Australians are continuing to volunteer despite rising living expenses and growing pressure on their time, with many shifting towards more flexible and informal ways of helping within their communities.
Ahead of National Volunteer Week, running from 18 to 24 May, Volunteering Australia says traditional ideas around volunteering are changing as people juggle work, study, caring responsibilities and higher day to day costs.
The organisation’s 2026 campaign, “Your Year to Volunteer”, aims to highlight the different ways Australians contribute, from coaching junior sport and helping at school events to assisting neighbours with groceries or offering skills online.
The campaign coincides with the United Nations’ International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development, which places global attention on the role volunteers play in supporting social connection and civic participation.
Chief executive Mark Pearce said Australians were still finding ways to support their communities, even as financial and personal pressures continued to rise.
“We know there is a strong willingness to contribute across the community, but systems, structures, and expectations haven’t always kept pace with how people live today,” Mr Pearce said.
“By reducing friction and improving access, we can unlock even more participation.”
Mr Pearce said volunteering was increasingly taking forms that may not always appear in formal data or long term organisational roles.
“At a time when Australians are under increasing pressure, what stands out is not that volunteering is declining, but that it is adapting,” he said.
“We’re still seeing people show up for their communities, but they are doing it in different ways, in more flexible ways, and often in ways they don’t even recognise as volunteering.”
Research from the volunteering sector has pointed to a range of barriers affecting participation, including limited time, lack of awareness about opportunities, caring duties, health concerns and uncertainty about how to get involved.
Community organisations across Australia have also reported ongoing challenges attracting long term volunteers since the pandemic period, particularly as many people balance multiple jobs or irregular work schedules. At the same time, demand for community services has remained high in many areas, especially among charities supporting housing stress, food relief and mental health programs.
Volunteering Australia says efforts are underway to modernise participation through the National Strategy for Volunteering and its associated action plan, which encourages more accessible and inclusive pathways for people wanting to contribute.
The strategy also reflects a broader shift towards recognising informal acts of community support alongside structured volunteering roles.
Mr Pearce said National Volunteer Week offered a chance to recognise contributions that often happen quietly and without public attention.
“Volunteering is not limited to formal roles or long term commitments. It includes the everyday ways people support each other and strengthen their communities,” he said.
“There is no single way to volunteer. What matters is that people can take part in ways that work for them.”
Australians interested in volunteering are being encouraged to explore opportunities through state and territory volunteering peak bodies and the national platform GoVolunteer. Organisers are also inviting volunteers and community groups to share stories during National Volunteer Week using the hashtags #NVW2026 and #VolunteerYear.
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