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 Cooloongup, accounting for 82.2% (4,545 people). This share was higher than Rockingham (C) (81.5%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not volunteering, which increased by 4,346 people and 19 percentage points.

Section overview

Volunteer work

Cooloongup - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)

This table summarises volunteer work for Cooloongup in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Rockingham (C) and change since 2016.

Volunteer work snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Cooloongup, with comparison markers for Rockingham (C).

Cooloongup
Rockingham (C)

Total Volunteer

2021 count

533

% of total

9.6%

Change from 2016

-17.1pp

Total Not A Volunteer

2021 count

4,545

% of total

82.2%

Change from 2016

+19.0pp

Total Voluntary Work Not Stated

2021 count

456

% of total

8.2%

Change from 2016

-2.0pp

Data table

Volunteer work for Cooloongup. Volunteer work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Rockingham (C).

Volunteer work for Cooloongup. Volunteer work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Rockingham (C).
Volunteer work for Cooloongup. Volunteer work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Rockingham (C).
Category20212016Change
Count%Rockingham (C)%Count%Rockingham (C)%Countpp
Total Volunteer5339.6%11.8%8426.7%14.4%+449-17.1pp
Total Not A Volunteer4,54582.2%81.5%19963.2%76.7%+4,346+19.0pp
Total Voluntary Work Not Stated4568.2%6.7%3210.2%8.8%+424-2.0pp
Total5,532100.0%100.0%315100.0%100.0%+5,2170.0pp