5.3 Social contribution of resident accountants through community involvement
Community involvement by resident accountants and their families is seen universally
by the participants, as a significant contributor to the sustainability of rural
communities. On the one hand, accountants provide their professional skills and
experience to community organisations for governance and financial management. On
the other, there are the purely personal contributions stemming from social activity of
accountants including club memberships and active involvement in leisure activities.
From a professional perspective, the accountants’ contribution of skills and
knowledge to the operation of local community organisations has positive outcomes in
terms of improved management and accountability. The skills brought to a community
by an accountant are seen as highly specialised; in the absence of local accountants,
services are likely to be forgone depending on the financial status of the group.