What Counts as Volunteering? Evolving Definitions and Measures of Volunteering in Australia (1970s–2025)

Melanie Oppenheimer; Amanda Davies; Kirsten Holmes; Leonie Lockstone-Binney; Annette Maher; Olivier Oren

doi:10.1177/08997640261466262

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What Counts as Volunteering? Evolving Definitions and Measures of Volunteering in Australia (1970s–2025)

Journal article

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What Counts as Volunteering? Evolving Definitions and Measures of Volunteering in Australia (1970s–2025)

Melanie Oppenheimer, Amanda Davies, Kirsten Holmes, Leonie Lockstone-Binney, Annette Maher and Olivier Oren

Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, Vol.Advanced access

21-Jul-2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/08997640261466262

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Abstract

Volunteering

Census

Australia

Definition

definitions of volunteering

volunteer measurement

historical analysis

This research note examines how volunteering has been defined and measured in Australia since the 1970s, and how those choices shape what becomes visible in policy and statistics. Drawing on a historical analysis of national surveys, government reports, and key scholarship, this study shows how statistical infrastructures mediate between domestic civic traditions, sector advocacy, and pressures for international comparability. The analysis identifies recurring tensions between formal and informal practices and demonstrates that definitional change has often outpaced measurement, producing systematic blind spots.

Details

Title: What Counts as Volunteering? Evolving Definitions and Measures of Volunteering in Australia (1970s–2025)
Authors: Melanie Oppenheimer (Author) - Australian National University
Amanda Davies (Author) - The University of Western Australia
Kirsten Holmes (Author) - Curtin University
Leonie Lockstone-Binney (Corresponding Author) - Griffith University
Annette Maher (Author) - Australian National University
Olivier Oren (Author) - Griffith University
Publication details: Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, Vol.Advanced access
Publisher: Sage Publications, Inc.
DOI: 10.1177/08997640261466262
ISSN: 1552-7395
Data Availability: Data will be made available on reasonable request.
Grant note: This work was supported by the Australian Research Council (grant number LP2003010453*)
Organisation Unit: School of Business and Creative Industries
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991246398802621
Output Type: Journal article

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