Lifeline Volunteers Worth $41 Million

Release date: 04 Dec 2008

Lifeline volunteers across Australia are working over 2.8 million hours a year, contributing around $41 million dollars to the community.

Today is International Volunteer’s Day, and Lifeline Australia is taking the opportunity to highlight the massive amount of work its 10,000 volunteers undertake each and every year.

“In this time of economic uncertainty, this sort of personal commitment from our volunteers is inspirational,” Lifeline Australia’s CEO Dawn O’Neil said today.

“This $41 million doesn’t even include the time spent travelling to and from our centres and shops, or their direct travel costs, so the real amount that our volunteers are putting back into the community is just incredible.

“Volunteering Australia reported in 2007 that volunteers have out of pocket expenses of $693 each, per year.  This means our 10,000 volunteers could be personally spending almost $7 million of their own money each year to help us provide emotional support and other services to the community.

“We want to take this time to thank each and every one of our volunteers for their assistance in helping us continue to connect people with care when they need it.”

Lifeline volunteers undertake a range of roles to help keep Lifeline running, this includes telephone counsellors and those volunteers who help run their shops and warehouses, and special events like book-fairs.

“All our volunteers take time out of their own busy lives to help us provide a range of community services.  Volunteers are some of this country’s greatest assets, and we want to ensure they’re contribution is properly recognised,” Ms O’Neil said.

“For example, we are very keen to see the outcome of the Henry Tax Review, and we will continue to work hard to ensure that governments and the broader community continue to recognise the wonderful work volunteers do.  Lifeline could not continue to connect people with care with out them.”

For more information on Lifeline, including how to volunteer or donate, go to www.lifeline.org.au.

Media Contact: Chris Wagner (ph: 02 6215 9446 or 0434 378 939)