating duties, with administrator or committee member roles most popular in the 55 and over age group,” Mr Dalton said.
AusPlay’s 38-page Report can be accessed at this PS News link.
