This year we had a record number of applications for the National Volunteer Week Grants which have once again been generously funded through Lotterywest. Our successful grants recipients are listed below.  

Our sector makes a huge contribution daily to support vulnerable people in communities and we are pleased to be working with the Australian Government Department of Health on a new program to re-engage and encourage new volunteers into residential aged care facilities (RACFs) to provide social support and companionship. You may have already seen the new national campaign through our social media channels or website, www.agedcarevolunteering.org.au. We've a big challenge ahead but I'm hopeful that there are many amongst us that will sign up and bring the joy of friendship to our older Australians.

I’m excited to say Volunteering Australia are almost ready to send out the Volunteering in Australia research (VinA). This survey will inform the National Volunteering Strategy and has the potential of being the biggest nationwide volunteer sector survey ever. We will be sharing the survey far-and-wide to volunteer involving organisations throughout Western Australia to ensure your voices are heard, and that WA is adequately included. Details to follow, and we expect this survey to be distributed in early May. 

Finally, I would like to invite all our members to comment on Volunteering WA's Constitution. Our last review took place in 2018, and our Board is keen to receive your feedback on a new version, which we plan to present at the AGM in October 2022. Please forward any comments to info@volunteeringwa.org.au.

On closing, I wish you all a fantastic National Volunteer Week 2022 with thousands of waves coming your way to acknowledge the tremendous work you do and to recognise the incredible contributions of our selfless volunteers.

Happy Volunteering,

Tina Williams | CEO Volunteering WA

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SECTOR NEWS

Advocacy and Policy

Federal Election - Vote for Volunteers
We're back in election mode with the election for Federal Parliament less than a month away. Volunteering Australia has one core request for an incoming Federal Government, which is to commit to the ongoing design and delivery of a sector-led and whole of government National Strategy for Volunteering. Volunteering WA supports this call to fund the implementation of the National Strategy, currently in development. 

For more information, please read the "Vote for Volunteers" platform here

Review of legislation governing most incorporated associations
Volunteering WA has been engaging with the State Government on the review of the Incorporated Associations ACT 2015. This Act, governs most voluntary organisations in WA.

Our formal submission is available here. It highlights our support for this legislation and the positive changes it has made to the sector, as well as opportunities to address issues including the opportunity for electronic attendance at meetings and better access to dispute resolution processes.

Report and Good-Practice Guides:
Volunteering in Aged Care Settings

New report released: Volunteering in Aged Care Settings in Western Australia – Good Practice During COVID-19 and Beyond

Volunteering in aged care settings has changed significantly during COVID-19 and initial indications are that some of the changes which have occurred are likely to remain, changing the volunteering landscape for volunteers, managers of volunteers and organisations.

Read the Report and Good Practice Guides for Volunteer Managers.

Thank you to our Researchers and Authors, Dr Megan Paull and Dr Sally Paulin, Murdoch University Business School + Centre for Healthy Ageing for their dedication to this research project and advancing the volunteering sector.

Supported by Lotterywest

Grants Open | Animal Welfare

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development are offering grants of up to $50,000 for not-for-profit organisations that improve the welfare of companion animals and wildlife. Round 2 of the grant program is now open. 

Click here for more information about the program.

National Volunteer Week 

National Volunteer Week (NVW) is Australia's largest annual celebration of volunteering and will be held on 16 - 22 May 2022. 

• The Volunteering Australia Shop is now open with volunteer-specific gifts to thank volunteers. 

Download the National Volunteer Week Toolkit
The NVW Toolkit, social media graphics, email banners and certificate templates are now on the Volunteering WA website. 

Voices of Volunteering: Send us your stories
We would love to showcase your volunteering stories through our social media channels, website, and to media in lead up to National Volunteer Week (and beyond!)

Share our 'Voices of Volunteering' form within your networks, and help us collect and share volunteer stories. Stories can be submitted here 

Congratulations to the 2022 National Volunteer Week Grant Recipients
Supported by Lotterywest, each year during National Volunteer Week, Volunteering WA offers small grants to be used for organisations to celebrate and thank their volunteers. View our 2022 recipients here. 

OUR NEWS

Re-engaging volunteers into residential aged care facilities

Volunteering WA has launched a new campaign to help bring the joy of friendship and companionship to our older Australians. If you or someone you know is inquisitive, sociable and passionate about combating loneliness in some of the most vulnerable members in our community, then please reach out and help. 

Could you spare some time to support aged care residents who are looking for companionship and social support? Coming out of the pandemic, many people are looking to get back into volunteering, or for some, to start volunteering. 

The Re-engaging Volunteers into Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACF) Program is an initiative of the Australian Government Department of Health and is proudly delivered by the volunteering peak bodies.

The program has been established nationwide to provide non-clinical social and emotional support to older people living in Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs) and re-engage volunteers with the aged care sector.

• Sign up as a volunteer or RACF in Western Australia
• View the national campaign site

You're invited! Free webinar in partnership with Act Belong Commit 

In the week leading up to National Volunteer Week, Act Belong Commit are hosting a webinar to discuss all things volunteering. As the peak body for the volunteer sector in WA, Volunteering WA will lead the discussion on the mental health benefits of volunteering, and the challenges of attracting and retaining volunteers, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Wednesday 11 May, 10:00am - 11:15am

To express interest in attending the webinar email  acttbelongcommit@curtin.edu.au

Emergency platform upgrade

We have recently completed the first phase of our Emergency Platform Upgrade. We were able to host roundtable sessions with a great variety of organisations to gather feedback on how to make the platform best meet our members' needs. Their valuable feedback has been incorporated into our development plans and the developers are getting started at bringing it to life. We look forward to user testing in a couple months.

A smarter way is coming

The management of volunteers should be easy.

INVOLVE is a flexible and fully featured app, centred around your volunteers. We are gearing up for a busy time ahead as we prepare to roll out our new volunteer management platform, INVOLVE from July.

• Build your team, your way | Create a team of volunteer managers and program coordinators with different access so they can work collaboratively without losing focus.
• Make it work for you | Make INVOLVE your own with checklist templates, customisable statuses and tags.
• Keep in control | Set up your organisation the way you need with organisational, volunteer and security settings.
• Measure your impact | See hours contributed, generate reports and collect statistics for future funding grants.

Sign up to be the first in the know.

Welcoming new staff members

Read all Volunteering WA team profiles on our website.

2022 Training Schedule

Subscribe to the new training alerts email for reminders on upcoming development opportunities. 

Registrations open for May workshops (delivered online)

• 3 May, *Free* Making the most of your VWA membership
• 4 May, *Free* Inclusive workplace cultures for diverse volunteers
• 5 May, *Free* Introduction to VIKTOR for online volunteer recruitment
• 5 May, *Free* LGBTQIA+ Diversity, facilitated for SHQ
• 6 May, *Free* How to retain great volunteers (part 1)
• 11 May, *Free* How to activate your community
• 12 May, *Free* Writing successful grant applications
• 17 May, *Free* Recruiting the right volunteers for your VIO (part 2)
• 26 May, Volunteer Managers Meeting - Attracting and retaining young volunteers

Free Helpline for volunteering organisations

Do you have a question about volunteer management or best practice?

Volunteering WA has established VIOHelp to answer queries from volunteer-involving organisations about issues relating to volunteers or volunteer management practice.

Submit your queries to the VIOHelp team at VIOHelp@volunteeringwa.org.au

Welcome new and returning members

Stephanie's Big Cat Conservation Quest
www.facebook.com/StephaniesBigCatConservationQuest

FORM Building a State of Creativity
www.form.net.au/

Millars Well Primary School
www.millarswellps.wa.edu.au

Wickham Community Association
www.facebook.com/WickhamCommunityAssociation

Hedland Touch Association
www.facebook.com/HedlandTouch

Whitelion Youth
www.whitelion.asn.au

Canning Agricultural, Hortricultural & Recreational Society
www.cecswa.com.au

www.volunteeringwa.org.au  |  08 9482 4333  |  info@volunteeringwa.org.au

Volunteering WA leads, advances and celebrates volunteering in Western Australia