4917.0 - Sport and social capital, Australia, 2010  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 27/03/2012  Final
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VOLUNTEERING

Literature suggests that volunteering in the community is an important contributor to the development and maintenance of social capital (Nicholson & Hoye 2008). Data from the GSS show that sport participants are an important source of volunteers in the community. Over three quarters (87%) of those who volunteered their time and services to an organisation in the 12 months prior to survey also participated in sport or physical recreation in the same time period. The participation rate for non-volunteers was much lower at 67%.

6.1 Participation in Sport and Physical Recreation, By type of organisation volunteered for

Participated
Did not participate
Total
Participation rate
Non-participation rate
Total
'000
'000
'000
%
%
%

Arts/heritage
362.3
*41.6
403.9
89.7
*10.3
100.0
Community/welfare
1 092.8
215.8
1 308.6
83.5
16.5
100.0
Education and training
968.3
96.6
1 064.9
90.9
9.1
100.0
Emergency services
366.2
55.4
421.6
86.9
13.1
100.0
Environment/animal welfare
600.9
*64.0
664.9
90.4
*9.6
100.0
Health
441.8
75.1
516.9
85.5
14.5
100.0
Parenting, children and youth
915.0
*72.8
987.8
92.6
7.4
100.0
Religious
1 113.8
241.0
1 354.7
82.2
17.8
100.0
Sport and physical recreation
2 154.9
112.8
2 267.7
95.0
5.0
100.0
Other recreation/interest
331.9
38.0
369.9
89.7
10.3
100.0
Other
860.8
93.0
953.8
90.3
9.7
100.0
Total volunteers(a)
5 268.0
816.2
6 084.2
86.6
13.4
100.0
Not a volunteer
7 190.7
3 513.2
10 703.9
67.2
32.8
100.0
Total population
12 458.7
4 329.4
16 788.2
74.2
25.8
100.0

* estimate has a relative standard error of 25% to 50% and should be used with caution
(a) People may have volunteered for more than one organisation.


Just over two fifths (42%) of those who participated in sport or physical recreation activities volunteered compared with just under one fifth (19%) of non-participants. The highest proportions of sport participants volunteered for sport and physical recreation organisations (41%), religious organisations (21%) and community and welfare organisations (21%).







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