Tasmania’s volunteer organisations were today urged to maximise the opportunities presented by
advances in digital technologies in order to future proof volunteerism and find innovative ways to
increase volunteer participation in Tasmania.
Speaking at Volunteering Tasmania’s (VT) Future Focus Symposium Director of 3p Consulting Kym
Goodes said digital technologies offered volunteers groups a vast range of possibilities to spread
their reach, better serve members, and engage with the younger generation and the wider
community to achieve greater social impacts.
“These can range from interactive online training on iPad applications, to virtual volunteers, online
volunteer matching databases and mobile applications for micro-volunteering on the move,” Ms
Goodes said.
“Mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets are changing the way we work, live, and also the
way we volunteer. They are being used to aid traditional volunteerism and enable microvolunteering
as well as unique ways to volunteer indirectly.
“Consequently, as the number and power of mobile devices increases, so does the potential for
mobile volunteerism.
“Virtual volunteering is also an exciting new concept, which coupled with the NBN rollout, offers
Tasmanian organisations online access to volunteer services from around the globe.”
VT CEO Adrienne Picone said the Future Focus Symposium aimed to identify possible solutions to
future proofing and developing sustainable volunteering in Tasmania
“Population ageing is an unparalleled global trend in human history and in line with this trend,
Tasmania’s population is ageing at a faster rate than anywhere else in Australia,” Ms Picone said.
“This unprecedented demographic shift will have significant implications for volunteerism which cuts
across all sectors of our community.
“We know from our research that baby boomers make up 40 per cent of our volunteering
population in Tasmania, followed by Gen Y (23 per cent), then Gen X at (19 per cent) and older
people and veterans at 18 per cent.
“To ensure Tasmania can maintain and even increase a sustainable population of volunteers, we
need to identify innovative means of engagement and training for volunteers in any future planning
Volunteering Tasmania
