Australian volunteering over 20 years: A timeline

Volunteering in Australia has shifted immensely over the past two decades. We take a look back through the Pro Bono News archives to re-examine some of the major moments that have defined the sector. 

Cool Timeline

Volunteering Australia launches Go Volunteer, to help people find online volunteering opportunities.

Jun,2000

The UN declares 2001 the “International Year of Volunteers”.

Jul,2000

An ABS Survey of Volunteer Work uncovers major growth in Australia’s volunteering rates.

Jul,2001

Victorian premier Steve Bracks says the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne offers a “springboard” opportunity for volunteering.

Feb,2005

The Giving Australia report is released.

Oct,2005

Findings from the Costs of Volunteering Survey are released.

Dec,2006

Volunteering Australia loses its most senior executives.

May,2007

The Rudd government predicts a “golden age” of volunteering in Australia by 2020.

Apr,2008

Volunteers rush to register in bushfire crisis.

Mar,2009

Volunteering placed at the centre of the Gillard government policy agenda.

Oct,2010

A Volunteer Advisory Group is announced as part of the Gillard government’s plan to release a National Volunteering Strategy.

Dec,2010

More than 62,000 volunteers register with Volunteering Queensland to help with the state’s floods crisis.

Jan,2011

International Year of Volunteers Plus 10 launches.

Feb,2011

Volunteering Australia announces it is relocating its office to Canberra.

May,2012

Volunteering Australia kicks off a national review to update the definition of volunteering.

May,2014

New National Standards for Volunteer Involvement are launched.

May,2015

Volunteering Australia unveils a new national definition of volunteering.

Jul,2015

Research shows volunteers are more generous with their dollars as well as with their time.

Dec,2016

2016 census data reveals that the proportion of Australians volunteering has risen 1.2 per cent since 2011.

Jun,2017

ABS looks to broaden volunteering census data to include statistics on informal volunteering.

Mar,2018

A survey reveals Australian volunteers feel unprotected at work because of gaps in the law that leave them vulnerable to sexual harassment.

Mar,2019

A report warns that the time corporates spend volunteering has not seen significant growth over the past decade.

Jul,2019

Experts say that the coronavirus pandemic may reshape volunteering in Australia.

Apr,2020

For a deeper look at these key changes, you can check out our article examining how far the volunteering sector has come since 2000 here.