Marginalizing Australia's volunteers : the need for socially inclusive practices in the non-profit sector

Our concern in this paper is to demonstrate that it is essential volunteer organisations do not marginalize their volunteers. We draw on national data to identify areas of social exclusion and demonstrate how change in the sector may be affecting particular groups and individuals. This data suggests the need for non-profit organisations to ensure that their recruitment and retention processes are inclusive and that ‘potential’ volunteers across the spectrum of society are given adequate and appropriate assistance and consideration. We propose that human resource management policies and practices should enable all volunteers to be adequately supported, mentored and encouraged. We argue, too, that government has a role to play to ensure that volunteering does not become a political football and that adequate funding is available to support these processes. In this way, bridging social capital will continue to be developed and civil society will be inclusive of all Australians.