CEO ReportWelcome to the January edition of eNews. I hope you all enjoyed a well-deserved break along with the beautiful weather and festivities. As we welcome the new year and start to plan activities for the coming months, it’s also necessary for us to plan
for the community spread of COVID-19 in WA despite the extended border reopening.
This will put pressure on already stretched services provided to those most vulnerable in our community. There is no doubt that Western Australians will step up to help, as we always do in times of crisis. In accordance with the latest Directions and mandates, there are significant changes to how we manage and lead volunteering programs. As things evolve we will continue to update you of industry changes and provide the latest tools and resources to help you navigate the changing landscape (a few linked below). To support our sector we are once again reactivating the emergency volunteering website. This connects potential volunteers with organisations assisting vulnerable people needing help in their local area. We have also adapted some of our regular activities and services to be COVID safe: WA Volunteer of the Year Awards: After postponing our Awards in 2020 it was heartening to hold an even bigger and better event in 2021, now after much consideration and uncertainty we have made the
decision to postpone the WA Volunteer of the Year Awards for 2022. We will release details soon on other creative ways that suitably recognise and celebrate volunteers, watch this space. Volunteering WA workshops and training: We have created an exciting and full training and education schedule for 2022 with a focus on blended in-person and online learning so we can quickly adapt to any regulation changes. In accordance with the latest Directions, masks, proof of COVID vaccination or medical exemption will be required to attend VWA workshops in-person. Please refer to the WA.gov.au website for information about current restrictions in Western Australia. No doubt our preparations and response to the community spread of COVID will continue to change and scale-up over the coming months, and whilst it will likely be an unusual year, we are viewing this 'disruption' as an opportunity to try new ways of delivering our programs and offerings to the sector, at the same time as providing additional support to you our members. As such, we will continue to develop and provide resources for volunteer involving organisations to help you safely navigate this year. Please feel free to connect with our viohelp@volunteeringwa.org.au service with any volunteer management queries. I would like to welcome our new Minister for Volunteering, Hon. Stephen Dawson MLC and thank Minister Reece Whitby MLA for his support and contributions to our sector during his candidature. We look forward to working with Minister Dawson who also holds the portfolios for Emergency Services; Innovation and ICT; Medical Research. Happy Volunteering,
Tina Williams | CEO Volunteering WA
Mandatory Vaccine Directions We continue to update our website with the latest information on vaccines for volunteers, please find details here.
Downloadable COVID-19 Guides Our Resource Committee continues to develop and update fact sheets and guides to help volunteer involving organisations adapt to our pandemic environment. Check out our Fact Sheets webpage for downloadable guides, including: - Responding to a Pandemic in WA - Guides for volunteers and volunteering
organisations
- Tips for optimising virtual volunteer
- Return to corporate volunteering fact sheet
- Returning volunteer programs and volunteers during COVID-19
- COVID-19 and informal volunteering groups
Applications open
National Volunteer Week GrantsSupported by Lotterywest, each year during National Volunteer Week (16 - 22 May), Volunteering WA offers grants of up to $1,000 to be used by organisations to celebrate their volunteers. See our NVW Grants page for details of the grants and types of celebratory activities supported. Applications for the 2022 National Volunteer Week Grants are open from Tuesday 25 January, and close on Sunday 6 March.
VWA Volunteer Society As seen in the last issue of our enewsletter for 2021, Volunteering WA is excited to be running an online advertising campaign for volunteering with thanks to generous support from Lotterywest. The campaign has kicked off with a new microsite
(vwavolunteersociety.org) showcasing volunteer experiences targeted at a younger demographic, as well as adverts on YouTube, Spotify, TikTok and Facebook (if you see these ads, feel free to screenshot them and send them through to communications@volunteeringwa.org.au!). The next step in this campaign will be sharing more content and volunteering experiences on our social media platforms for our sector to engage with, comment on and share. Volunteering WA
members can add a social volunteering (group activity) to their VIKTOR profile and we will add it to our VWA Volunteer Society campaign site. Artwork
Independent Perth designer, Oli, has designed nine illustrations representing different types of volunteering, from sport and recreation, conservation and animal care, to mental health and education. This artwork will be used throughout our campaign content and the first 1,000 people to sign up for a volunteer experience through vwavolunteersociety.org will be able to get their hands on a limited edition Oli/VWA Society shirt. To find out how your volunteer involving organisation can get involved in this campaign, please contact our Communications Manager Holly at holly@volunteeringwa.org.au or on 9482 4333.
2022 Training Schedule Volunteering WA is pleased to announce the release of our Education and Training calendar for 2022. Thank you to everyone who completed the 2021 training survey, and your suggestions were taken onboard with a jam-packed year of training for 2022. There are plenty of new workshops as well as VWA’s most popular workshops. We have revamped the
Volunteer Manager Network (VMN), with a guest speaker joining each network meeting to discuss a specific topic or theme. Upcoming workshops include: - Storytelling facilitated by Hancock Creative
- Justice Connect Webinar- Top Legal Tips for Not-for-profit Organisations
- Leading the Way for Volunteering Organisations: Module 1
- Attracting and Retaining Young Volunteers: Emily Lees
- LGBTIQUA+ facilitated by S&HQ (Sexual and Health Quarters)
- Inclusive Workplace Cultures to Diverse Volunteers. What does this mean and how can you create it? – Prina Shah
- Supervising and Mentoring Volunteers in your VIO: Jenny
Gleeson
IT Infrastructure | Volunteer SectorINVOLVE | One-stop-shop for volunteer management
The Business Operations team is gearing up for a busy year ahead as we prepare to rollout our new volunteer management platform, INVOLVE. Sign up to our mailing list to be the first to know when we officially launch. Emergency Volunteering Portal
With thanks to funding from the Department of Communities, our Emergency Volunteering Platform will soon be upgraded to enhance usability and functionality, ensuring it remains a valuable resource in times of statewide emergencies. The increased automation and ability to connect volunteers to volunteer positions will streamline recruitment and management for both volunteers and organisations, particularly in emergency situations where a rapid response is required.
Our team is growing - welcome new staff members
Simon Order - recently joined VWA as Volunteer Management Activity Coordinator (metro), and will coordinate and deliver services to build the capacity of volunteer involving organisations, with a focus on disability, new migrant, and First Nations priority groups. If Simon hasn't booked in a one2one catchup with your organisation yet, he will likely be in touch soon!
Caitlin Van Haght - initially joining our team as volunteer receptionist, we are excited to have Caitlin join our staff as Administration Officer. Caitlin will provide much-needed support to our membership and training arms as demand for our services continues to grow. Read all the Volunteering WA team profiles on our website.
Interested in tapping into Corporate Volunteers?Is your volunteer organisation interested in hosting a team of corporate volunteers, or do you want to tap into the expertise of a skilled corporate volunteer to run a workshop or help with a specific project? Attend our first online Step into Corporate Volunteering session for the year on Wednesday 16 February (11:00am
- 12:00pm), which covers how you can best utilise corporate volunteers within your organisation, what’s involved in sourcing a skills-based volunteer or a team of corporate volunteers, and more.
Save the Date
16 - 22 May, National Volunteer Week (NVW)
8 - 14 August, National Student Volunteer Week (NSVW)
5 November, International Volunteer Managers Day
1 December, Volunteer Garden Party
5 December, International Volunteer Day
EdConnect Australia trains and supports volunteers to work in local schools, providing a safety net for young people who might otherwise struggle to realise their potential - in school and life. They connect volunteers who want to make a difference, with young people in school who need extra help and guidance, be it mentoring or learning support. "Our partnership with Volunteering WA is crucial. We thrive on having an active and involved partnership and love to exchange information and share knowledge in order to continue to provide
intergenerational volunteering opportunities to assist both primary and secondary students who might otherwise struggle. EdConnect Australia values the guidance and knowledge that Volunteering WA is able to provide as the peak body for volunteering in Western Australia, not only to our volunteers but also to our staff and broader organisation, in order for us to thrive." ~ Gerri Clay, CEO, EdConnect
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