Volunteering Queensland - inVOLve Module 2: Prepare

Understanding Community Trends

Over the past ten years there have been several trends in our communities that have a direct influence on the world of volunteering.

Trends:	Impacts:
Reciprocity: Volunteers are clearer about what they would like to gain as well as what they would like to contribute to your group.	Groups must know their reason for involving volunteers and the tangible and intangible benefits they offer.
Changing demographic of volunteers: Increase in the diversity of volunteers including age, gender, ethnicity, support needs.	Groups may need to adjust the way they recruit volunteers and the roles they involve them in.
Higher expectations (on and by volunteers).	Different strategies for working with and engaging volunteers are required.
Changing nature of volunteering: eg. Increase in virtual, corporate, project and event volunteering, short term volunteering.	Different recording systems and documentation are required.
Greater recognition of volunteers and the power of volunteering.
Greater focus on risk management.