Volunteering

Volunteering is a great way to connect with others and to contribute to your community. It provides a variety of benefits for you and for your community, including sharing skills, building confidence, making new friends, getting job-ready, strengthening connections and contributing to community wellbeing.

In Queensland, volunteering plays a critical role in delivering essential community services. More than half of all charities and many government agencies rely on volunteers to provide vital support.

We fund Volunteering Queensland to promote volunteering across Queensland and provide a volunteer referral service, training and sector support for volunteers and volunteer-involving organisations. Volunteering Queensland also provides registration services for emergency volunteers during disasters when activated by the Queensland State Disaster Coordination Centre.

We've recently:

  • established a Ministerial Advisory Panel for Volunteering to ensure the key stakeholders shape future volunteering initiatives with their practical advice and insights.
  • created a whole-of-government Volunteering Working Group to deliver a coordinated support to the sector.
  • provided a $250,000 funding boost to four regional volunteer resource centres to give immediate support while we develop a sustainable, long-term strategy.
    • Volunteering Gold Coast
    • Volunteering Sunshine Coast
    • Volunteering North Queensland
    • FNQ Volunteers
  • streamlined personal injury insurance arrangements for disaster volunteers with new annual coverage starting in 2025‑26.

Inquiry into volunteering in Queensland

Volunteering Queensland’s state of the sector report in 2024 showed that volunteering rates in Queensland had dropped 10% over the past 3 years. Read about the inquiry and their 2025 report on the Inquiry's Parliamentary website.

The Queensland Government’s response supported each of the Inquiry’s recommendations in principle and presented 18 practical initiatives.

For more information read the full Inquiry into Volunteering in Queensland: Queensland Government Response (PDF, 2.5MB).

Legal information for volunteers in Queensland

Workplace Health and Safety

Personal injury insurance

Personal injury insurance plays a crucial role in protecting disaster volunteers.

An annual WorkCover Queensland contract is in place to insure Volunteering Queensland’s EV CREW (Emergency Volunteering Community Response to Extreme Weather). The covers the program’s volunteers whenever they are activated during a declared disaster, pandemic or defined event throughout 2025-26.

Publications and research

Volunteering events

Each year, events are held to celebrate the spirit of volunteering.

Volunteering opportunities in Queensland

Explore opportunities to volunteer and help make a real difference in your community.

Last updated:
14 May 2026