Sport Volunteering Dashboard

National and State Sporting Organisations Use in: Strategic planning, program development, and advocacy for volunteers in sport. How: Sport leaders may use this dashboard to understand key trends in volunteer engagement, diversity, and motivations, helping NSO/Ds and SSO/Ds align programs with what volunteer’s value (and need) most for a thriving volunteer ecosystem.

Sport Clubs Use in: Improve understanding on why people volunteer, how, and the importance of having some strategy to support volunteers. Particularly in how addressing these elements at clubs can improve the volunteer experience. How: Understand your volunteers better. This dashboard helps clubs identify gaps, improve support, and build inclusive, thriving volunteer communities.

Government Use in: Policy briefings, funding proposals, inter-agency portals. How: A strategic tool for evidence-based policy and investment. The dashboard supports inclusive planning, tracks diversity, and aligns with national frameworks (SVC Action Plan) to improve volunteer retention and community impact.

Media Use in: Press kits, media releases, public-facing pages. How: Explore the trends shaping Australia’s sport volunteering landscape. This dashboard offers real-time insights into who volunteers, how they engage, and what drives them—helping tell the story of community sport volunteers from the ground up.

Different data sources define volunteering in different ways. To support accurate interpretation, the key definitions and data collection methods used across the datasets in this dashboard are outlined below. Because these sources use different definitions and reporting periods, volunteer numbers may vary, and caution is advised when interpreting results.

AusPlay

AusPlay is a national population tracking survey led by the Australian Sports Commission, with the dashboard covering data from 2023/24 and 2024/25. Volunteers are defined as adults aged 15+ who have helped in sport or physical activity as non‑players at least once in the past 12 months. Individuals who received no payment are classified as volunteers, while those who received some payment or goods/services are included only if they self‑identify as volunteers. AusPlay provides data on volunteer numbers, roles, and hours contributed.

Game Plan

Game Plan, opens in a new tab is a free online platform that helps sporting clubs assess their capability and supports ongoing club development. Data updates daily. Its volunteering insights focus on how well volunteer motivations align with their roles, and it provides tailored suggestions for volunteer roles that best match club needs. This data offers a view into volunteer motivations and role fit at the club level.

Community Perceptions Monitor (CPM)

The Community Perceptions Monitor (CPM) is a monthly online survey of 500 Australian residents aged 18+, reported annually. Volunteering modules have been run in 2024 and 2025. CPM uses the same definition of volunteers as AusPlay and classifies individuals as current volunteers (volunteered in sport or physical activity at least once in the last 12 months), ex‑volunteers (last volunteered more than 12 months ago), or never‑volunteers. The data provides insights into volunteer experiences and motivations.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics General Social Survey (ABS GSS)

The ABS General Social Survey, opens in a new tab (GSS) collects information on social characteristics, wellbeing and community engagement, with volunteering data here drawn from its 2020 survey. Volunteering is defined as unpaid help willingly given as time, service, or skills that benefits the community beyond one’s own household. This includes formal volunteering (through an organisation) and informal volunteering (outside an organisation). A volunteer is someone who has provided unpaid help in the four weeks prior to the survey. The GSS provides information on how volunteers are recruited and the types of activities they support.