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.

Key insight

In 2021, not volunteering was the most common response among residents aged 15 and over in St Helens Beach, accounting for 71.6% (111 people). This share was lower than Mackay (R) (76.9%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in volunteering, which decreased by 13 people and 8.2 percentage points.

Section overview

Volunteer work

St Helens Beach - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)

This table summarises volunteer work for St Helens Beach in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Mackay (R) and change since 2016.

Volunteer work snapshot

2021 distribution by category for St Helens Beach, with comparison markers for Mackay (R).

St Helens Beach
Mackay (R)

Total Volunteer

2021 count

14

% of total

9.0%

Change from 2016

-8.2pp

Total Not A Volunteer

2021 count

111

% of total

71.6%

Change from 2016

-1.0pp

Total Voluntary Work Not Stated

2021 count

28

% of total

18.1%

Change from 2016

+7.3pp

Data table

Volunteer work for St Helens Beach. Volunteer work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Mackay (R).

Volunteer work for St Helens Beach. Volunteer work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Mackay (R).
Volunteer work for St Helens Beach. Volunteer work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Mackay (R).
Category20212016Change
Count%Mackay (R)%Count%Mackay (R)%Countpp
Total Volunteer149.0%13.0%2717.2%18.6%-13-8.2pp
Total Not A Volunteer11171.6%76.9%11472.6%71.5%-3-1.0pp
Total Voluntary Work Not Stated2818.1%10.2%1710.8%9.8%+11+7.3pp
Total155100.0%100.0%157100.0%100.0%-20.0pp