The value of volunteering should never be taken for granted.
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It would cost $2288 a year to replace one person volunteering just one hour a week if aged between 45 and 54. It would be about $800 cheaper if the person was aged in their 20s and $100 more if aged in their late 50s or early 60s. This is according to the Volunteering Tasmania's value of volunteering calculator.
Many volunteers in our community, whether it be service clubs, charities or sport organisations, would donate considerable more time than one hour a week on average.
Take a sporting club for example - there are meetings that go for a couple of hours, training, record keeping and then game day, which could be about 10 hours at the ground for some leagues.
If you average five hours a week of volunteering that would equate to $11,440 a year if you are aged between 45 and 54. This doesn't include other expenses like transport, membership, food and beverages, tools or equipment, uniform, office expense like a phone or internet, and self-education to improve in the volunteer role.
Many organisations, events, sponsorships and community improvement projects would not happen without volunteers.
In The Examiner today the story of young Jesse Ansell would not be told without the volunteers who dedicate their spare time in granting wishes to seriously ill children.
Jesse's reaction to receiving his wish would be the reason why the volunteers work so hard to make them come true. The 12-year-old cried tears of happiness as he discovered he would be heading to Australia Zoo to get up close to the animals he loves dearly.
People volunteer because due to values of service, community, equity and making a difference. For the hours that many volunteers put into service, they must get something in return, including a feeling of connectedness. It's why the first thing many people do when they move to a new area is to join a community group.
Thank you to all the hard-working volunteers in our community who are creating change, and for those thinking of volunteering, do it.