Let’s start with a story about volunteering in the Australian outback.
Barcaldine is a small town in Central Queensland with fewer than 1,500 people. It’s about 520 km from the nearest regional city, Rockhampton, and much farther from the state capital, Brisbane. In other words it is quite remote. Despite this, it attracts many tourists, particularly grey nomads and retirees who travel around Australia in caravans, camper trailers, or even just tents. These travellers often stay in Barcaldine for anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Every year, about 15,000 visitors pass through, with around 70% of them being grey nomads.
Around 20 years ago, the town realised that these visitors brought with them a wealth of skills and experience that could benefit the community. With so many people coming and going, Barcaldine saw an opportunity to tap into this talent pool. They created a system where travellers could sign up and offer their skills for various local projects. They even launched a website where visitors could register their talents and travel dates. The idea took off, and soon, other towns across Australia were adopting similar programs.
Unfortunately, funding for Barcaldine’s project eventually ran out, and the original program was discontinued. However, the spirit of the idea lives on. Today, the Barcaldine Regional Council helps connect community groups with traveling volunteers by providing a list of projects, allowing grey nomads to reach out directly to organisations in need.
So, what can we learn from this?
It might be time to rethink how we define volunteering. Not everyone fits into traditional volunteer roles, and many people prefer flexible, short-term opportunities instead of long-term commitments. Organisations may need to adapt their approach, especially when engaging older volunteers, like baby boomers, who have a lifetime of skills to offer.
The world of volunteering is evolving, and organisations that want to attract volunteers must be willing to change. While big shifts can be challenging, the saying holds true: If we always do what we have always done, then we will always get what we have always gotten.
Make of this what you will.