Wollongong organisations hit by lack of volunteers as COVID fears persist

Located in a gully below Warrawong High School, the additional rains kept Mr Caren busy, as plants needed to be maintained and animals tended to ahead of the spring growing season.

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With the dirt tracks too muddy for the organisation's tractor to haul supplies, it was all hands on deck, but lately, Mr Caren has had to shoulder more of the task.

According to Green Connect engagement and support manager Ann Burbrook, a dearth of volunteers is hitting the organisation hard.

"With the weather that we've experienced this year, it's been tough anyway, but the lack of volunteers means that a couple of people are putting in considerably longer hours because we've got to grow stuff," she said.

Understandably, volunteer numbers dropped dramatically around Australia during COVID, but the sector is struggling to bounce back to 2019 figures.

Volunteering Australia, the peak body for volunteer organisations, found that two out of three volunteers stopped volunteering in 2020. After restrictions were lifted, in early 2021 nearly three quarters of programs were not fully operational.

Ongoing concern about the impact of COVID has kept some previously consistent volunteers away from Green Connect, but another change has been the pausing of mutual obligations requirements for those receiving JobSeeker, Youth Allowance or other Centrelink payments in flood affected areas of NSW, including Wollongong, Shellharbour and the Shoalhaven.

Ms Burbrook said that this change was understandable, but that it impacted already depleted numbers of volunteers.

Volunteer numbers have also fluctuated at Lifeline stores in the Illawarra. Retail area manager Alicia Ferderer said while there was a waiting list for volunteers in Wollongong, stores in Corrimal and Nowra were shortstaffed.

"It can change from week to week," she said.

Attendance at the Corrimal and Nowra stores has been down due to illness and volunteers taking leave after a tough two years but fluctuations in numbers put more pressure on paid staff members.

"It puts more pressure on the team leader."

Both Mrs Ferderer and Ms Burbrook reiterated that their respective organisations could not function without volunteers, and Mr Caren added that the work doesn't wait.

"There's always beds to prepare and plant," he said.

But having seen the site flourish and contributed for the past nine months, Mr Caren said he wouldn't be leaving anytime soon.

"It's what I like doing anyway. I might as will come here and offer my assistance."

For those with an interest in volunteering, the best place to start is connect with an organisation that speaks with them and get involved.

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