Overview

Volunteering is defined by Volunteering Australia as:
"Volunteering is time willingly given for the common good and without financial gain."

Concepts deemed outside this definition include:

• Compulsory educational service learning (where students are required to perform unpaid work as part of a course) 
• Mandated court orders including community service and fines 
• Internships 
• Formal work experience / vocational placements 
• Mandatory government programs 
• Limited choice labour market government programs

Introduced in 2015, Volunteering Australia’s Definition of Volunteering has a set of explanatory notes, a detailed Issues Paper that provides background and context, and a set of Frequently Asked Questions around it.

In May 2017 Volunteering Australia released a Frequently Asked Questions Supplement based on further queries and discussions Volunteering Australia has had since the launch.

Additional Resources

Full information about the Definition of Volunteering – July 2015

Definition of Volunteering FAQs – July 2015

Definition of Volunteering FAQs Supplement – May 2017

Issues Paper – December 2014 – A sub-committee of researchers on the National Steering Committee, produced an Issues Paper to provide stakeholders with an understanding of the dimensions of volunteering both here in Australia and globally.