Volunteering could be stronger in the Gladstone Community with 4,040 (10.8 per cent) people aged 15 years and over providing volunteer services. This compares to 16.2 per cent for the Gladstone Region.

The number of volunteers in Gladstone has fluctuated over time with 4,561 volunteers in 2011, which increased by 277 in 2016 with 4,838 people volunteering. The number of volunteers dropped significantly between 2016 and 2021, with 798 less volunteers. This means Gladstone has had a net loss in volunteers of 521 between 2011 and 2021.

There have been changes in the percentage of population volunteering across all age brackets, with decreases across four and increases across five.

The percentage of volunteers that are aged 15-19 years has increased by 0.4 per cent since 2011. While the percentage of volunteers that are aged 20-54 has decreased by 9.1 per cent while the proportion of volunteers that are aged 55 to 84 years old has increased by 7.9 per cent

With a population of just shy of 38,000, the Gladstone community has a large number of community groups, sport and recreation groups and support services.

Considerations:

• Volunteer numbers are dropping and those that do volunteer are ageing. If is a reduction in younger volunteers over the long term could have an impact on sustainability and viability of community groups, events and sport and recreation organisations.