Volunteering - its place in community capacity building

This paper was delivered by Diane Morgan, Chief Executive Officer, Volunteering Queensland at the MAQ State Conference, 15-16 September 2001, Cairns

CHALLENGES FOR NOT-FOR-PROFIT COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS

Despite the increase in the number of people volunteering and the diversity of skills individuals are bringing to voluntary activities, the retention rate within community organisations is dropping. This poses a number of serious questions that community organisations need to address.

A closer look at some of the challenges organisations are faced with include the:

• demand for increased professional skills and accountability of volunteer managers.
• public accountability.
• community capacity building - individual, community and social development versus volunteers as a simply cheap human resource.
• future impact of information technology.
• public image of volunteering.
• response to change and uncertainty in all aspects of society.