Employment
Volunteer work
About this topic
Volunteer work records whether people aged 15 years and over spent time doing voluntary work through an organisation or group in the previous 12 months. It is a measure of formal volunteering, not all informal help between neighbours, family, or friends.
This topic can indicate community participation, social connectedness, and the capacity of local organisations to attract volunteers. The 2021 Census should be interpreted carefully because COVID-19 restrictions reduced volunteering activity in many places.
Interpretation notes
- The Census counts voluntary work through an organisation or group, so it excludes informal help given outside formal organisations.
- The question refers to the previous 12 months for people aged 15 years and over.
- 2021 volunteering levels were affected by COVID-19 restrictions in many places, so change over time needs care.
Related topics
Key insight
In 2021, not volunteering was the most common response among residents aged 15 and over in Cairns City, accounting for 51.2% (1,752 people). This share was lower than Cairns (R) (76.3%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not volunteering, which increased by 1,712 people, while its share fell by 21.5 percentage points.
Section overview
Volunteer work
Cairns City - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises volunteer work for Cairns City in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Cairns (R) and change since 2016.
Volunteer work snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Cairns City, with comparison markers for Cairns (R).
Total Volunteer
2021 count
334
% of total
9.8%
Change from 2016
-6.6pp
334
9.8%
-6.6pp
Total Not A Volunteer
2021 count
1,752
% of total
51.2%
Change from 2016
-21.5pp
1,752
51.2%
-21.5pp
Total Voluntary Work Not Stated
2021 count
1,334
% of total
39.0%
Change from 2016
+28.1pp
1,334
39.0%
+28.1pp
Chart view
Volunteer work change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Total Volunteer
+325
-6.6pp
Total Not A Volunteer
+1,712
-21.5pp
Total Voluntary Work Not Stated
+1,328
+28.1pp
Data table
Volunteer work for Cairns City. Volunteer work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Cairns (R).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Cairns (R)% | Count | % | Cairns (R)% | Count | pp | |
| Total Volunteer | 334 | 9.8% | 13.9% | 9 | 16.4% | 18.5% | +325 | -6.6pp |
| Total Not A Volunteer | 1,752 | 51.2% | 76.3% | 40 | 72.7% | 70.7% | +1,712 | -21.5pp |
| Total Voluntary Work Not Stated | 1,334 | 39.0% | 9.7% | 6 | 10.9% | 10.8% | +1,328 | +28.1pp |
| Total | 3,422 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 55 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +3,367 | 0.0pp |