The Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA), Volunteering Australia and The Centre for Volunteering have joined forces to celebrate volunteering, and the value it brings, with new audiences. 

CEO of the CBAA Jon Bisset said,

“Volunteers are the lifeblood of community broadcasting. The workforce for community broadcasting consists of over 18,500 volunteers and 833 employees.

“Without these volunteers the valuable social impact of our sector – providing local news and information, celebrating local music and arts, supporting social inclusion and a voice for of Australia’s diverse communities and marginalised groups – little of it would exist.”

The Centre for Volunteering will provide tailored support, designed to empower community radio stations to manage their volunteers and navigate day-to-date operational challenges.

The CEO of Volunteering Australia Mark Pearce said, “Volunteering Australia’s partnership with CBAA acknowledges that volunteers are essential to community broadcasting. Volunteering Australia and the CBAA agree that the Commonwealth needs to adopt a whole-of-government approach to volunteering that recognises the important role volunteers play in supporting Australian communities.”

Australian volunteer numbers fell at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, with formal volunteers declining from 36% of the population in 2019 to 26.7% in 2022.

While the number of community broadcasting volunteers also fell during this period, the decline was not as pronounced.