Canberra
Volunteer work
In Canberra 23.3% of the population reported doing some form of voluntary work in 2016. This was a greater proportion than Western Australia.
The voluntary work sector is an important part of Australia's economy. The level of volunteering can indicate the cohesiveness of the community and how readily individuals are able to contribute to that community. Factors impacting on the level of volunteering in Canberra include the Age Structure of the population, the level of Proficiency in English, Income and Education levels.
Volunteer numbers for the 2021 Census declined in many parts of Australia due to lockdowns and COVID-19 distancing measures.
Derived from the Census question:
'In the last twelve months did the person spend any time doing voluntary work through an organisation or group?'
Persons aged 15 years and over.
| Volunteer work | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canberra - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence) | 2016 | 2011 | Change | |||||
| Volunteer status | Number | % | Western Australia % | Number | % | Western Australia % | 2011 to 2016 | |
| Volunteer | 75,016 | 23.3 | 19.0 | 61,444 | 21.2 | 16.9 | +13,572 | 9001 |
| Not a volunteer | 226,175 | 70.2 | 72.1 | 211,476 | 72.8 | 74.1 | +14,699 | 9002 |
| Volunteer work not stated | 21,224 | 6.6 | 8.9 | 17,393 | 6.0 | 9.0 | +3,831 | 9003 |
| Total persons aged 15+ | 322,415 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 290,313 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +32,102 | |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing (opens a new window) 2011 and 2016. Compiled and presented by .id (opens a new window)(informed decisions).
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).
Dominant groups
Analysis of the voluntary work performed by the population in Canberra in 2016 compared to Western Australia shows that there was a higher proportion of people who volunteered for an organisation or group.
Overall, 23.3% of the population reported performing voluntary work, compared with 19.0% for Western Australia.
Emerging groups
The number of volunteers in Canberra increased by 13,572 people between 2011 and 2016.