Understanding the Australian environmental volunteering market: A basis for behavioural change and a sustainable future

The world is facing an environmental crisis. Long-term environmental sustainability requires social change: individuals need to take personal responsibility for the environment and change their behaviour. Environmental volunteering organisations play a key role in this process: they create opportunities for individuals to improve their natural environment, they facilitate behavioural change. Successful facilitation of behavioural change requires in-depth understanding of the environmental volunteering market to identify those individuals most likely to volunteer, compete successfully and create targeted, motivating marketing campaigns.The present study (1) assesses the usefulness of a novel method (PBMS) to explore volunteering markets, and (2) provides insight into the Australian environmental volunteering market structure. Results indicate PBMS analysis provides unique insights into the volunteering market with respect to image, competition and suitable market segments. The environmental volunteering organisation considered in this study, Bushcare, is perceived as “outdoorsy”, “Aussie” and “supporting local community” and competes primarily with Surf Life Saving and the Rural Fire Service for volunteers.