CEO Report
Welcome to this issue of the enews.
The past couple of months have been wonderfully busy and inspiring for the sector as we celebrated National Volunteer Week with our members, partners and volunteers. This year we were grateful for the opportunity to celebrate in-person again with hundreds of events held across the State, as well as continuing our hugely successful online campaign.
Thank you to each of the volunteer-involving organisations, community groups, and individuals who joined us during National Volunteer Week to celebrate WA's volunteers, sharing your online #WaveForVolunteers. I was honoured to attend a number of events and media opportunities during the week, including a volunteer morning at Dress for Success, a celebration and video launch at the City of Joondalup, the Department of Communities Awards, and of course Volunteering WA's own awards.
The next few months are going to be very busy for our sector as we work together in the redesign of the Volunteer Management Activity (VMA) program. As most will be aware, in 2020 the Minister for Families and Social Services, Senator the Hon Anne Ruston, released the Report on the Review of the Volunteer Management Activity (the Review), with recommendations for a new VMA model that prioritises: People with Disability; First Nations Peoples; and Newly Arrived Migrants. You can read the Review, recommendations and further details on the Department of Social Services website.
Volunteering WA will share further information as it is announced. Volunteer Support Services are encouraged to get in touch with us in relation to what services they could offer to support the new VMA program.
With the financial year coming to a close preparations are in hand for annual reporting. I’d like to urge all our members to include the significant contributions made by volunteers and if required add a dollar value using the VWA - volunteer benefits calculator.
Finally, we’re all excited to be planning our State Conference in November. Bookings are already open and I’d recommend booking early to take advantage of early bird rates and limited capacity. More details are below.
Thank you again.
Happy Volunteering,
Tina Williams | CEO Volunteering WA
Our News
National Volunteer Week Round Up
Thank you for joining us to recognise volunteers for the vital role they play in communities across the country. While National Volunteer Week is over for another year, we hope we have inspired you to Recognise, Reconnect and Reimagine volunteering.
Online campaign - Hundreds of organisations and community groups across the State joined us online for the #WaveForVolunteers social media campaign, where we could show our appreciation for our volunteers.
NVW grants - Supported by Lotterywest, 160 community groups shared in the National Volunteer Week grants and held celebrations to recognise their volunteers throughout the week.
Going red for NVW - Each year during NVW, a number of iconic Western Australian buildings and landmarks across the State light in magnificent red – the colour of volunteering – in support of volunteers. Our supporters include The Bell Tower; Parliament and Council House; Optus Stadium; Matagarup, Mount Street, and Joondalup Drive Bridges; Sky Ribbon; Elizabeth Quay Bridge and Spanda; and the Woodside Energy building.
WA Volunteer of the Year Awards - On Thursday 20 May, 320 volunteers and organisations joined us at Crown Perth for the annual Volunteer of the Year Gala Dinner. The event was hosted by ABC Radio's Nadia Mitsopolous and Russell Woolf and made possible thanks to our Award Partners and supporters.
2022 Save the Date - If you're a planner, note 2022 NVW will be held 16 - 22 May 2022.
WA Volunteer of the Year Awards 2021
- View the photo gallery on the Volunteering WA Facebook page.
- Meet each of our 2021 Recipients and Award Partners here.
- Save the date for the 2022 Awards - Thursday 19 May 2022 at Crown Perth.
Thank you to our Award Partners for helping make the WA Volunteer of the Year Awards possible
Save big with early bird tickets - State Conference
The Volunteering WA 2021 State Conference is the primary forum in WA for volunteer leaders and managers to come together to build knowledge, leadership and best practice in the volunteering sector. This conference is hosted by Volunteering WA and made possible with thanks to our Conference Partners, Woodside, RAC and Beyond Bank.
Do you want to present at the 2021 Volunteering WA conference?
SPEAKER OPPS: Want to connect with more than 200 volunteer leaders, managers and community organisations? Then jump online and submit an Abstract to present on a topic/facilitate a workshop at the Volunteering WA State Conference in November.
Topic examples: PR & marketing; risk management; productivity; community engagement; cultural awareness; volunteer recruitment and policy; volunteer engagement and well-being; project mapping; auditing and reporting; sponsorship and funding ++++
* Abstract submissions open until the end of June 2021.
VIOHelp! Volunteer management and sector expertise is just an email away.
Calling all volunteer involving organisations! If you have a question about volunteer management practice or policy, ask your volunteer experts through our new VIOHelp service. Email your questions to the Volunteering WA VIOHelp team at: viohelp@volunteeringwa.org.au.
National Student Volunteer Week 2021
This year National Student Volunteer Week will be 9 - 15 August 2021.
We invite all education providers, volunteer organisations and young volunteers across the country to participate in National Student Volunteer Week. In 2021, all participants will have access to resources to assist with planning and executing volunteering activities as well as promoting volunteer events and campaigns. Learn how you can get involved.
Volunteer Value $ Calculator - updated
Use the updated Volunteer Benefits Calculator to find out what your volunteers are really worth to your organisation. The replacement cost of a volunteer is calculated using the average hourly part-time wage of a person of their age in their State of residence, plus 15% employer on-costs (inclusive of superannuation, payroll tax and administration expenses). Find Volunteering WA's volunteer calculator here.
Sector News
Thank A Volunteer Day Grants - Now Open
Organisations planning events for Thank a Volunteer Day celebrations can now apply for State Government grants of up to $1,000. Grants are available for not-for-profit, community and local government authorities across Western Australia, to support celebrations and functions that help raise the profile of volunteers within the community.
Events will be hosted on International Volunteer Day on December 5 in recognition of the special contribution that volunteers make. Applications for the 2021 Thank a Volunteer Day Celebration Grants program close at 4pm Thursday, August 5.
Further information and instructions on how to apply are available on the Department of Communities website.
Volunteering in Aged Care Settings – Research Project
Round 2: Workshop for Volunteers in Aged Care Settings
In partnership with Murdoch University, join Volunteering WA and share your insight in how volunteering in the aged care sector changed during COVID.
- Workshop 2C In person on Tuesday 29 June 2021 from 10am - 12pm in Perth.
To register your attendance please click here. - Workshop 2D Online via Zoom on Wednesday 30 June from 2pm - 4pm. Preference will be given to regional attendees.
To register your attendance please click here.
Refer here to register interest to attend workshops (both face to face and online) and receive updates on the project.
Online survey from UWA SAGE Lab and Department of Communities
WA Department of Communities and the UWA SAGE Lab are conducting research to explore what people working in communities throughout Western Australia know about the abuse of older people (elder abuse). A key part of this research is a survey now available online. This anonymous survey is designed to be completed by anyone who works with, volunteers with, or manages services for older people living at home in Western Australia. This includes staff and volunteers working across a range of sectors, including healthcare, aged care, social services, community organisations, relevant state government agencies, local governments, etc.
The survey does not target elder abuse specialists, rather it aims to gather insights from a wide range of people who encounter older Western Australians during their daily work or volunteering roles.
This is important research that can inform policy and develop new approaches to support older people and their families living in WA communities.
The online survey can be accessed here: https://uwa.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Ft1mZlUeQsEmKa
COVID-Safe Resources for our CaLD Communities
A series of video and social media tiles have been developed by the WA Health Department to promote COVID-safe behaviours, including vaccination, to WA’s Cultural and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities. The resources feature WA healthcare workers and community leaders delivering COVID health messaging in English and in other languages.
This first batch features resources in Chinese Mandarin, Spanish, Swahili, Thai and Vietnamese. Links to the videos and downloadable social tiles are listed in this document. Additional resources are being developed in other languages and will be shared when available.
New data suggests volunteering impacted harder by COVID-19 than paid work
Compelling research from Volunteering Australia and the ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods shows a much greater decrease in the proportion of Australians who undertook volunteering than the decline in the proportion of Australians in paid work. Further information can be found here.
New findings
- There has been a substantial reduction in volunteering in Australia – 2.3 million fewer volunteers than prior to the pandemic.
- The data suggests that unpaid work has been adversely impacted more than paid work by the pandemic (greater decline in participation)
- Those who stopped volunteering were far more likely to say that they felt lonely at least some of the time than those who continued volunteering.
- However, Western Australia is the only one of the large jurisdictions that did not have a statistically significant decline over the period:
o Falling from 34.3% to 31.0% participation
o Contrasted to say South Australia which fell from 37.0% to 21.9% participation
Reporting requirements - COVID-19 vaccines in aged care settings
Volunteering WA welcomes volunteers being included in the new reporting requirements for COVID-19 aged care workforce vaccinations.
Read Volunteering Australia's Information Sheet here to learn more about Volunteers and COVID-19 Vaccinations.
Training & Events
We have some fantastic training coming up in the next few weeks. Please visit our website here for a full schedule of upcoming sessions however we bring to your attention a few that are very popular and filling up fast.
Visit our Training webpage for all upcoming dates.
Introduction to VIKTOR
Thursday 17 June | 9:00am - 10:00am | Online | For VWA members
Learn how to use the national online volunteer recruitment and referral platform.
Register here.
Volunteer Managers network (VMN) Meeting
Thursday 24 June | 9:30am - 12:00pm | Online | For VWA members and non-members
Join VWA’s Training and Education Manager and other Volunteer Managers to discuss general news, events, information sharing and problem solving, followed by 30 minutes of networking. Register here.
Volunteers in Aged Care Settings - Research Workshop 2C - FOR VOLUNTEERS
Tuesday 29 June | 10:00am - 12:00pm | In person (COMO)
Workshop for volunteers involved in Aged Care settings in Western Australia to inform a Good Practice Guide for the sector. Register here.
Step into Corporate Volunteering
Wednesday 30 June | 10:00am - 11:00am | Online | For VWA members
Interested in learning how corporate volunteers can assist your community group? Then attend this informal information session. Register here.
Volunteers in Aged Care Settings - Research Workshop 2D - FOR VOLUNTEERS
Wednesday 30 June | 2:00pm - 4:00pm | Online via Zoom
Workshop for volunteers involved in Aged Care settings in Western Australia to inform a Good Practice Guide for the sector. Register here.
Designing a Successful Virtual Volunteering Program
Tuesday 27 July | 9:30am - 12:30pm | Online | Members and non-members
This brand new workshop explores what Virtual Volunteering is and why you should be considering ways to incorporate it into your volunteer programs. Be quick to secure your place. Register here.
Writing Successful Grant Applications
Thursday 5 August | 9:30am - 11:00am | Online | Members and non-members
This one and a half hour information webinar will give you the basics for writing grant applications. Register here.
National Student Volunteer Week 2021
Monday 9 - Sunday 15 August 2021
Learn how you can get involved here.
Saturday Shout Out and Meet a Volunteer Stories
Saturday Shout Out: Do you need help finding volunteers to fill a position in your organisation? Our Saturday feature, only for members, advertises your position on our Facebook page, with over 7,500 followers. Please ensure your volunteering role is on VIKTOR so that we can link the Facebook post straight through to the Volunteering WA website.
Share your volunteer stories: Would you like to recognise one of your volunteers? Share a small paragraph about your volunteer, their contributions, and what they mean to your organisation (with a photo), and we will share this on our social media pages.
Email holly@volunteeringwa.org.au.
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