Understanding of volunteering by the Australian public: the media perspective

This paper explores the understanding of volunteering by the Australian public from a media perspective. The content analysis of 137 news articles published in The Australian newspaper during the period from 01-01-2008 to 30-09-2010 has revealed that volunteering in Australia is framed in terms of eight perspectives: education-related; corporate volunteering;, community support; hurdles and enablers for volunteers; general reference to volunteering; environmental protection; research subjects; and volunteering in foreign soil. The phenomenon of volunteering is mainly famed as a general reference to volunteering and not as a case for encouraging more volunteering. Encouragement for participation in volunteering is under represented. Government and related organisations are the dominant claim makers. It is argued that media-led rhetoric tends to influence peoples’ decision to volunteer. Thus, social marketing campaigns that aim to persuade people to volunteer should be designed by referring to the construction of meaning of volunteering by the people.