# Community Participation — Blackheath - Megalong Valley

How people contribute — volunteering, unpaid care and domestic work, and defence service.

Area: Blackheath - Megalong Valley (Statistical Area 2 (SA2))

Much higher rates of volunteering define Blackheath - Megalong Valley compared to most similar areas. While 22% of residents give their time to causes, there is also a notable trend of people providing unpaid care and housework at rates well above the national figures.

Volunteering is very common here, with 22% of people helping out, which is well above the 14.1% national figure. This is much higher than most similar areas, although the rate fell slightly from 23.3% in 2011.

Unpaid housework is among the highest in the region, with 28.1% of people doing 15 or more hours a week. This contrasts with childcare, as the 21.3% who care for children unpaid is well below the New South Wales figure of 25.3%.

A higher proportion of residents than in most similar areas have served in the Defence Force, at 3.6%. This is a little above the 2.3% seen across New South Wales.

## Statistics

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteers | 22.0% | -5.6% since 2011 |
| People providing unpaid care | 13.2% | +9.9% since 2011 |
| People caring for children unpaid | 21.3% | -12.1% since 2011 |
| People who served in the Defence Force | 3.6% | — |
| People doing 15+ hours of unpaid housework | 28.1% | +2.6% since 2011 |

Interactive: https://censusatlas.au/region/sa2/124011449/blackheath-megalong-valley/topic/community