Speaking to celebrate Volunteer Week (19-25 May), National President Mark Gaetani said, ‘Australia’s active volunteering sector makes us the country we are, and St Vincent de Paul Society is a fine example of how volunteers can enhance the community’s strength.’

‘Our 45,000 Members and volunteers range from primary school through teenage years to folks in their nineties, giving the Society a presence throughout the country, from the cities to regional centres and small country towns,’ he added.

‘Their wonderful efforts are in tune with the theme of this year’s National Volunteer Week, ‘Connecting Communities’. This special event highlights the important role of volunteers in our community and invites people not currently volunteering to give it a go.’

In NSW, the Society has 4,200 members based in local communities, 6,300 volunteers supporting Vinnies Shops and 1,700 volunteers giving their time at Vinnies services.

Mr Gaetani said, ‘Our Members and volunteers put in thousands of hours each year visiting households in need, running food vans and many other services for people wanting a hot meal, and helping at times of national emergency, such as bushfires and floods.

‘I really do regard our volunteers as unsung heroes, and I thank everyone for the assistance they offer to people struggling with issues like the high cost of living and housing challenges.’

Mr Gaetani added, ‘As a member of the Volunteering Australia coalition, we signed on to a request to the former Social Services Minister [Amanda Rishworth] calling for ongoing resources to implement the National Strategy for Volunteering.

‘We look forward to new Minister Tanya Plibersek responding in a supportive manner to take the strategy forward.

‘The National Strategy and the Not-for-profit Sector Development Blueprint [see story in The Record Summer 2024/25] are roadmaps for enhancing the effectiveness and sustainability of volunteer effort across Australia. They underscore the importance of recognising volunteering as more than a ‘nice to have,’ but as a fundamental pillar of our societal infrastructure.’

Mr Gaetani noted that the volunteering sector faces significant challenges, as highlighted by the Productivity Commission’s ‘Future Foundations for Giving’ report.

‘The volunteering rate reached a historical high in 2010 at 36 per cent and then fell to 25 per cent in 2020.

‘These days there are many competing demands on people’s time, and the average age of volunteers is getting older.

‘The most common reason for people’s first involvement with unpaid voluntary work was that they knew someone involved or were asked to volunteer. So, please reach out to family members and friends and ask if they might like to experience a conference in action.’