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Volunteering is a vital part of the South Australian way of life — playing a key role in sustaining healthy, resilient communities and contributing significantly to the quality and vibrancy of our society. There are almost one million volunteers in South Australia, across almost every aspect of our everyday lives, who’s contribution is valued at around $5 billion annually. The ‘dollar replacement hourly rate figure’ for volunteers is calculated at $45.10.. Volunteering can be valuable in supporting skill and career development in the working population. In addition to the economic contribution, volunteering also delivers wellbeing outcomes including for older volunteers; better cognitive, emotional, and social function, and increased social integration, leading to reduced mortality.
The South Australian Government, through the Department for Human Services, is committed to supporting volunteering across the state through the Volunteering Strategy for South Australia 2021 – 2027 in partnership with the Local Government Association (LGASA), Volunteering SA & NT and Business SA.
South Australia’s festivals would not be possible without the significant contribution of volunteers. Volunteers play a pivotal role in the festival ecosystem and festivals rely on their labour to succeed. Festival City Adelaide has established the
Festival Volunteer Network (FVN) as an independent, not-for-profit service connecting volunteers to its 13 major festival members. The FVN was created as a one-stop-shop to simplify and enhance the quality of experiences for both volunteers and the festivals.
As volunteer intensive events, Adelaide’s festivals create additional opportunities for volunteering and philanthropy throughout the year, leading to a range of benefits for those who volunteer their time, as well as the local community more broadly. For example, a survey of volunteers in South Australia found that volunteers reported increased technical and interpersonal skills, friendships and networking, as well as a sense of personal satisfaction in contributing to the local community. These benefits have value for the 3,000+ volunteers in Adelaide’s FVN and may also be useful in obtaining paid employment by building career networks and obtaining work references. A 2021 survey of Adelaide’s FVN found that the skills learnt while volunteering fell under the categories of festival management, event-related skills, customer service skills and communication. Among the broader community, Gibson et al observe that volunteering at festivals in non-metropolitan Australia plays an important community building role.
