Not for Profit, Not for Volunteers – produced by Liz Keen for Radio National’s Background Briefing, 27 June 2004

‘All around Australia, people are volunteering. In every town, in every suburb of every city, there are millions of volunteers. They contribute around 700-million hours of volunteer work each year.’ Liz Keen discusses issues facing volunteers and not-for-profit organisations with a range of representatives from this sector.

‘This sector is different from business because any profit goes back into the organisation. And they’re different from government departments because they are independent. And many of them are in trouble. They’re stressed by new legislation, by the complexities of modern business regulations, and by a fast-changing society. Of the 30,000 incorporated organisations registered in New South Wales, it’s estimated that only 20,000 are still operating.

This matters at a local level. Small towns rely on these organisations to survive. And people in cities need them for a sense of community. It also matters very much for the economy of Australia as a whole. And there are some very big groups in this sector, too, think of Greenpeace or Mission Australia, the Red Cross, the Australian Rugby League. Half the hospitality industry, one-third of schools and 60% of community service organisations are all not-for-profit.

This sector contributes a staggering amount to Australia’s economy and social wellbeing. The economic contribution at least is measurable. Nearly 7% of the Australian workforce, that’s about 600,000 people have jobs in the not-for-profit sector. And the turnover created by these people and the 4 and a half million volunteers is about $21-billion a year.

Three years ago, stringent new Occupational Health and Safety laws were passed, which means individuals are now more liable for any damage or accidents. And perhaps more significantly, the funding bodies started awarding short-term contracts. So many of these organisations are now living with uncertainty.’

Liz Keen discusses the past, present and future of not for profit and voluntary organisations with:

• Robert Fitzgerald, Chair of the National Round Table of Non-Profit Organisations
• John Cornwell, previous Chair of the Morgo Street Caravan Park Trust
• Faye Williams, Executive Officer of the Local Community Services Association
• Mark Lyons, University of Technology, Sydney
• Jo Cunningham, previous member of the Belligen Community Garden sub-committee
• Louise Pearson, Chair of the ACE Management Committee
• Professor Myles McGregor-Lowndes, Centre for the Study of Philanthropy and Non-Profit Studies, University of Technology, Queensland
• Joanne Pollard, Management Support Unit, Illawarra Community Forum
• Joel Morrell, ACE Local Community College, Nambucca region
• Sarah Lucas, Executive officer, Sport Industry Australia

Follow this link to the transcript of Not for Profit, Not for Volunteers, Background Briefing, Radio National, June 27 2004 (opens in a new browser window)

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