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 Yan Yean, accounting for 73.7% (157 people). This share was lower than Whittlesea (C) (87.2%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not volunteering, which decreased by 778 people, while its share rose by 4.4 percentage points.

Section overview

Volunteer work

Yan Yean - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)

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

Volunteer work snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Yan Yean, with comparison markers for Whittlesea (C).

Yan Yean
Whittlesea (C)

Total Volunteer

2021 count

32

% of total

15.0%

Change from 2016

-7.5pp

Total Not A Volunteer

2021 count

157

% of total

73.7%

Change from 2016

+4.4pp

Total Voluntary Work Not Stated

2021 count

23

% of total

10.8%

Change from 2016

+2.6pp

Data table

Volunteer work for Yan Yean. Volunteer work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Whittlesea (C).

Volunteer work for Yan Yean. Volunteer work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Whittlesea (C).
Volunteer work for Yan Yean. Volunteer work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Whittlesea (C).
Category20212016Change
Count%Whittlesea (C)%Count%Whittlesea (C)%Countpp
Total Volunteer3215.0%7.6%30322.5%11.6%-271-7.5pp
Total Not A Volunteer15773.7%87.2%93569.3%82.0%-778+4.4pp
Total Voluntary Work Not Stated2310.8%5.2%1118.2%6.4%-88+2.6pp
Total213100.0%100.0%1,349100.0%100.0%-1,1360.0pp