tasmania · 2018. 3. 15. · 4 volunteering tasmania state of volunteering report: tasmania 2012...

What does Tasmania’s ageing population mean for volunteerism?

DECEMBER 2012

TASMANIA

2 Volunteering Tasmania State of Volunteering Report: Tasmania 2012 – what does Tasmania’s ageing population mean for volunteerism? Volunteering Tasmania State of Volunteering Report: Tasmania 2012 – what does Tasmania’s ageing population mean for volunteerism? 3

CONTENTSFOREWORD .......................................................................................................................................................3TaSmaNiaN vOluNTEERiNg PROJECTiONS TO 2050 – OuR STaTE ......................................................4TaSmaNiaN vOluNTEERiNg PROJECTiONS TO 2032 – OuR REgiONS ................................................6COmmuNiTY vOiCES ......................................................................................................................................8THE Big PiCTuRE ON vOluNTEERiSm aND OuR agEiNg POPulaTiON............................................10vOluNTEERiSm, OuR agEiNg POPulaTiON aND SOCial iNCluSiON .............................................12vOluNTEERiSm, OuR agEiNg POPulaTiON aND WORKFORCE DEvElOPmENT ...........................14vOluNTEERiSm, OuR agEiNg POPulaTiON aND vOluNTEER maNagEmENT .............................16vOluNTEERiSm, OuR agEiNg POPulaTiON aND DigiTal TECHNOlOgY ......................................18SOvR FuTuRE FOCuS SYmPOSium ............................................................................................................20vOluNTEERiSm aND OuR agEiNg POPulaTiON: RECOmmENDaTiONS ON WaYS FORWaRD ...22WHaT’S NEXT? ................................................................................................................................................23

WhaT iS VolunTeeRing?

volunteering Tasmania (vT) has recently reviewed the definition of volunteering in recognition of the broad nature of such activity within our communities. Following advice from vT’s Social Policy advisory Council and consultations with Tasmanian communities, the following characteristics of volunteering have been agreed.1

Volunteering is an activity that can occur in any setting and has the following characteristics:

· It has a direct benefit to the community and the volunteer (whether the benefit is tangible or intangible);

· It is undertaken by choice;2

· It is unpaid.3 However, the volunteer may receive reasonable or appropriate reimbursement for expenses incurred that are associated with the role and/or may receive a monetary or other incentive/reward.4

1 For more on these characteristics, visit www.volunteeringtas.org.au/2012/07/characteristics.2 Choice is defined as an act of selecting or making a decision when faced with two or more possibilities. 3 The definition of a paid employee is set out in the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth).4 a direct monetary or other incentive/reward could include a tangible item, such as a movie ticket, or an enabling amount of money, for example, a living allowance.

gENERaTiONS: agES aT POiNTS OF aNalYSiS iN THE PROJECT – 2010 TO 2050

generation Born 2010 2012 2022 2032 2050

age age age age age

Builders/Veterans 1925–1945 65–85 67–87 77–97 87–107 105+

Baby Boomers 1946–1964 46–64 48–66 58–76 68–86 86–104

generation X 1965–1979 31–45 33–47 43–57 53–67 71–85

generation Y 1980–1994 16–30 18–32 28–42 38–52 56–70

generation Z 1995–2009 1–15 3–17 13–27 23–37 41–55

generation alpha 2010–2025 0 0–2 0–12 7–22 25–40

SenioRS and TheiR ‘TRiBeS’

Seniors: For this project, senior Tasmanians/australians include our Builder/veteran and Baby Boomer generations, so those aged 48 plus in 2012.

grey nomads refers to people aged 50 plus who undertake an extended period of leisure travel within australia.

Sea and Tree Changers refers to people who migrate out of urban areas into coastal and rural areas.

geneRaTionS

This project considers projected changes in Tasmanian volunteering for generational cohorts as they age and move through their volunteering lives, i.e. projected volunteering changes for Builders/veterans, Baby Boomers and generations X, Y, Z and alpha as they age. The table below with generation birth dates sourced from m. mcCrindle and E. Wolfinger,The ABC of XYZ: Understanding the Global Generations, clarifies who we’re referring to now and in the future when we talk about generations.

epiSodiC VolunTeeRing

Episodic volunteering is volunteering that occurs on a more sporadic, noncommittal basis compared with ‘regular’ volunteering roles. This type of activity is designed to enable potential volunteers to opt in and out of opportunities on a mutually convenient basis. Roles are usually temporary and one-off, or for short term projects. Examples include event/festival volunteers, campaign volunteers and volunteers supporting organisations for one-off projects.

FOREWORD

any views and opinions expressed in this summary report from third party contributors do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of volunteering Tasmania or its members. Contributors to this project are not responsible for the views and opinions expressed by other contributors.

Adrienne Picone (left), CEO, VT and Michelle Ewington, Chair, VT Board

n 2010, Volunteering Tasmania (VT) produced the inaugural State

of Volunteering Report: Tasmania 2010. The report captured local issues and challenges and provided a unique insight into what volunteering looked like at that point in time. What the report illustrated was that volunteering is rewarding for those who participate in it; that there is a need to challenge the stereotypes if volunteering is to flourish; and that we need to start planning now for the future. To mark international Volunteer day 2012, we bring you the State of Volunteering Report: Tasmania 2012, What does Tasmania’s ageing population mean for Volunteerism? (the SoVR 2012). This report sits squarely on the third finding of our inaugural report with its primary focus being to support Tasmania to plan for the impacts of our ageing population on volunteerism. australia’s population is ageing as a result of sustained low fertility and increasing life expectancy and Tasmania’s population is ageing faster than any other australian state or territory. This presents both challenges and opportunities for the volunteer community and understanding the potential impacts is important if we want to respond positively to these changes.

The SOvR 2012 project explores the impact that the ageing population will have on volunteerism and offers ways forward for volunteer-involving organisations, business and government. The research is based on the following questions:

1. What are the volunteering demographics projected to look like in Tasmania in 10, 20 and 38 years up to 2050?

2. What challenges and opportunities do these projected changes raise for volunteering in Tasmania in the next 5, 10 and 20 years? and

3. What recommendations can vT make to policy-makers, service providers and other volunteer-involving organisations in Tasmania to respond to these challenges and opportunities?

To focus the recommendations the SOvR 2012 addresses the research questions through the lens of four broad themes: volunteer management, workforce development, social inclusion and digital technology.

This research began over a year ago when we started the conversation with our Knowledge Partners and potential contributors. in the first half of 2012 during the ‘food for thought’ phase, leading demographer Professor Natalie Jackson produced an analysis of Tasmania’s projected volunteering population and trends; and we looked at what the literature already tells us about volunteerism and an ageing population. Between april and September during the ‘insights’ phase, national and state thinkers, researchers, government, businesses and not-for-profit organisations submitted thought pieces outlining their views about the challenges and opportunities the projected demographics raise for Tasmanian volunteerism. volunteer-involving organisations already successfully planning for our ageing population also submitted profiles on what they’re doing. in addition, we conducted primary research with Tasmanians aged 48 plus via interviews about their future volunteerism needs and volunteer-involving organisations through an online survey on their views about what they need to help them start planning. in October we ‘put our heads together’ at the Future Focus Symposium (the symposium), bringing all of our Knowledge Partners and contributors together for one and a half days to examine all of the evidence and refine a set of preliminary recommendations from the research to take us forward.

This summary report offers an insight into what our ageing population will mean for volunteerism in Tasmania: from the key findings from the volunteering population projections; a summary of the primary research in ‘Community voices’; a big picture look into volunteerism and an ageing population; themed pages showcasing extracts of thought pieces; quotes from Baby Boomers and Builders/veterans; case studies of good practice; and extracts of what we found from our survey with organisations; and what happened at the symposium. lastly, you will find a set of evidence-informed recommendations on ways forward to address the issues.

We believe that this research and the recommendations will have relevance for a range of stakeholders, including Tasmanians of all ages, local peak bodies, volunteer-involving organisations, local to federal policy-makers, local to federal funding bodies, businesses and researchers. as the peak body for volunteerism in Tasmania, our work in building and collecting evidence is very much at the centre of all we do providing the building block for policy, planning and action. it is our hope that the SOvR 2012 offers Tasmania a viable set of strategic recommendations to support the Tasmanian community to plan for an ageing population and volunteerism.

Download the full report at www.volunteeringtas.org.au/ policy-and-research/sovr2012

Compiling and editing: lindsey moffatt and melinda mcClearyDesign: Kelly Eijdenberg Photography: Jack Robert-Tissot

i


18-24 25-34 35-44

45-54 55-64 65+

= 41%

= 40.2% /40.3%

40.3%40.2%

VOLUNTEER RATE(the number of people in Tasmania aged 18 plus out of every 100 people aged 18 plus who are projected to volunteer)

AGE DISTRIBUTION OF ADULT VOLUNTEERS

AND GENERATIONAL CHANGE

(of those who volunteer, the percentage who make up a certain age group)

(of those who volunteer, the percentage who make up certain generations, as they age)

2010

2032

2032

2010

| Bui

lD

ERS/vETERaNS | gEN Y | gEN

X | BaBY B

OO

mER

S

18%

18%

22%

19%

14%

9%

2022

25%

19%

19%

17%

13%

7%

29%

17%18%

17%

12%7%

|

Ba

BY

BO

Om

ERS/

vETERaNS | gEN Z | gEN Z | g

EN Y |

gEN X

gEN alPHa +

vOluNTEERiNg PROJECTiONS TO 2050 – OuR STaTE

iF TaSmaNia’S CuRRENT vOluNTEERiNg BEHaviOuR CONTiNuES...

Professor Natalie Jackson, National Institute of Demographic and Economic Analysis, University of Waikato

hat might Tasmania’s

future volunteering supply look like

and what ages might our future volunteers be? To answer these questions, vT engaged leading demographer Professor Natalie Jackson to complete an analysis of projections of the Tasmanian volunteering population up to 2050. Natalie was previously Director of the Demographic analytical Services unit at the university of Tasmania. most of Natalie’s research has focussed on the different drivers and patterns of population ageing across australia and New Zealand.

The projections indicate future numbers and rates of volunteers in the Tasmanian adult population (those aged 18 plus) and the age distribution of those volunteers. They cover formal volunteering only, in other words activities which occur through an organisation or group. The projections are based on 2010 volunteering rates in the Tasmanian adult population taken from the australian Bureau of Statistics’ Voluntary Work, Australia 2010 survey.

iN 2010Our older Tasmanians led the way in volunteering...

Of Tasmania’s 158,377 to 160,302-strong adult volunteering population in 2010, Baby Boomers made up 40% of all volunteers; and Builders/veterans comprised another 18%. generation X accounted for 19% of volunteers, and generation Y for the remaining 23% of all Tasmanian adult volunteers.

TO 2050There’ll be more people volunteering, particularly more people aged 65 plus...

volunteer numbers in Tasmania are projected to increase from now until 2050 across the state, to between 182,500 and 233,000, possibly slowing down from the 2032 projected numbers of between 181,500 to 201,000 after Tasmania is projected to reach a population peak in the 2030s. These projected trends reflect that the total Tasmanian adult population is generally projected to increase and, in addition, age considerably.

But the proportion of us volunteering will decline...

The percentage of the Tasmanian adult population volunteering is projected to decline slightly from 41% in 2010 to 40.2% by 2032.

By 2032, Tasmanian volunteers are projected to age considerably, as our Baby Boomers continue to boom, but Generation Y begin to overtake as a ‘generation’...

The most significant projected changes to the volunteer population occur in the middle to older age groups (by then, our older generation Y and Baby Boomers), reflecting Tasmania’s ageing population, with some minor changes in the younger age groups.

Tasmanians aged 65 plus are projected to dominate our volunteering as an age group, making up to 29% of our volunteers in the next 20 years whereas the percentage of volunteers aged 45 to 54 (our older generation Y by 2032) is projected to decline across the state over the next 20 years.

By 2032, generation Y (by then aged 35 to 54), are projected to make up 35% of Tasmania’s volunteers, just overtaking Baby Boomers as the largest ‘generational cohort’.

W

(the number of Tasmanians aged 18 plus projected to volunteer)VOLUNTEER NUMBERS2010 2022 2032 2050

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

158 377 160 302 171 901 182 234 181 402 200 882 182 556 232 809

iNCREaSE FROm 2010: 8.5% 13.7% 14.5% 25.3% 15.1% 45.8%

aD

ulT

vO

luN

TEE

RS

PRO

JEC

TED

Nu

mB

ER

OF medium

assumptionsSERIES B

high assumptionsSERIES A

The projections are based on two sets of underlying assumptions regarding fertility, mortality and migration rates. This leads to two sets of data: series a (high set of assumptions) and series B (medium set of assumptions).


18-24

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65+

AGE PROPORTIONS OF VOLUNTEERS

AND GENERATIONAL CHANGE

(of those who volunteer, the percentage who make up a certain age group)

(of those who volunteer, the percentage who make up certain generations, as they age)

2010 2022 2032

2010 2022 2032

18-24

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65+

% OF TASMANIAN VOLUNTEERS IN THIS AGE GROUP

GREATER HOBART

SOUTHERN REGION

MERSEY -LYELL

REGION

GREATER NORTHERN

REGION

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

715

2122

1817

1113

1722

1919

912

1722

1920

GEN Y GEN Y

GEN X BABY BOOMERS

BABY BOOMERS BUILDERS/VETERANS

GEN Y GEN Y

GEN X BABY BOOMERS


GEN Y GEN Y

GEN X BABY BOOMERS

BABY BOOMERS BUILDERS/VETERANS BABY BOOMERS/VETERANS

BABY BOOMERS/VETERANS

BABY BOOMERS/VETERANS

6

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 0 5 10 15 20 25 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 350 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

141919

1823

913

151919

25

813

1518

2027

6

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

136

1818

1728

912

161717

30

811

1517

1832

GEN Z GEN Z

GEN Y GEN Y

GEN X

GEN Z GEN Z

GEN Y GEN Y GEN X

GEN Z GEN Z

GEN Y GEN Y GEN X

6

VOLUNTEER RATE (the number of Tasmanians aged 18 plus out of every 100 people aged 18 plus who are projected to volunteer in each Tasmanian region)

2010 2032

SOURCE: Prof N. Jackson, 2012. Volunteer projections use DCAC (2008) medium series data with ABS (2010) Voluntary Work Australia data.

AGE PROPORTIONS OF VOLUNTEERS

AND GENER-ATIONAL CHANGE

(of those who volunteer*, the percentage who make up a certain age group)

(of those who volunteer*, the percentage who make up certain generations, as they age)

2010 2022 2032

18-24

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65+

SOURCE: Prof N. Jackson, 2012. Volunteer projections use DCAC (2008) medium and high series data with ABS (2010) Voluntary Work Australia data.

VOLUNTEER NUMBERS(the number of people in Tasmania aged 18+ who are predicted to volunteer* in each Tasmanian region)

Greater Hobart Southern Region

PRO

JEC

TED

NU

MB

ER

OF

VO

LUN

TEE

RS

Mersey-Lyell (North West) Region Greater Northern Region

2010 2022 2032 2010 2022 2032 2010 2022 2032

VOLUNTEER RATE(the number of people in Tasmania aged 18+ out of every 100 people aged 18+ who are predicted to volunteer* in each Tasmanian region) SOURCE: Prof N. Jackson, 2012. Volunteer projections use DCAC (2008) medium and high series data with ABS (2010) Voluntary Work Australia data.

= 43.6% = 42.7%

2010 2032

43.6%43.5%

42.8%42.7%

= 40.9%Greater Hobart Southern Region

Mersey-Lyell Region

Greater Northern Region

= 40.3%

INCREASE FROM 2010: 9.8% 14.7% 17% 27.3% 5.9% 10.7% 8.7% 19% 9.4% 13.7% 15.4% 27.5%

high assumptions

medium assumptions

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

Volu

ntee

ring

Pop

ulat

ion

Proj

ecti

ons

201

0–20

32, b

y N

atal

ie J

acks

on (2

012)

STAT

S AT

A G

LAN

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– RE

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O D F O R T H O U G H T *For the purposes of the projections, a volunteer is defined as someone aged 18 or over who willingly gave unpaid help, in the form of time, service or skills, to or through an organisation or group.

% OF TASMANIAN VOLUNTEERS IN THIS AGE GROUP

GREATER HOBART

SOUTHERN REGION

MERSEY -LYELL

REGION

GREATER NORTHERN

REGION

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

715

2122

1817

1113

1722

1919

912

1722

1920

GEN Y GEN Y

GEN X BABY BOOMERS


GEN Y GEN Y

GEN X BABY BOOMERS


GEN Y GEN Y

GEN X BABY BOOMERS


6

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 0 5 10 15 20 25 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 350 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

141919

1823

913

151919

25

813

1518

2027

6

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

136

1818

1728

912

161717

30

811

1517

1832

GEN Z GEN Z

GEN Y GEN Y

GEN X BB + VETS

GEN Z GEN Z

GEN Y GEN Y GEN X

BB + VETS

GEN Z GEN Z

GEN Y GEN Y GEN X

BB + VETS

6

ww

w.v

olun

teer

ingt

as.o

rg.a

u/po

licy-

and-

rese

arch

/sov

r201

2

74 8

85

75 7

52

87 5

97

96 4

26

37 0

18

37 4

12

39 2

11

41 4

16

40 2

44

44 5

36

47 5

53

48 8

46

52 0

40

55 5

33

54 8

57

61 4

38

82 1

95

86 9

10

NORTH -WEST

-

North-West Region

= 43.6% = 42.7%

43.6%43.5%

42.8%42.7%

= 40.9% = 40.3%-

VOLUNTEER NUMBERS (the number of Tasmanians aged 18 plus who are projected to volunteer in each Tasmanian region)

vOluNTEERiNg PROJECTiONS TO 2032 – OuR REgiONS

iF TaSmaNia’S CuRRENT vOluNTEERiNg BEHaviOuR CONTiNuES...

TO 2032

TaSmaNiaN REgiONS

All our regions are projected to see an increase in the number of volunteers, but a decrease in the rate of people volunteering to 2032...

The projections indicate the smallest increase in the number of adults volunteering in the North- West region (8.7 to 19%), where the population will have the highest proportion of older Tasmanians. The greatest increase in volunteer numbers is projected in the youngest region of greater Hobart-Southern (17 to 27.3%), or in the greater Northern region (15 to 27.5%).

The rate of volunteering is also projected to vary, declining the most in the North-West (by 2.1%) and the least in greater Hobart-Southern (by between 1.4 and 1.6%).

Our regions’ volunteering populations are all projected to age, but age differently...

The North-West region is projected to experience the most extreme age changes in volunteer profiles, and have the oldest volunteering profile with 32% of volunteers aged 65 plus (by then, our Baby Boomers) and a large decline in the percentage of volunteers who are 45 to 54 (our older generation Y), with the greater Hobart-Southern region projected to experience the least change and the youngest profile of volunteers (with 28% of volunteers aged 65 plus).

Generation Y will overtake Baby Boomers as the largest generational proportion of volunteers, except in the North-West and the North, which is projected to see the highest proportion of Generation Z and Alpha volunteers..

generation Y are projected to overtake Baby Boomers as the dominant generational cohort of volunteers in Tasmania’s southern and northern regions, particularly in greater Hobart-Southern, making up 36% of southern volunteers, whereas they will equal Baby

Boomers in the North-West (making up 30% of northern volunteers each). But the greater Northern region is projected to have the highest proportion of generation Z and alpha volunteers, making up 21% of volunteers.

TaSmaNiaN lOCal gOvERNmENT aREaS

Changes to Local Government Area (LGA) volunteer numbers will vary enormously, but all LGAs will have more volunteers aged 65 plus. Volunteering rates will decline in all LGAs, except in Hobart...

lga change to 2032 is projected to vary enormously, from a projected decline in volunteer numbers in some areas (our islands, Central Highlands and Dorset), to up to a 50% and 69% increase in volunteer numbers in others (Sorell and Brighton respectively). But all lgas are projected to see an increase in volunteers aged 65 and over. and volunteer rates are projected to decline everywhere, except for Hobart.

medium assumptionsSERIES B

high assumptionsSERIES A

aD

ulT

vO

luN

TEE

RS

PRO

JEC

TED

Nu

mB

ER

OF

iNCREaSE FROm 2010: 9.8% 14.7% 17% 27.3% 5.9% 10.7% 8.7% 19% 9.4% 13.7% 15.4% 27.5%

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

74 8

85

75 7

52

87 5

97

96 4

26

37 0

18

37 4

12

39 2

11

41 4

16

40 2

44

44 5

36

47 5

53

48 8

46

52 0

40

55 5

33

54 8

57

61 4

38

82 1

95

86 9

10

Greater Hobart-Southern Region North-West Region Greater Northern Region

2010 2022 2032 2010 2022 2032 2010 2022 2032


I enjoy singing and zumba at the 50 and Better Centre. Difference? Makes life happier. DonalD, retireD, 75–84

MaRgaReT and allan leeSon

65–74, retired, Burnie

did you plan to stay active in your retirement?allan: i guess physical activity has never really been in the forefront... i’m mainly concerned with being mentally active, given that you hear so many stories about people retiring and sort of vegetating.

margaret: We hope to go away for winter…But as far as i’m concerned, i’ll still be volunteering in 5 years, as long as i’m alive!

do you volunteer in your community?allan: We volunteer at the Tasmanian visitor information Network Centre. We volunteer in maintaining a pool of cruise ship guides...my wife says...we’re doing as much now probably as we ever did and more...but not being paid for it!

margaret: …allan and i keep the pool of tour guides for this area., because otherwise they’d bring them from Hobart and launceston. and we wanted to keep the money here, so we do that voluntarily…i’m at The makers Workshop… and also…on the Tourism association Board…and at Burnie Ten.

allan: …. i’ve been in Rotaries mainly helping others...That’s really the advantage of service clubs: the networking, fellowship and the opportunity to help other people…We belong to several organisations, which is not necessarily volunteering, but it’s keeping in touch, it’s cross pollinating and keeping the mind active as well and maintaining that interest in the community...

Why do you volunteer?allan: The silly answer is i can’t help myself! But i think it’s the satisfaction... the involvement. and it’s probably one of the advantages of living in a small community...you become more involved in a community because you know you can’t hide. … Businesswise, you’ve been working 14 hours a day, 7-day rosters and suddenly you’re on the side of the road. it’s a big change, isn’t it? You don’t just go home and sit on a couch.

margaret: i just love being with people and getting to know people…The working at the information Centre filled a great void after leaving work...Our kids had left home, so i clacked around in the house. Well, i thought, my brain’s going to die living up here.

how would you find out about volunteering roles in future? margaret: i’d go to the information Centre and ask there…it’s a small community,...word of mouth gets around quite easily… i do use the internet, [but]…a lot of pensioners can’t afford a computer...nor all the different Windows and everything else that need to be on it, downloaded onto your computer. all that costs money.

allan: i’ve never consciously gone out to volunteer…

CoTa ChaMpionS: talking to Tasmanians aged 48 plus

www.cotatas.org.au

COTa Tasmania Champions are volunteers who listen to the needs and issues of older Tasmanians in their local communities. This information is then provided to COTa Tasmania to inform its work in being the voice for older Tasmanians. This initiative currently operates in the municipalities of Hobart, Kingborough, Southern midlands and the Huon valley.

To conduct the research with Tasmanians aged 48 plus, vT partnered with COTa Tasmania and the Champions to undertake research in the four municipalities. The Champions took a lead role in finding and interviewing research participants. The involvement of the Champions contributed significantly to the success of the process and in understanding what the needs and expectations of our older Tasmanians in relation to volunteering are.

We haven’t needed services... We’ve always been on the giving side, rather than the receiving side.DaviD, retireD, 65–74

It is really important when you get to a certain age – over 40 say – that you do give back to the community. When you were younger – you were looking after family or establishing yourself. As you get older, to give back, or do stuff that you really enjoy doing for nothing, you have the ability then to do it. And it becomes very important for how you feel about the world. Simon, Self employeD, 48–54

Well, I hope to be able to look after myself. But if there was a need, I’d probably have someone to vacuum for me. I’d probably need someone to garden, but I’d have to supervise! Sarah, retireD, 75–84

Through [my formal volunteering], I’ve made lots of friends…and some need help occasionally. For example, one of my friends was going in for a cataract operation, so I offered to drive him…That’s volunteering, but you don’t count it…It’s reciprocal….There are a couple of people who…are fairly elderly and they like to have a bit of a chat. So I don’t mind going round, having a cup of tea; they’re all country women and they’re all great cooks, so I get to taste whatever has come out of the oven. So there’s something in it for me too…But there are a number of people in the community who know that I’m there if they need a helping hand, so they would phone.KriStie, retireD, 55–64

COmmuNiTY vOiCES

Lindsey Moffatt, SOVR 2012 Project Manager

o find out what our

community needs and expectations are, we conducted interviews

with Tasmanians aged 48 plus (in partnership with lindsey Moffatt and CoTa Tasmania) and published an online survey for volunteer-involving organisations. For Tasmanians aged 48 plus, the purpose was to find out what their needs and expectations of community services and volunteerism are in the future. For volunteer-involving organisations, we wanted to find out what they’re already doing about planning and providing for an ageing population and, if they are not already doing so, what they need to help them plan effectively.

I benefit by the Walking Group. I find that the next day, I can get up and go better. And I push myself to do my walks on my own each day...[I enjoy] the companionship and all the different people you meet. Sarah, retireD, 75–84

T

Mof

fatt

with

VT,

201

2

Mof

fatt

with

VT,

201

2

WhaT TaSManianS aged 48 pluS Told uS

in partnership with COTa’s Champions, we spoke with 50 of our Tasmanian Baby Boomers and veterans to understand their current experiences and future expectations for community services (leisure, healthcare, other community services). 30 of the 50 interviews conducted were analysed to offer emerging patterns.

Without exception, our seniors based their lives around three principles:

GivingConsistently, respondents were involved in more informal volunteering in their local communities than formal volunteering – currently, in the past 12 months and 5 years.

For some, informal support of friends and family was the main form of volunteering.

in terms of formal volunteering, our seniors covered the spread from volunteering as a means of socialising to developing communities.

Maintaining independencemaintaining mental activity was the priority for all seniors interviewed. However, as with physical and social activity, this was usually seen as something you do as part of your routine as a ‘lifestyle choice’, rather than something you specifically ‘plan’ to do in retirement.

Active aged careThe need for community services amongst this sample was linked primarily to maintaining their capacity to remain independent. 70 to 75 was the commonly expected ‘tipping point’, at which point people expected to access more services to help them maintain independent living. But those over that age who remain independent show that those goal posts may shift.

WhaT VolunTeeR-inVolVing oRganiSaTionS Told uS

1 in 3 organisations have considered the impacts of our ageing population on their organisation.

Overall, nearly 1 in 5 organisations were addressing it. 2 in 3 felt they need to do more.

Organisations said their priorities were:

· sustaining organisational funding

· workforce recruitment and skills (paid and unpaid)

· ageing population and workforce (paid and unpaid)

· professionalisation and compliance

· ageing clients

· accessibility of services

· loss of skills from the workforce

· the challenge of recruiting younger people

See each theme for more details of what our volunteer-involving organisations are doing and the support they need to plan and provide for our ageing population.

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volunteered for an organisation?

given help to anyone on an informal basis without pay?

at the moment, or in the last 12 months, have you volunteered on a formal or informal basis? (% of respondents)

No, neither

Yes, in the last 12

months

Yes, now

0 4020 60 80 100

7

27

67

67

50

80

I’d like to be independent and sort myself out as long as possible.Joe, employeD, 48–54

These are emerging findings from a sample of 57 interviews. So these findings do not aim to be representative of our Tasmanian volunteer-involving organisations. They are designed to give an indication of the themes resulting from community conversations.

The survey will continue to run until the end of February 2013. This will enable vT to check the emerging findings against a broader sample.

Thinking I’m a glass half full person, no. I won’t need any help. I’m going to do it myself and still help other people! elSie, retireD, 65–74

WhaT TaSManianS aged 48 pluS Told uS


volunteering is not simply about ‘free labour’; it’s about delivering worthy social outcomes; and it’s about drawing-in volunteers into the mainstream of modern society. The external threats to social harmony may not be today what they were in the early 20th century but there is no less a requirement to galvanise the nation into a socially cohesive and caring community. That is the value of volunteering and it is required equally in Tasmania as it is elsewhere. and not just to help the needy but also as one of the foundations to a caring and resilient society.

Professor Natalie Jackson’s volunteering population projections shows the baseline volunteering that we can expect and plan to manage in the future.

But wouldn’t Tasmania be an even better place if the projections were proven to be grossly understated even within a decade? By all means plan for this outcome but manoeuvre, lobby and think about a society where even more people volunteer. That’s the Tasmania that i want; indeed that’s the australia that i want for the future.

...Keeping people engaged with volunteering will require us to understand the shifting individual and group interests that lead to the desire to volunteer, and that reinforce this desire when volunteering occurs. In addition we need to understand the factors that enable the act of volunteering and be vigilant to ensure that political, economic or social factors do not prevent or limit peoples’ ability to volunteer. Dr ChriStine Stirling, aSSoCiate Dean of graDuate reSearCh – SChool of nurSing anD miDwifery, univerSity of taSmania

Veteran and Baby Boomer generations: Volunteering Challenges for our Older TasmaniansProfessor Jeni Warburton, John Richards Chair of Rural Aged Care Research, La Trobe University

australian studies (Warburton, Paynter and Petriwskyj, 2007 and Warburton, Smith-merry and michaels, 2012) highlight four main challenges facing older current and potential volunteers.

1. The new organisational environmenta key challenge is that of structural factors associated with the new organisational environment including perceived over-regulation, red tape, inadequate management and support, off-putting recruitment processes, occupational health and safety requirements and police checks.

2. Stereotypes another challenge relates to assumptions about older people as volunteers. Older people have a diverse range of interests, skills and experience as with any other age group, and organisations need to ensure that potential volunteers are not pigeon-holed.

3. Flexibility The third key challenge is flexibility. Older people, and particularly perhaps Baby Boomers, are looking for flexibility in their later lives. They are seeking short term project type volunteering in between visiting family interstate or hitting the road as grey Nomads.

4. Challenging scenarios lastly, there are specific challenges for volunteers who work directly with clients who may be needy, disadvantaged, disabled, or older and more frail.

RelaTionShipS WiTh VolunTeeRing aCRoSS ouR geneRaTionS

Generations X and Y: Volunteering Challenges for the Options GenerationDr Julia Verdouw, Associate Lecturer; School of Sociology and Social Work, University of Tasmania

The Options generation (mackay, 2007) includes those born from the 1970’s through to the turn of the century (also known as generations X and Y). This cohort faces altered social conditions from previous cohorts in ways that will continue in the future to impact their lives well beyond youth (Wyn and Woodman, 2006).

Over the next three or more decades, the Options generation will be moving towards what is often viewed as a more stable period of middle adult life, another factor impacting volunteering patterns (gray et al, 2012). For example, having school aged children is a clear influence on higher volunteering rates in school and sports-related organisations (australian Bureau of Statistics, 2006). However it is critically important to note that the values of the Options generation will continue to shape and influence volunteering behaviour into their middle adult lives.

There are already clear indicators of how the values, attitudes and behaviours of the Options generation influence their current volunteer behaviour (adams, 2009; Boessler and Ding, 2010; NvSC, 2007). volunteers amongst the Options generation value flexible, short-term/project based volunteer roles. They seek meaningful work that empowers them through contribution and has tangible outcomes. it is also important that through volunteering, the Options generation can build their skills, expand social networks and provide positive social interaction. This generation also highly values work-life balance, and volunteering needs to facilitate this in positive ways.

Generations Y and Z: Volunteering Challenges for Young TasmaniansNaomi Marsh, Project Officer, Youth Network of Tasmania

The Youth Network of Tasmania (YNOT) firmly believes

that young people remain engaged and passionate about participating in the Tasmanian community. However, there have been some new trends among young people and volunteering in recent decades that impact on young Tasmanians’ volunteering behaviours. One particular trend that YNOT has witnessed is that increasingly young people are time-poor as they are balancing study, work and many other commitments including volunteer involvement with a number of groups and organisations. The impact of having so many commitments means that even the most passionate volunteer may not be able to offer regular volunteer support. Fortunately, YNOT has found that when young people find themselves in this position, rather than giving up their volunteer involvement they are still willing to be involved, just in new and innovative ways. For example, young people are interested in donating time and energy to ‘one-off’ projects, rather than prolonged commitment. This could include assisting or participating in an organisation’s events or activities such as being one-off ‘gophers’ at events and doing odd jobs to ensure that events run smoothly.

THE Big PiCTuRE ON vOluNTEERiSm aND OuR agEiNg POPulaTiON

Changes to visions of volunteers will over time work to change the composition of the volunteer workforce. For example, promoting volunteers as ‘good citizens’, as ‘agents of change’, or as ‘staff’ will attract individuals with different prioritised interests to the services (Stirling, 2007). In a similar manner, governments can also over time influence who contributes as a volunteer. If policies and discourses create shifts in general societal values to the degree where collective concerns become prominent and are supported as a normative value, then there may be a growing pool of collectively focused individuals from which organisations can recruit”. Dr ChriStine Stirling, aSSoCiate Dean of graDuate reSearCh – SChool of nurSing anD miDwifery, univerSity of taSmania

Volunteers need to be understood as a diverse group of individuals with some collective interests based around their volunteer roles and any other shared life circumstances such as their location. Volunteer interests may include collective interests such as resources for delivering local services. Other more personal interests may include career opportunities, social capital, and status. Interests such as self-esteem reflect more emotional concerns, but even material interests, including economic, social and cultural capital, should not be considered purely in resource terms. Instead, the complexity of interests should be understood in terms of individuals’ fulfilling their personal priorities. Dr ChriStine Stirling, aSSoCiate Dean of graDuate reSearCh – SChool of nurSing anD miDwifery, univerSity of taSmania

olunteerism presents many opportunities to enhance our

communities and the lives of all Tasmanians as our population ages. Volunteering can facilitate social opportunities and community participation, improve health and wellbeing outcomes and support workforce development for all those who participate. Volunteerism therefore has a key role to play in easing the pressures of an ageing population across all aspects of our lives.volunteering will be a key part of service delivery for an ageing population, such as aged care services and social opportunities. There are also product needs for the market to respond to, to aid volunteer management, in areas such as communication, volunteer matching, and sector-specific equipment, that will be a key part of ensuring Tasmanian volunteering is appropriate and effective for its metropolitan, regional and rural population.

vT asked Bernard Salt to reflect on the importance of volunteering for Tasmania’s future in response to Professor Natalie Jackson’s volunteering projections. Bernard is a leading commentator and advisor on consumer, cultural and demographic trends, and has an established reputation as a trend forecaster.

Why volunteering matters in modern societyBernard Salt, KPMG Partner

i have a simple but important proposition. and that is that ‘volunteering’, the act

of giving without financial reward to a greater cause, is the single most important factor that drives successful communities within australia and most likely beyond. Not only that but i also argue that the role and importance of volunteering is increasing as the 21st century advances.

in the first half of the 20th century volunteering was not the integral part of society that it is today. This is partly because there was no extensive middle class with the time and the means to make a social contribution. in the 1930s and 1940s during the adversity of the great Depression and World War Two (WWii) communities were naturally bound together by external threats: neighbour helped neighbour; there was a community esprit de corps that galvanised the community to ensure survival and even victory.

in the decades that followed the war the values and the culture that was forged during those years prevailed within the Frugal generation that spawned the Baby Boomers. Prosperity and peace over subsequent decades enabled households to comfortably and confidently pursue individualistic goals; the need for and the very idea of working together as a community for survival and for victory dissipated.

later in the 20th century as ideas of income tax and social welfare evolved there emerged large swathes of metropolitan australia where migrants, displaced workers, the indigenous and others struggling to find their place in society gathered. This modern incarnation of an underclass is more likely to be quite widely spread across the community requiring broad geographic support systems.

Tasmania is slightly different in that the less fortunate segment exists—for example in the unemployed and those with disabilities – but not in large concentrations (australian Bureau of Statistics Census, 2011).

No local government area in Tasmania in may this year had an unemployment rate in excess of 11 per cent. and no community contains a population where more than 12 per cent report a core disability. There may not be the aggregations of disadvantage but there is instead a ‘dull ache’ that pervades most Tasmanian communities.

What this means is that a grass-roots culture of volunteering in all parts and in all communities in Tasmania is in fact the best way to develop and exercise resilience with regard to these matters. Yes, programs should be developed to reduce unemployment and to manage disabilities and incorporate the indigenous and migrant communities into the mainstream but a concurrent and supportive volunteering program delivers support through a culture of giving.

in the latter part of the 20th century it could be said that the community esprit de corps dissipated in australia as peace and prosperity enabled the rising middle-class to get on with the business of household formation, growth and development. What australian society required increasingly at this time and perhaps more even so than ever in the years since WWii was a binding force capable of forging a culture of community support. it is within this context that modern volunteering emerged as a legitimate use of middle-class time and therefore as a powerful force in binding a community together.

in the absence of a common enemy, within a culture of individual aspirationalism and most importantly within an economy where there are winners and losers, there is now more than ever a need for volunteering. volunteers deliver support and services at minimal cost to those in need and as such are integral to the smooth operation of today’s community. But there is another benefit to volunteering. This is the notion that volunteering not only delivers a service and a socially beneficial outcome but it also binds the individual volunteers into the community.

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4. Compulsory volunteering

Compulsory volunteering might sound like an oxymoron, but it’s happening all around us. in the united Kingdom, compulsory volunteering for young people is a part of the government’s Big Society strategy. This trend is underpinned by the idea that citizens have a moral obligation to volunteer in their community.

5. The rise and rise of social enterprises

Social enterprises are commercial ventures where the purpose of the commerce is the creation of social value rather than private wealth. These types of ventures can be an important source of revenue to sustain some types of volunteering.

6. The growth of civic volunteering

Civic volunteering can be broadly described as volunteering for community leadership, to influence decision-making and to maintain community standards. ‘Place and issue’ civic volunteering networks are growing rapidly and increasingly. in Tasmania we have seen this recently around forestry issues and the school closure debate. The location of the concept of civil volunteering within the traditional volunteer framework is at best blurred, as civic volunteering can be formal and may involve remuneration.

7. The regulatory society

The regulatory overlay on volunteering has been growing over the past twenty years, resulting in a range of expectations relating to workplace standards (eg occupational health and safety and fiscal management). This increasing regulatory overlay and tendency towards consolidation of agencies bring with them challenges around connectivity to local communities, local responsiveness and increasing cost burdens.

8. The de-professionalisation of service systems

The rebuilding of civil society by volunteers to replace a ‘nanny state’ is a major priority of conservative governments around the world. While many of the service systems now provided by professionals were originally delivered by volunteers, much of the evidence suggests that reliance on volunteers means that people and areas facing social exclusion risks are likely to end up with fewer and lower-quality services than other areas.

The implications outlined above create a ‘wash’ over all current policy settings and demographic changes occurring in Tasmania. as a social institution, volunteering is now likely to be pushed into the mainstream of public policy as it becomes a critical resource to parliaments and communities simultaneously grappling with uncertainty, complexity and austerity.

Local government and volunteering Dr Katrena Stephenson (left), Policy Director, and Kate Hiscock, Senior Policy Officer, Local Government Association of Tasmania

local government is a key supporter and facilitator of social inclusion, and a vital part of Tasmania’s volunteering fabric. The effects of an ageing population and its impact on volunteering patterns (among other things) is something already being experienced by Tasmanian councils. it is clear that local government and volunteering fit well together, and that there are mutual dependencies and benefits. volunteers benefit through the support of their councils as well as access to networks, and councils benefit through increased resources to assist in the delivery of the diverse range of services expected of them by other governments and their community. Continuing to ensure positive relationships between councils, volunteers and volunteer-involving organisations will best allow the challenges and opportunities of an ageing population to be effectively addressed.

SCouTS auSTRalia – TaSManian BRanCh: engaging older people to help generations learn from each other

www.tas.scouts.com.au

The aim of Scouts australia is to encourage the physical, intellectual, social, emotional and spiritual development of young people so that they may take a constructive place in society as responsible citizens, and as members of their local, national and international communities. The Tasmanian Scouts currently engages more than 600 volunteers across a wide variety of roles.

Older volunteers have made a major and growing contribution to the organisation and without their contribution many aspects of Scouts would struggle to continue. Scouts continues to engage its older volunteers as Scouts leaders. in addition, Scouts engages its past leaders as a source of support to younger front-line leaders and in a variety of positions that match their skills and interest, such as serving on committees and running radio events. Older volunteers achieve a great deal of satisfaction from continuing their contribution and to be able to share information and skills with youth members.

consulting their commun-ities on future service needs

analysing future client needs

targeting service delivery at older clients

providing projects that bring generations together

in addition, one in six organisations plan to encourage intergenerational and intercultural understanding through volunteering.

The common ways in which volunteer-involving organisations plan to address Tasmania’s ageing population through service delivery:


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vOluNTEERiSm, OuR agEiNg POPulaTiON aND SOCial iNCluSiON

ocial inclusion is the idea that everyone should have access to

the resources and relations that make life healthy, happy and productive. Formal and informal volunteering, and volunteer-delivered services, play a key role in connecting people into their communities. We need to ensure our expanding number of older Tasmanians can participate in their local communities and maintain positive social identities. We also need to encourage our generations to mix, learn from and understand each other to develop cohesive communities. We need to encourage volunteering and volunteer-delivered services to enable both to flourish.

VT asked our Knowledge partners to consider the challenges and opportunities within these issues for the future of Tasmania’s volunteering.

The future of Tasmanian volunteering, including the global trends and local implicationsProfessor David Adams, former Social Inclusion Commissioner for Tasmania

Tasmania is facing an unprecedented time of transition both in our society and our economy. most of the key features of change are now well understood, for example the relatively rapid ageing of the population. The future of volunteering in Tasmania is already being shaped now by these transition conditions and the broader trends behind them. Outlined here are eight of the implications for volunteering and some observations on each. The challenge for Tasmania is to be able to understand each of these complex implications (including their interdependencies) and work out how to ensure they become opportunities rather than risks.

1. Splicing and dicing of volunteering

Our lives are increasingly episodic rather than linear, for example we have many jobs and homes throughout our lives rather than one job and home for life. Similarly, volunteering is increasingly becoming a series of episodes throughout life and across a range of interests. This trend presents remarkably different management and co-ordination challenges for volunteer-involving organisations.

2. Virtual volunteering

Support services which used to be provided face-to-face or via telephone are increasingly being delivered through new technology platforms. This trend removes the geographical boundaries of volunteering and provides many opportunities and risks, for example the opportunity for online peer support to reach into excluded and isolated communities.

3. The merging of paid and unpaid work

The boundaries between employment and volunteering are blurring, with the provision of direct or in-kind remuneration creeping back into the concept of volunteering. The concept of volunteering being ‘unpaid’ is once again being challenged as our ideas about work and age, and work and community participation, evolve.

JunCTion aRTS FeSTiVal: bringing all ages together

www.junctionartsfestival.com.au

Junction arts Festival (Junction), held in launceston in august each year, is a young multi-arts festival featuring five days and nights of playful, interactive and ambitious contemporary art, music and performance. Junction has a particular focus on work that places the audience at the centre of the experience, through performances that invite active involvement by audiences, and installations outdoors in public spaces that enliven the physical and cultural landscape of launceston. Through these the festival purposefully brings together older and younger community members to work together and connect with artists.

The festival is a mostly free, accessible, family-friendly and inclusive event that focuses on creating dramatic experiences for all community members. Junction hosts a volunteering program that similarly encourages and supports participants of all ages encouraging intergenerational collaboration within the community. The 2012 festival engaged 93 volunteers with ages spanning from 16 through to 69. The festival’s older volunteers value the empowerment and opportunity to contribute to their community, while younger volunteers value the opportunity to gain knowledge from their senior counterparts.

S I’d like to think that if I got a bit doddery, I’d have someone that I could trust come round and take me for a walk or a drive...because, once you get into a home, you’re institutionalised. elSie, retireD, 65–74

[When I moved here], I didn’t know anybody and [volunteering] was the only way that I could make contact...That was the hardest thing. Then it grew, as I got to know more people...through various places. CeCilia, retireD, 65–74

Well I think an awful lot of what we do is learnt behaviour. And I’ve watched my parents helping others in the community and my grandparents doing something similar I don’t think you can become a volunteer unless in your heart you want to be a volunteer. I think it’s role modeled. You’re either part of a community where you see other people helping others. But if you’ve been brought up in a situation where it’s every man for himself, you’re not aware there are other people who have needs to be met. It’s all very well for organisations to advertise for volunteers, but you’ve got to want to. KirStie, retireD, 55–64


TaSMania FiRe SeRViCe: strategically planning for its volunteer-force

www.fire.tas.gov.au

The Tasmania Fire Service (TFS) is a dynamic and diverse organisation. it undertakes a wide range of tasks to prevent and respond to fires and other emergencies. The TFS has about 5000 members, both male and female, in about 225 stations around the state. its members include about 250 career staff and over 4700 volunteers. its volunteers carry out a wide variety of tasks including responding to emergencies and working with their communities to reduce or respond to fire-related risks. volunteer roles include firefighting, administration, training, logistics, brigade management, community engagement and much more. To plan ahead for an ageing population, the TFS has developed a range of strategies including having a structured approach to improving volunteer recruitment and retention. Since about 2005, key aspects of TFS’s approach have included faster and more effective ‘on-boarding’ of volunteers, emphasising and recognising more flexible and diverse volunteer membership options, placing TFS’s organisational values at the centre of ‘how we do things’, developing leadership at all levels and better matching tasks to people’s capabilities to promote members’ welfare. TFS’s approach has had a positive impact on its volunteer workforce, with volunteer membership growing by about 1% from 2008 to 2011 and membership being significantly younger than the general adult Tasmanian population.

Data showing an ageing population really only tells us that, on average, the potential volunteer pool is getting older. Beyond this, there are considerable uncertainties around what this might mean for the future of volunteering. Most likely it will mean that there are more relatively healthy people unburdened by the obligation to engage in paid work. Even here [though] there remains a lot of scope for different effects and outcomes depending on future patterns of older age employment. peter orpin, Senior reSearCh fellow, univerSity of taSmania

Photo: Shayne Andrews

The nexus: a brief consideration of the Tasmanian context

There are at least two potentially unique conditions within the Tasmanian context that may influence the effectiveness of intergenerational knowledge transfer through volunteering and mentoring.

The first of these is the observation that Tasmania has, for many years, experienced lower levels of formal educational attainment. a number of older Tasmanians would naturally fall into this category. Whilst not discounting the depth and range of knowledge and experience inherent in many older Tasmanians, the matter

of what knowledge is being shared, and the ‘quality’ of that knowledge, must be considered seriously.

The second condition is the current or future relevance of the skills or knowledge being transferred. This condition is specifically focused upon the so-called ‘hard skills’. The Tasmanian economy has experienced considerable structural change to its industrial base over the past decade, with a number of formerly significant industries having fallen by the way side or having disappeared altogether. Counted amongst these industries are forestry, pulp and paper manufacturing, food processing and others. To a degree, ‘new’ industries and ‘new’ jobs have emerged which require more highly skilled workers. as it stands, a number of older Tasmanians as potential mentors, may not have the specific ‘hard skills’ to share and which are required to fill these emerging vacancies.

Further consideration should be given to developing an active “pathways” model, where learning and development from participation in volunteering plays a role in alternative pathways to more highly skilled employment in our regions. This will require the direct engagement of industry in the design and conduct of such a model, as well as the local coordination of the various relevant support institutions.

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A key motivator for older people in voluntourism is the desire to use their existing skills and contribute as well as continue to learn more. The capacity to have current skills recognised across state jurisdictions is limited (as it is for paid positions). Easy transportability and recognition of skills needs addressing. Dr Claire elliS, univerSity of taSmania


in order to meet future workforce needs, organisations indicated that they need support to develop plans for volunteer recruitment and management, workforce development, future services, communications and strategy.

in order to develop plans, organisations indicated that they need support to analyse current volunteer and paid workforce skills, and to understand the organisations’ future skills requirements.

vOluNTEERiSm, OuR agEiNg POPulaTiON aND WORKFORCE DEvElOPmENT

orkforce development is about bridging the gap between current

and future workforce needs. Tasmania currently has a declining and ageing labour force which has implications for labour, skills and volunteer supply. Some of the key issues here are whether the Tasmanian labour force will remain fit for purpose for volunteer management and service delivery, and whether we will have a glut of retirees with time on their hands to volunteer. another key issue is the merging of the agenda between paid employment and volunteering.


The nexus between Tasmania’s voluntary sector and its labour force: some observations on social capital and intergenerational knowledge transferTony Read, Corporate

Analyst, O Group

The voluntary sector, the labour force, and social capital

There is ample evidence to suggest that the voluntary sector, or more particularly, the social capital amassed within it, has an important role to play in helping to create pathways to paid employment, in particular for those in the community that are less formally educated or who are more socially isolated or disengaged (Davidson, 2005).

The opportunities: issues and considerations for volunteering and workforce development

i’m focusing on social capital at the individual level. These include social relations, information, knowledge, and learning experiences available to the individual.

NETWORKS

For disadvantaged or excluded groups, social networks accessed through volunteer activity can play a pivotal role in building self-esteem and confidence, and in reincorporating excluded individuals back into mainstream employment. However, Wilson (2000) observes a correlation between an individual’s level of education and the number of invitations they receive to volunteer; meaning that individuals from a lower socio-economic background may be further disadvantaged in accessing the networks and consequent gains in social capital associated with volunteering.

KNOWlEDgE TRaNSFERS THROugH vOluNTEERiNg

volunteering is also recognised as helping to develop ‘… employability-enhancing skills … including specific work skills and experience, and work behaviours and disciplines.’ Reporting an individual’s volunteering history on their resume has also been found to be positively received in the main by employers. Kilpatrick et al (2002) notes that many small business managers in Tasmania consider soft skills to be more important for young people to possess than hard skills; noting that hard skills at the entry-level are comparatively more easily taught in the workplace.

With an ageing population, and with Baby Boomers and Builders/veterans constituting 58 per cent of Tasmania’s volunteering base, effective communication between the generations is a critical factor in successful knowledge transfers.

mENTORiNg

it is widely accepted that mentoring is regarded by all generations as important and useful in facilitating knowledge transfer (Kim, 2008). Younger generations view mentoring as a means to learn as well as to expand their networks. Older generations seem to appreciate mentoring for the opportunity it gives them to share their experiences and knowledge.

From a regional development perspective, a perspective of great importance in Tasmania today, alternative learning and development models are critical to both societal and economic success. in the face of comparatively low levels of formal education and skills, alternative pathways to skilled, higher paying employment opportunities are a social and economic imperative.

Kilpatrick et al (2002) observe that informal types of knowledge and learning (such as learning by doing and learning by experience) are viewed as particularly appropriate by small business owners in Tasmania. if that is the case then mentoring through volunteering is well placed to facilitate such learning, if coordinated appropriately.

One of the main issues [around an ageing population and volunteerism] from a Community Transport Services Tasmania (CTST) perspective is that focus needs to be directed towards the supply side of the equation, the argument being that it may be more appropriate to get volunteers first before one seeks to support them.

CTST contends that developing policies and winning the subsequent debate directed towards the supply side of the volunteer issue will be the single most significant resource outcome impacting on the ability of CTST to meet the inevitable growth market in aged care access needs. If policy development fails to achieve the required outcome there will be [a] massive social and financial impact on the state government: that is it will have to pay for that which it currently gets for free – volunteer drivers. Stuart DavieS, Chief exeCutive offiCer, Community tranSport ServiCeS taSmania

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Skill transfer and recognition across state and national jurisdictions is vital for Tasmania to attract younger volunteers. The opportunity to provide formal recognition of skills attained in Tasmanian volunteering needs improving. Dr Claire elliS, univerSity of taSmania


YOuNgER PEOPlE

volunteering through gap year experiences is rapidly increasing in popularity both globally and within australia, so this type of episodic volunteering could be more effectively used to switch our younger generations onto volunteering.

learning is a strong motivation within this area of voluntourism (Ellis, 2005) and with Tasmania continuing to be an attractive tourism destination, the capacity to mix volunteering with practical work experience would be an attractive model.

HaRNESSiNg THE OPPORTuNiTY OF vOluNTOuRiSm

There is clearly the potential for the growth in voluntourism to provide Tasmanian volunteer managers with more flexibility and the capacity to respond proactively and positively to changing societal trends. However, this raises a series of issues including:

· The opportunity to provide formal recognition of skills across jurisdictions and skills attained in Tasmanian volunteering needs improving.

· Flexible views concerning short term accommodation in remote/ regional locations need considering.

· volunteer managers need to positively create sustainable mixes of locals and visitors volunteering. This will include an understanding of the interrelationships needed between episodic and regular volunteering.

· For volunteer managers to compete more effectively across the wider global pool of volunteers they will need to engage in global marketing and distribution opportunities.

· The cost of volunteer management needs to be supported and continually improved to ensure best practice and to assist Tasmanian volunteer managers to be competitive in the marketplace to attract and retain volunteers.

Volunteering by older people: the benefits and challenges for organisationsProfessor Jeni Warburton, John Richards Chair of Rural Aged Care Research, La Trobe University

The ageing of the population and the changing demographic profile provide both benefits and challenges to volunteer-involving organisations. Of particular note is the ageing of the large Baby Boomer cohort, as well as an increase in

the proportion living to very old age. These factors can be understood in terms of both a potential increase in supply of volunteers as well as increased demand for volunteer services.

Challenges for organisations

meeting the needs of older volunteers, and building their recruitment and retention, presents significant management challenges for organisations. First, new volunteers need to be recruited, and it needs to be recognised here that volunteering is not for everyone. But organisations also have opportunities to overcome the challenges and harness strategies to successfully engage older people in volunteering. Some of these are outlined below.

Pathways to volunteering: The opportunity of word of mouth: most volunteers are positive about their experiences, and studies show that this group may be the best advocates to recruit new volunteers (Warburton, Smith-merry and michaels, 2012). Can this perhaps be broadened to extend into new groups of people who might well benefit from the social and health benefits? The challenge for organisations is to build the capacity of their volunteers to promote their programs.

Challenging perceptions of volunteering: One large study of non-volunteers reports perceptions of volunteering being inflexible time-wise, that it is boring, and that existing volunteers do not make new volunteers feel welcome. These findings are based on assumptions, not experience and suggest that volunteering may have a negative image problem that needs addressing.

Providing flexible roles with opportunities for social interaction: Older people are seeking well-managed, flexible, diverse opportunities to volunteer. They are also looking for a positive social experience, which includes social events specifically for volunteers. Social activities need to be organised and provided.

Adjusting to change and a new regulatory environment: Older people are confronted by the increasingly regulated environment, and are looking for training opportunities to help them deal with new regulations. They are also seeking appropriate training to prepare them for their roles. However, the financial and personnel costs of providing all these much-needed activities are presenting significant challenges for many non-profit organisations. if organisations are to be socially inclusive, they have to find ways to bring their older or more traditional volunteers with them through the change process.

The importance of volunteer management and coordination: all volunteers need good managers and coordinators. Evidence highlights that volunteers have high, often unrealistic expectations of coordinators (Warburton, Smith-merry and michaels,2012). They are seen as performing a wide variety of roles, including coordinator, counsellor, social organiser and human resource manager.

WondeRS oF WYnYaRd eXhiBiTion and inFoRMaTion CenTRe: successfully engaging older volunteers with great results

www.warwyn.tas.gov.au

The Wonders of Wynyard Exhibition and information Centre (‘WOW’), located in Wynyard on the Tasmanian North-West coast, is a visitor centre providing information about regional attractions and local knowledge about the area. The centre also hosts a gallery featuring changing exhibitions of local ‘wonders’, including artworks and displays of regional and state significance.

a dedicated group of around 40 retiree volunteers form the core of WOW’s services. The volunteers greet just under 40,000 centre visitors each year, providing a warm welcome to the region and imparting invaluable local knowledge about the area. volunteers also participate in the gallery exhibits, donating their time and talent to contribute to the changing local artworks on display for visitors and residents year-round.

To successfully engage and retain its older volunteers, WOW encourages a friendly and supportive volunteering environment. This is achieved through a combination of regular communication and feedback, regular get-togethers and opportunities for volunteers to familiarise themselves with local tourism operators and significant tourist attractions. WOW volunteers are motivated to volunteer for the social interaction with like-minded people that the roles offer, and the group of WOW volunteers in itself provides Wynyard with a social resource for people wishing to share their knowledge and build friendships.

“it [volunteering at WOW] has given me my social life back.”

mary, wow volunteer of four yearS

vOluNTEERiSm, OuR agEiNg POPulaTiON aND vOluNTEER maNagEmENT

olunteer management is critical to the ability of volunteer-involving

organisations to engage and retain volunteers. our ageing population may provide the opportunity to engage more people from the Baby Boomer generation as they retire. That said, the key to sustainable volunteerism and volunteer-delivered programs and services will be engaging and retaining volunteers across all ages to meet our future needs. VT’s State of Volunteering Report: Tasmania 2010 research indicates that organisations will need to be more flexible, more capable and better resourced in order to meet the future management challenges presented by an ageing population.

here our Knowledge partner’s highlight two key groups and associated volunteer management issues.

Volunteer tourism (voluntourism) – changing the volunteering options Dr Claire Ellis, University of Tasmania

Looking at volunteer supply beyond the local level

Significant opportunities exist for Tasmanian volunteer managers to source support from interstate and international volunteers. This will not be easy without considerable change in the management models applied to both the supply and demand side to create more flexible opportunities. Changes in both State and Federal government policy and legislation are also needed to better support a more flexible approach to volunteer management.

mORE TOuRiSm aND THE RiSE OF vOluNTOuRiSm

growth in travel may seem a remote factor in terms of considering volunteering, but is increasingly relevant. There has been significant growth in interstate visitor numbers to Tasmania.

a second consideration is the changing way people volunteer through travel. volunteer tourism, or voluntourism, has seen a rapid rise and diversification from a relatively small niche to a more well-known option for travellers seeking immersive, real learning experiences in the places they visit (Tourism Research and marketing group, 2008).

Understanding the supply market: who are voluntourists?

THE OlDER ‘EmPTY-NESTER’ TRavEllERS

Baby Boomers have a high propensity to travel, spending significant amounts of time travelling in their active retirement years, with some becoming ‘grey Nomads’ and travelling away from home for long periods of time.

The diversity within voluntourism is growing rapidly as both volunteer managers and tourism operators become interested in this sector. Opportunities range from campground hosting to fully inclusive packaged trips such as Earthwatch or Conservation volunteers.

There are also many opportunities for people to pursue their passions with volunteer vacations around steam railway renovation, heritage restoration and a wide array of environmental causes such as bird watchers contributing to Birdlife australia survey work at one of their Observatories. The growing ease of volunteering to support an increasingly diverse array of social and environmental causes appeals to older voluntourists who are motivated by learning, helping and contributing (Ellis, 2005).

Tasmanians also volunteer in other parts of their own state, but away from home, on a variety of tasks, and this can be considered domestic voluntourism. With Tasmanians taking on average 1.1 million intrastate overnight trips (Tourism Tasmania, 2012) there is capacity to encourage further local voluntourism within the state.

all generations within our current population are becoming increasingly computer savvy. Remote or cyber volunteering suits many types of work (writing newsletters, managing websites, administration and marketing support, to name a few). voluntourism may create a further rise in this area as people become attached to a location or community after they have volunteered on holiday and decide to continue to contribute to the same cause once they have returned home.

v

STill gaRdening: successfully engaging volunteers of all ages to help older Tasmanians continue gardening

www.stillgardening.com.au

Still gardening is a non-profit community program located in the Community inclusion unit of Hobart City Council and funded by the Commonwealth Home and Community Care Program. Still gardening engages approximately forty volunteers across a range of age groups to assist older people and their carers to manage their own gardens. volunteers are involved in the program in three ways: as garden mates working one-on-one with clients in the glenorchy and Hobart council areas to assist them with their gardens; as Peer Educators (speakers) presenting to community groups of older people on gardening and its health benefits; and garden Conversions assisting clients to overcome specific obstacles that prevent them from managing their gardens.

Still gardening recruits volunteers with an interest in gardening, and the program spends time matching volunteer garden mates with clients to ensure the match works well for both the client and the volunteer. Benefits to the Still gardening client go beyond gardening, to assisting people to maintain their independence and connecting people with their communities. The program concentrates on volunteer support in a range of ways: offering opportunities for upskilling through workshops, supplying quality tool kits to garden mates, providing timely reimbursement of travel expenses, having monthly meetings, and celebrating the achievements of volunteers.


Digital engagement and an ageing populationMark Creyton, Director – Education, Research and Policy, Volunteering Queensland

a consideration of digital engagement, an

ageing population and volunteerism raises four key points which are explored below.

What does digital engagement have to offer in the context of volunteering?

Perhaps the most known form of digital engagement in volunteering is virtual volunteering in which people perform their volunteer work off-site. at the fundamental level, virtual volunteering can be seen simply as an extension of volunteer engagement into the realm of digital technology. Similar considerations are involved in planning, implementing, and administering a virtual volunteering and traditional, face-to-face volunteering program.

Use of digital media by older Australians

Traditionally older australians are seen as being largely digitally illiterate, at best able to use email and basic programs. The report Older australians and the internet (National Seniors Week, 2011) provides a more nuanced picture agreeing that a significant number of older australians do not have access to the internet. However the recent Sensis report (2012) into Technology in australian households suggests that the engagement of older people into the digital field is changing quite quickly.

With the impact of the National Broadband Network (NBN) and current social trends it can reasonably be assumed that over the next few years the digital engagement of older Tasmanians will significantly increase and as Baby Boomers emerge in larger numbers to volunteer they will bring a significantly greater digital experience to the sector. The critical issue however is that there will still remain a significant population who do not have access to online engagement and resources due to cost, illness, disability, lack of understanding or awareness, and fear.

Culture process versus demographic approach

it has been suggested that there is a danger of labelling when using a demographic profile cohort approach compared to a cultural model in dealing with digital engagement (Dragisic, 2012). labelling may typecast and paint a homogeneous picture that blankets diversity and misses a range of more complex cultural factors. it is important to recognise that the digital explosion in our lives impacts on all ages and that increasingly our work and social lives bring most of us into contact with digital technologies. While we must recognise that younger people are ‘digital natives’ and have grown up with this technology, we equally need to recognise that older people can make just as much of a contribution in this area, but that there may be barriers to engagement due to not having grown up with technology.

Adaptive leadership in volunteer management

There is a growing recognition that those who lead volunteer programs now face significantly different challenges than their predecessors including technological changes, greater diversity, and new approaches and forms of volunteering practice. These challenges have no technical or ‘easy fix’: they’re adaptive, and therefore require a new style of leadership called adaptive leadership. adaptive leadership questions the existing order and engages people across the organisation in exploring alternative ways of thinking and working in order to come up with new strategies to deal with the core issue rather than just treating its symptoms.

Has your organisation examined the future communication needs of clients/volunteers aged 65 and over in Tasmania?


55.2%no

10.3%Don’t Know

34.5%yeS

WhaT ouR SenioRS Told uS: digital Technology – access, use and needs to connect into communities

WhaT ouR SenioRS Told uS: a clash of cultures – maintaining face to face contact with dispersed family in a digital world

a common feeling across senior Tasmanians in our primary research was that the spread of digital technology was leading to some traditional forms of communication being neglected, both for their own face to face, or ‘real’ one to one relationships and in terms of how community information is being distributed.

It’s probably because of my age – era perhaps – I’m finding it very difficult to come to terms with social media. Only because I wonder what’s happened to communication with telephones. I mean now...everybody’s tweeting…Once upon a time we just picked up the phone. Whatever happened? Carl, retireD, 65–74

Use of digital technologyOur seniors’ use and familiarity with digital technology and the internet reflected state trends for their age groups. There was a mixture of:

DigiTal aliENS: those who did not engage at all with such media; mostly, but by no means exclusively, our older seniors (veterans) and

DigiTal aDaPTORS: those who used digital technology for limited communication – usually email and internet surfing and, for some, an ‘enforced’ use of social media to keep in touch with younger family members; mostly, but not exclusively the older Baby Boomers; or those who routinely use digital technology for their personal and work lives. These were mostly, but, again, not exclusively, younger Baby Boomers.

Mistrust of digital technology

amongst our seniors, mistrust of using online facilities showed up in three forms:1. Fraud and misrepresentation through online banking, fraudulent emails and social networking contacts;2. invasion of privacy; and3. Cynicism about social networking leading to family break-ups. M

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My great niece gave me Skype. She gave it to me, because she said it might help with the grandchildren..I’m thinking, they could send me an email. But it’s more Facebook or Twitter. They want to use that...I feel there’s not going to be communication...Celia, retireD, 65–74

vOluNTEERiSm, OuR agEiNg POPulaTiON aND DigiTal TECHNOlOgY

he SoVR 2012 project focuses on digital technology that helps

people to access information and services, and to communicate, using the internet. Many Tasmanians have access to the internet (australian Bureau of Statistics, household use of information Technology australia 2010–11) and use social media (Front pR Social Media index 2012). digital technologies offer organisations a vast range of possibilities and opportunities to reach volunteers and service recipients across all ages, including harnessing online volunteer matching and virtual volunteering (volunteering online). The challenge for organisations will be to understand how people of different ages access and use digital technology to tap into the opportunities.


Digital technology and volunteering in TasmaniaKym Goodes (left), Director, and Jacinda Armstrong, Senior Project Officer, 3p Consulting

The ability to confidently use, participate in and understand digital media and services is becoming an important prerequisite to effective participation in australian society and the digital economy. Tasmanian households have the lowest level of broadband internet access nationally and levels have been increasing slowly. in addition, less than half of Tasmanians aged 60 plus have internet access in their homes (australian Bureau of Statistics, Household Use of Information Technology

Australia 2010–11). This raises certain questions about the current level of digital skills of Tasmanian residents and our capacity to engage in digital technologies, which may pose challenges to organisations in harnessing the opportunities presented by digital technology.

What is now at the forefront of strategic planning efforts in most sectors is consideration of how to best leverage the opportunities presented by the digital revolution. For volunteer-involving organisations, digital technologies offer a vast range of possibilities to help volunteer groups spread their reach, better serve members, donors and their communities and achieve greater social impacts. However, the sector needs to grow the digital capacity of their current and future volunteers, and look for new and innovative approaches for increasing volunteer participation as well as activities currently undertaken within voluntary organisations.

Some examples of opportunities presented by digital technology include digital access to free professional development training is gaining popularity in the community and not-for-profit sectors. various online initiatives are providing not-for-profit organisations access to training via a series of web-based seminars called webinars. additionally, an increasing number of international organisations are using technology to engage with and inform a range of audiences and to advertise volunteering opportunities. Some organisations are using their own websites in addition to social media to engage with potential volunteers and match them to suitable roles (National Volunteering Strategy, 2011). many of these engage with volunteers by using geographical mapping of location to match with volunteering options in the local community.

T

A lot of people our age and older cannot use the internet... So there’s a lot of old people who...don’t want to know about [digital technology]. Male and female. elSie, retireD, 65–74

I couldn’t be involved in some of the areas I’m in if it wasn’t for the internet, because you can keep in touch with 23 people. …How many times a day, instead of opening a book, you simply Google. I mean it’s wonderful. I had a wall... library once. Now that’s no longer. That’s all been thrown away. Carl, retireD, 75–84

landCaRe TaSMania eXTRa handS pRogRaM: using technology to engage episodic volunteers

www.landcaretas.org.au

landcare Tasmania is the peak body for community landcare in Tasmania. landcare Tasmania’s vision is to represent, strengthen, support and grow Tasmania’s community landcare movement to improve the health of our natural and working landscapes. The engagement of volunteers in landcare activities is a key part of the organisations’ work. Extra Hands is a program run by landcare Tasmania to engage casual volunteers in existing landcare groups, particularly to capture volunteers from the Baby Boomer generation and from generation Y. The program was established to boost the number of volunteers getting involved in landcare activities through providing opportunities for casual involvement rather than locking people into an ongoing, long-term arrangement.

The Extra Hands program successfully uses digital technology to engage volunteers across a range of age groups in episodic or one-off volunteering roles. volunteers who register with the program are kept up to date with landcare events in their area via email, and are provided with a choice of opportunities so that they retain control over the activities they participate in. a calendar of events is also posted on landcare Tasmania’s website so that volunteers have regular, up-to-date access to all upcoming landcare events. in addition, landcare Tasmania recently launched a Facebook page to inform people about its events and see the page as playing an important role in engaging with potential volunteers from generation Y.


For Volunteer engagement

guiding principles · Build organisations’ ongoing capacity to

supply relevant volunteering roles. · Encourage intergenerational volunteering. · Encourage a range of ways to access and

engage in volunteering. · address the three common principles

flagged in the SOvR community interviews for Baby Boomers’ ageing:

· giving; · maintaining independence; and · active ageing.

Future outcomes for Tasmania · a diverse range of people and businesses

understand how they can benefit from volunteerism and understand how to access and engage in ways that work for them.

· volunteer-involving organisations understand how to engage the diversity of people within and outside their communities in volunteerism as volunteers and volunteer recipients.

· local communities have a flourishing and diverse volunteer culture and an ongoing supply of relevant volunteering opportunities.

Margaret Kelly;Principal Liaison Officer, Older Persons – Community Development Division; Department of Premier and Cabinet

FEATURED PRESENTATION FROM THE SYMPOSIUM:

Tasmania’s policy landscape in the context of an ageing population: the Tasmanian Government’s Inclusive Ageing: Tasmania 2012 to 2014 Strategy

The Tasmanian government has a range of policies, programs and services in place across different agencies that support the ongoing participation of older people in maintaining their connections to communities. The State government’s Inclusive Ageing: Tasmania 2012 – 2014 Strategy seeks to build on these existing strategies to support a more socially inclusive society in the context of an ageing population.

About the Inclusive Ageing Strategy

The key objective of the Strategy is to increase the capacity for all older people to be fully included in community life, particularly those who are socially excluded or at risk of becoming

so. The strategy sets out six inter-related projects designed to have maximum benefit for older people and across the community more generally, building upon existing work and will be underpinned by partnerships, consultation and accountability.

One of the six projects, Engaging in Different Ways: Voluntary Contributions, has a focus on recognising and enhancing the voluntary contributions made by older Tasmanians and is a collaborative project with volunteering Tasmania and COTa Tasmania.

The role of volunteerism in inclusive ageing

volunteerism has a key role to play in supporting the full inclusion of older people in community life:

· volunteerism is critical to providing support to our older Tasmanians via a range of community services.

· it enables people to participate in community life, remain socially included and contribute to the community. This will become more important as our population ages.

· Older people contribute through formal volunteering with organisations and groups, but also in informal ways – helping and caring for grandchildren, family members, friends and neighbours. This breadth of contribution needs to be recognised, acknowledged and valued.

· With our population ageing and the Baby Boomer generation reaching retirement age, it is also time to increase our understanding of the interests and preferences of this generation in relation to contributing voluntarily to community life.

ouR ThoughT leadeRS

These volunteers facilitated the workshops and discussion around their themes at the event:

Maree FudgeDirector, RDS Partners

Ann Herbertacting Director, Social inclusion unit, Department of Premier and Cabinet

Kym GoodesDirector, 3P Consulting

Professor Jeni Warburton, John Richards Chair of Rural aged Care Research, la Trobe university

WORKFORCE DEvElOPmENT

SOCial iNCluSiON

DigiTal TECHNOlOgY

vOluNTEER maNagEmENT

n 10 and 11 october 2012, VT hosted the Future Focus

Symposium in hobart to examine the opportunities and challenges for Tasmania’s future volunteerism in anticipation of significant demographic, economic and societal change. The symposium considered what is needed to ensure there is a relevant and thriving system for future volunteerism especially in light of Tasmania’s ageing population.

Les Hems, Director of Research, The Centre for Social Impact

a thriving system will require strong demand for volunteers from volunteer-delivered services and a strong supply of mobilised

and capable volunteers. The functioning of such a system is highly dependent on the role of intermediaries to ensure that there are sufficient appropriate volunteering opportunities and a well developed volunteer ‘workforce’ that is nurtured through effective volunteer management. intermediaries fulfill a vital brokerage role which can exploit appropriate media – both digital and non-digital – to connect and communicate with communities.

The symposium formed a crucial stage in refining the project’s recommendations. it drew together older and younger Tasmanians, volunteer-involving organisations, peak bodies, and leading thinkers and academics from across Tasmania and australia to consider the ‘food for thought’ and ‘insights’, and shape the draft recommendations on what we need to do to plan for a relevant and thriving system for future volunteerism, a system which recognises Tasmania’s ageing population as an opportunity for strengthening and enhancing communities.

The symposium’s conclusions: refining our principles and guiding our recommendations

Here, we’ve given you a taste of some of the principles and future Tasmanian outcomes that emerged from our discussions, both with plenary speakers and our themed workshops. These principles shaped our recommendations on what Tasmania needs to do to respond to its ageing population through volunteerism.

THE OvERaRCHiNg PRiNCiPlE

The overarching principle for the strategic recommendations is that to meet Tasmania’s future needs, all age groups need to be engaged in volunteering and volunteer-delivered services.

FOCuSSiNg OuR aCTiON

The symposium agreed that we should aim for a set of strategic recommendations, under which action can be discussed and explored with our communities.

as social inclusion and digital technology are clearly intermediaries through which to deliver effective future volunteerism, it was agreed that the recommendations should focus on two areas: · Volunteer management: how we plan for

and develop the skills to provide for relevant volunteering and volunteer-delivered services for Tasmania in future years. it is also about how we ensure organisations can effectively review, evaluate and report on this volunteering and volunteer-delivered services.

· Volunteer engagement: what needs to happen to ensure inclusive volunteering opportunities and a continuous supply of volunteers flourish within local communities.

THE PRiNCiPlES aND OuTCOmES: SHaPiNg WHaT WE DO

Our discussions formed a set of principles and future outcomes for Tasmania that shaped the strategic recommendations.

For Volunteer Management

guiding principles

Principles for local partnerships: · inclusive planning. · Partnerships across local and regional areas. · Resource sharing.

Principles for volunteer-involving organisations: · Organisations need key support in a number

of areas in order to confidently plan and provide for Tasmania’s ageing population.

· There’s a need for adaptive leadership in the sector to implement change.

· Organisations need to continuously reflect in order to ensure volunteering opportunities and volunteer services are relevant and effective for all.

Future outcomes for Tasmania · Ongoing, reflective and forward-looking local

and regional collaboration to plan for and engage the community in volunteering as givers and recipients.

· Organisations have the skills, capacity and relevant data to continuously plan, review and deliver relevant volunteer opportunities and volunteer-delivered services in their communities.

· Organisations are understood – by themselves and by policy-makers and funders – in terms of their social return on investment and for their value to community and individual social capital and individual impact.

SOvR FuTuRE FOCuS SYmPOSium

a ConCepTual Model oF The TheMeS

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he State of Volunteering 2012 (SoVR 2012) project has been a

year-long process of investigating what an ageing population means for volunteerism in Tasmania, discussing the issues at our symposium in october and coming up with recommendations on how we as a community can address the issues. We envisage that the SOvR 2012 report is just the beginning of planning ahead for our ageing population and volunteerism. From January 2013 onwards, the focus will turn to planning for the future of Tasmanian volunteerism through putting the recommendations into practice.

as the peak body for volunteerism in Tasmania, vT plans to take the first step in setting this process in motion through developing an action plan and starting conversations with others who would play a key role in implementing the recommendations. We look forward to this next phase of this project and helping our communities plan for our ageing population and volunteerism.

Further details

To access the full SOvR 2012 report, visit www.volunteeringtas.org.au/policy-and-research.

For comments and feedback, contact volunteering Tasmania on:

T 1800 677 895

E [email protected]

T

WHaT’S NEXT FOR PlaNNiNg aHEaD FOR aN agEiNg POPulaTiON aND vOluNTEERiSm?

vOluNTEERiSm aND OuR agEiNg POPulaTiON: RECOmmENDaTiONS ON WaYS FORWaRD

ne of the main focuses of addressing an ageing

population is how to engage with a larger group of older Tasmanians and the opportunities this offers our communities. however, the overarching approach for the recommendations is that all age groups need to be engaged in volunteering and volunteer-delivered services to meet our future needs.

How the recommendations were developed

The recommendations were developed and refined using a modified process based on the Delphi technique. This technique moves towards consensus amongst stakeholders through refining recommendations in stages using evidence, expertise and criteria.

The recommendations were developed and refined through the following stages:

· Stage 1: initial recommendations on ways forward to address the issues around an ageing population and volunteerism were gathered through the Community voices primary research.

· Stage 2: Stakeholders with an interest in volunteerism reviewed and refined the recommendations gathered through the Community voices primary research at the SOvR Future Focus Symposium held in October 2012.

· Stage 3: vT’s Social Policy advisory Council reviewed the refined recommendations coming out of the symposium.

· Stage 4: The final set of recommendations were reviewed and approved by vT’s Board.

The ReCoMMendaTionS

Managing Volunteerism

Recommendations 1 to 5 are about how we plan for and develop the skills to provide for relevant volunteering and volunteer-delivered services for Tasmania in future years. They’re also about how we ensure volunteer-involving organisations can effectively review, evaluate and report on volunteering and volunteer-delivered services.

Collaborate and establish sustainable networks to plan ahead for volunteering and volunteer-delivered services.

Develop the human resources management capacity of volunteer-involving organisations to develop and maintain volunteers as an integrated part of the organisations’ workforce.

increase investment in volunteer management.

understand and assess the impacts, value and outcomes of volunteering.

Build evidence-informed practice through continuous research and planning.

Volunteer Engagement

Recommendations 6 to 8 focus on what needs to happen to ensure inclusive volunteering opportunities and a continuous supply of volunteering opportunities flourish within local communities.

Ensure communities have a continuous supply of meaningful volunteering roles that meet the needs of the diversity of people living within and visiting Tasmania.

Build on the knowledge–base of how to reach and engage those in our communities who are harder to reach in volunteering and volunteer-delivered services.

Create a sustainable volunteering culture within Tasmanian communities.

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aCKNOWlEDgEmENTSThere are many organisations and individuals who, without their contribution, this project would not have come alive. volunteering Tasmania appreciates the commitment and dedication of everyone involved.

our Knowledge partnersa special thanks to professor natalie Jackson, Professor and Director: National institute of Demographic and Economic analysis, university of Waikato, for the analysis of Tasmanian volunteering population projections.

Bernard Salt, Partner, KPmg

dr Christine Stirling, associate Dean of graduate Research (Hobart), School of Nursing and midwifery, university of Tasmania

dr Claire ellis, university of Tasmania

dr Julia Verdouw, associate lecturer: School of Sociology and Social Work, university of Tasmania

dr Katrena Stephenson, Policy Director and Kate Hiscock, Senior Policy Officer, local government association of Tasmania

Joanna Siejka, CEO and naomi Marsh, Project Officer, Youth Network of Tasmania

Kym goodes, Director, 3p Consulting

Mark Creyton, Director of Education, Policy and Research, volunteering Queensland

peter orpin, Senior Research Fellow: Department of Rural Health, university of Tasmania

professor Jeni Warburton, John Richards initiative, la Trobe university

Tony Read, Corporate analyst, O group

Stuart davies, CEO, Community Transport Services Tasmania

our TrailblazersKim prunster, volunteer Coordinator, Junction arts Festival

lena pickering, Program Coordinator, Still gardening

Margie Jenkins, CEO, landcare Tasmania

nigel Clutterbuck and Mike patten, Scouts association of australia – Tasmania Branch

Robyn pearce, Director Human Services, and lucas van Rijswijk, Coordinator volunteer Strategy, Tasmania Fire Service

Stephanie Fuller, Tourism Development Co-ordinator, Wonders of Wynyard Exhibition and information Centre

The primary researcha special thanks to lindsey Moffatt for conducting the primary research.

a special thanks to the CoTa Champions who conducted interviews for their time and dedication, and to linda Jamieson, Project Officer, COTa Tasmania.

vT would also like to thank all the individuals and volunteer-involving organisations who took time out to participate in the primary research. This contribution goes a long way to helping us understand the needs and expectations of individuals and volunteer-involving organisations in light of our ageing population.

The symposiuma special thank you to les hems, Director of Research, The Centre for Social impact for being our Content leader and an ambassador for the process to get to the recommendations.

Thank you to everyone who attended the event and contributed to the discussions. Your input was invaluable in formulating the recommendations on ways forward.

our symposium Thought leadersann herbert, acting Director: Social inclusion unit, Department of Premier and Cabinet

Kym goodes, Director, 3p Consulting

Maree Fudge, Partner, RDS Partners

professor Jeni Warburton, John Richards Chair of Rural aged Care Research, la Trobe university

our symposium presentersdr david adams, former Social inclusion Commissioner for Tasmania

Margaret Kelly, Principal liaison Officer – Older Persons, Community Development Division, Department of Premier and Cabinet

Mark Bowles, Deputy general manager, Skills Tasmania

professor natalie Jackson, Professor and Director: National institute of Demographic and Economic analysis, university of Waikato

our Social policy advisory Councilannette daveydavid hentygrace nieuwenhuizenJeni Monks lindsey MoffattMark nashSue WilleySakura oddie

and last but not least the VT Board and team:Board Social policy Committeedr Claire ellis, Board member and Committee Chair

Michelle ewington, Board Chair

Chris Bennett, Board member

The project Teamadrienne picone, Chief Executive Officer

lindsey Moffatt, SOvR 2012 Project manager (as a volunteer)

Melinda McCleary, Policy and Research Officer

Kelly eijdenberg, marketing assistant

Shanthini gurung, Senior administration Officer

Shirley haas, volunteer

Miranda Chiaravalloti, volunteer

The full VT team for conducting interviews and helping with the symposium.

graphic design by Poco People

a big thank you to Norske Skog Boyer for their generous paper donation.

a big thank you to The Mercury and The Sunday Examiner for their in-kind support.

www.norskeskog.com

http://www.volunteeringtas.org.au

http://www.pocopeople.com.au

http://www.themercury.com.au

http://www.examiner.com.au

tasmania · 2018. 3. 15. · 4 volunteering tasmania state of volunteering report: tasmania 2012...

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