Volunteering is a feature of contemporary life and professional membership organisations are frequently active in this space (see Table 1). The APS has MoUs with organisations such as the Australian Red Cross and the Salvation Army, however, apart from the APS disaster response network (which involves a considerable number of members), there are no formalised APS initiatives in volunteering. Many APS members volunteer as individuals in various capacities across a range of organisations, but this could be further facilitated by the APS using its networks and the expertise of its members to develop this aspect of community service.
Table 1. Examples of volunteering initiatives by Australian professional membership organisations
| ORGANISATION |
INITIATIVES |
| CPA Australia |
Partnership with Pro Bono Australia, where members can source volunteer roles and Board positions in not-for-profit organisations |
| Australian Dental Association |
Support for dental outreach programs, including a website listing of various Australian Dental Volunteer Projects and a manual providing guidance for volunteers on regulations, culture etc in resource-poor countries |
| Australian Architecture Association |
Weekly tour program to promote architecture to the public run by member volunteers, with training and incentives for participation including CPD credits and access to social events |
Professions Australia
(24 professional member associations representing over 400,000 professionals) |
Partnership with Pro Bono Australia to advance and promote professionalism for the benefit of the community by delivering more skilled volunteers to not-for-profit organisations |
Why do people volunteer?
A large body of empirical work in the study of volunteering has focused on the reasons behind the decision to join the volunteer force. There are two approaches which are frequently used in the field of ‘motivation to volunteer’ (Wilson, 2000): (1) the symbolic (sociological) approach, where the motivation is considered to be part of a larger set of cultural understandings or as an expression of certain values and beliefs, construed through actions; and (2) the functional (psychological) approach, where the motivation is an expression of pre-existing needs and dispositions and volunteering provides a functional match between certain psychological needs and particular personality traits.
The benefits of volunteering
A growing body of volunteering literature documenting the benefits of volunteering aligns with the elements of human flourishing identified in the positive psychology movement. For example, studies of ageing populations have linked volunteering to improved self-reported health, increased physical functioning, better cognitive functioning, reduced depressive symptoms and longer lives (Population Reference Bureau, 2011). Other studies have also revealed how providing and reflecting on pro-social behaviour can have an impact on health and longevity (Brown, Nesse, Vinokur, & Smith, 2003). A study focusing on young children supports previous research that identifies giving to others as a proximate mechanism for human cooperation and is linked to positive emotions (Aknin, Kiley Hamlin & Dunn, 2012).
A study conducted by the American Psychological Association (APA) as part of President Diane F. Halpern's Presidential Task Force on Retiring Psychologists in 2004 revealed that the largest age bracket of the APA's membership is 55- to 59-year-olds, and that these psychologists have no desire to fully retire (Chamberlin, 2004). The survey found that 22 per cent of retired psychologists continued their research or service in psychology after their retirement. Of those who had not yet retired, 61 per cent said that they planned to volunteer during their retirement, with two-thirds indicating that this would be in areas related to psychology.
Next steps
As outlined in Table 1, there are different ways of structuring volunteering activities for members in professional organisations. Organisations can support volunteering activities amongst members by providing the required training, CPD credits or partnering with organisations in the Australian community sector. These partnerships enable strategic volunteering initiatives that align with the values and goals of each party. There are clear benefits for both members and the wider community in such formalised volunteering activities.
A Professional Practice forum on volunteering from diverse perspectives at the last APS Annual Conference featured several initiatives by APS Interest Groups and Branches where APS member volunteers have been undertaking a secondary or supervisory role with frontline agencies such as Red Cross Australia or the Salvation Army. The APS would like to gauge the level of member interest in volunteering activities that could be supported by the organisation. How might the APS facilitate volunteering activities? What volunteering activities are members currently engaged in? Would there be sufficient interest to establish an APS Interest Group on psychology and volunteering? What sort of initiatives would members engage in if some modest resources were available to support initiatives?
Members interested in sharing their views on this topic are invited to contact Erica Frydenberg at [email protected] by the end of April 2014.
By Associate Professor Erica Frydenberg FAPS, General Director, APS Board and Rachel Pui-Tak Liang MAPS, Project Officer, APS National Office