Research and Evaluation

NSW Multicultural Volunteering Report

The Centre for Volunteering, in partnership with the Department of Communities and Justice and Multicultural NSW, have produced the inaugural New South Wales Multicultural Volunteering Report.

This report provides valuable context, from which the motivations, barriers and impacts of volunteering practices within multicultural communities can be measured and recognised.

This in-depth analysis was undertaken by the Institute of Project Management which surveyed more 830 representatives who identify as multicultural.

The report is divided into two parts. The first part gives voice via focus groups to a group of sector representatives who identify as multicultural. Drawing on the focus group learnings, the second part reports on the findings of an online survey which took a sample of 835 responses from a broad cross-section of NSW residents on their volunteering experiences, with specific regard to multicultural intersections. The survey was available in a variety of languages including Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Arabic, Vietnamese, Spanish, Korean, Japanese, Persian (Farsi), Nepali, Punjabi and Italian.

The report observes that for volunteers from multicultural backgrounds acts of giving are culturally embedded and develop deep community connections and support systems. For multicultural volunteers, these support systems create a sense of belonging and social engagement which extends far beyond the immediate multicultural community.

Download a copy of the NSW Multicultural Volunteering Report 2022 PDF, 6014.23 KB

Download a copy of the NSW Multicultural Volunteering Report 2022 – Key Findings PDF, 871.94 KB

Research on the benefits of volunteering

Volunteers help others and experience personal benefits too, including opportunities to:

• gain new skills and knowledge
• boost their own job and career prospects
• enjoy a sense of achievement and fulfilment
• boost self esteem
• enjoy better physical and mental health
• connect to local community
• meet new people and make new friends.

Stephen Post, a professor of preventative medicine at Stony Brook University, New York, has tracked research on the personal benefits of volunteering and giving, "It's Good to be Good - PDF, 231.15 KB"

Episodic Volunteering: A rapid literature review

The NSW Government has commissioned a literature review on EpisodicVolunteering, the review explores  existing evidence and literature on best practice in the governance of episodic volunteering programs in the following report:

Episodic Volunteering: A rapid literature review PDF, 1044.99 KB

Best Practice in Volunteer Governance : A rapid literature review

The NSW Government has commissioned a literature review on Best Practice in Volunteer Governance, the review provides  research and best practice on models of volunteer governance in the following report:

Best Practice in Volunteer Governance: A rapid literature review PDF, 1103.39 KB

Recognition of the Rights of Volunteers Report

The NSW Government has produced resources to support organisations and volunteer’s mutual expectations of fairness, dignity and respect in the workplace including the following report:

Recognition of the Rights of Volunteers Report - PDF, 472.26 KB

Results in key initiatives of the first Volunteering Strategy

The results achieved in the first Volunteering Strategy, as are published here:

• Living Statement of Principles - Consultation Findings - PDF, 230.66 KB
• Timebanking Evaluation Phase 2: Final Report by the University of Newcastle (2016) - PDF, 1250.34 KB
• Timebanking Evaluation Phase 2: Interim Report (pdf 793 KB) by the University of Newcastle (2015) - PDF, 793.21 KB
• Timebanking Trial Final Evaluation by the Universities of Newcastle and Wollongong (2014) - PDF, 310.19 KB
• Timebanking Trial Interim Report by the Universities of Newcastle and Wollongong (2013) - PDF, 923.48 KB
• Timebanking Trial presentation (Professor Max Smith) - PDF, 310.19 KB
• Timebanking evaluation summary - PDF, 240.52 KB
• Bathurst Grows presentation (Dr Melanie Randle) - PDF, 395.42 KB
• Bathurst Grows final report by the University of Wollongong - PDF, 607.88 KB
• Statement of Principles for the Recognition of Volunteers final evaluation report -   PDF, 2219.23 KB
• Recruitment and retention of volunteers  a literature review commissioned from Dr M Randle and Dr S Reis. - PDF, 1637.02 KB
• Timebanking, co-production and normative principles: putting normative principles into practice an analysis of the normative principles of co-production in timebanking by University of Newcastle authors Neville Clement, Allyson Holbrook, Daniella Forster, Johanna Macneil, Max Smith, Kevin Lyons and Elizabeth McDonald

Future directions of business volunteering

A meeting summary was produced after a forum on business volunteering. Read the report  on what leads to good business volunteering outcomes PDF, 3863.49 KB.

What you told us

The Volunteering Strategy 2016 - 2020 takes a life course approach to volunteering. This approach provides a framework to develop volunteering opportunities for people across all life stages.

We consulted with over 2,200 people, including people actively volunteering; people who do not currently volunteer, and community organisations, businesses and government. These community conversations have helped us to better understand people's aspirations and the sorts of changes required to make it easier for everyone to participate.

What you told us:  A brief summary of the engagement findings is here.