Note from the CEO 

April has been a busy month for Volunteering WA as our team prepares for one of the biggest events on our calendar: National Volunteer Week. It is my pleasure to encourage all volunteers and organisations across the state to join in the week-long celebrations, which will take place from 20-26 May. Our team has prepared a National Volunteer Week toolkit to help you celebrate, which you can read more about below.

In the March edition of the Volunteering WA Newsletter we announced the recipients of our annual National Volunteer Week Grants, supported by Lotterywest, which provides funding for volunteer involving organisations across Western Australia so they can celebrate their volunteers. I would like to congratulate and thank all grant recipients, and I look forward to personally attending many events during the week.

Excitement is in the air surrounding the 2024 WA Volunteer of the Year Awards, which is coming up soon on 23 May during National Volunteer Week. Congratulations to all our well-deserving finalists across the seven award categories and thank you for your contributions to the community.

Lastly, we’re excited to be touring the regions, with our team recently travelling to Broome, Shark Bay and Carnarvon– connecting with volunteer managers and helping address capacity building in the regions.

I hope you enjoy reading this month’s edition of the Volunteering WA Newsletter, and as always, happy volunteering.

Tina Williams
Volunteering WA

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Volunteering WA News

Last Chance to Secure Tickets for the 2024 WA Volunteer of the Year Awards

Don't miss out on a spectacular night celebrating some of the incredible people and organisations who make a significant impact in the community through volunteering. Whether you're an award finalist or a supporter of the volunteering sector, the night is a great opportunity to have fun, meet others in the industry, and generate ideas for your 2025 WA Volunteer of the Year nomination.

Tickets are selling fast, so get in quick to avoid disappointment—sales close on 3 May, or once sold out.

Read about the finalists and purchase your tickets for the 2024 WA Volunteer of the Year Awards >> awards.volunteeringwa.org.au

You're Invited! Volunteer Management Activity Project Showcase

Volunteering WA is bringing together the recipients of the most recent round of Volunteer Management Activity Project Grants so they can share their insights and help your organisation remove barriers to volunteering. Join us on Wednesday 12 June, Floreat (Perth), for a morning of learning, networking, and interactive workshops. 

This Showcase is free thanks to funding from the Australian Government Department of Social Services. Register now.

WA's State of Volunteering Report Reveals New Sector Insights

Western Australia's State of Volunteering Report is the result of the largest survey of volunteers and volunteer managers ever conducted in Western Australia, with the richest data set in more than a decade. 1.5 million people dedicate their time to volunteering in Western Australia, generating a substantial value of $63.9 billion for the state.

Take a look at our State of Volunteering Hub to see how the findings reflect your experience of volunteers and volunteer management.

Still Time to Join the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Program For Free

If you want to improve your volunteer management knowledge and practice, joining Volunteering WA’s CPD program will help you to focus on your goals, commit to continuous learning, and be recognised for your efforts at the end of the year.  

Learn more and submit your EOI to join.

Assistance for Onboarding New Volunteers

Volunteering WA is here to help you onboard new volunteers with INVOLVE.

INVOLVE is an Australian-designed and built volunteer management product. We are proud to have worked with volunteer peak bodies and volunteer involving organisations (small and large) to build a platform that ticks the boxes for volunteer managers, coordinators, and administrators. Check out our Premium, Essentials, and Free Plans, which can be tailored to suit the number of volunteers you coordinate. Contact the INVOLVE team now and let INVOLVE help you manage your volunteers your way.

Welcome New Members

Welcome to our new and returning Volunteering WA Members: Friends Group RFDS, Collective Hope Limited, Multicultural Connect Australia, the Embroiderers' Guild of WA, and Man Up WA, as well as corporate volunteers Deloitte and Keogh Consulting.

Volunteering WA advocates on behalf of the volunteering ecosystem to ensure any policy changes result in better outcomes for volunteering. Membership to your volunteering peak body helps build a stronger sector. Please contact Jane Mason to become a Volunteering WA member and make volunteering matter across WA and within your organisation.

Show that your organisation is a full member of Volunteering WA and how your organisation values volunteers. Read more about why other members want to display the Volunteering WA member logo on their website and volunteering related communications.

Volunteering WA Training & Events Calendar

>> See all upcoming workshops

Increase Your Volunteer Recruitment Potential

If you want to connect more volunteers with your available opportunities, then check out Volunteering WA’s Volunteer Position Search Widget. The Volunteer Position Search Widget allows volunteers to search and express interest in your available volunteer opportunities directly from your website and depending on your requirements, it can be set up to display only volunteer positions available in your local area/state or just the ones your organisation is listing. 

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to connect with more volunteers! Contact our support team now for further information and to get a quote on the costs involved.

National Volunteer Week - Resources Available

National Volunteer Week is celebrated in May each year, with thousands of events and activities taking place across the country. In Western Australia, it is an opportunity to connect and celebrating the diverse volunteering stories across the state.

With National Volunteer Week fast approaching, we invite organisations and volunteers are invited to use our National Volunteer Week toolkit, which contains important information on this celebratory week and shareable resources.

Start planning your #NVW2024 celebrations.

Sector News

Now More Than Ever #NRW2024

The National Reconciliation Week theme for 2024, Now More Than Ever, is a reminder to all of us that no matter what, the fight for justice and the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will – and must – continue. National Reconciliation Week – 27 May to 3 June every year – is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to recommit ourselves to reconciliation and the fight for First Nations justice in Australia.

Learn more about the history of National Reconciliation Week.

Shape the Future of Volunteering in Residential Care

Do you coordinate volunteers in aged care settings? You're invited to participate in a Murdoch University research study about your role in supporting volunteers who engage with clients living with dementia in residential care settings.

The research team would like to talk to you about your experience of coordinating volunteer programs and supporting volunteers who engage with clients living with dementia in residential care settings and your experience of recruitment, training and longevity. They are also interested in understanding the work of coordinators whose volunteers visit and engage with people living with dementia from a non-English speaking or First Nations background in a residential care setting. 

Register your interest.

Celebrating P&C Volunteers Across WA | P&C Day

Did you know that at last count, on average WA P&Cs donated an estimated total of almost $12 million and nearly 500,000 volunteer hours each year to Western Australian school communities? 

Each year, the WA Council of State School Organisations pause to celebrate and acknowledge the magnificent contributions of our P&C Associations; this year, P&C Day WA will be celebrated during National Volunteer Week on Friday 24 May. 

There are many ways you can help celebrate this important date on the government school calendar:

• Thank a person you know who volunteers for their P&C
• Find out if your local P&C is looking for more volunteers
• Visit the WACSSO website to find out more about the work P&Cs do
• Encourage your school to host a ‘Thank you’ morning tea for their P&C

Learn more.

Free Technology Solutions for Not-For-Profit Organisations

Coders for Causes is a not-for-profit organisation that empowers charities and other not-for-profit organisations by connecting them with university students to develop technical solutions. Coders for Causes develops software for non-profit organisations and charities during the semester break, and has previously worked with organisations such as Foodbank, Western Australian Institute of Sport, Pets of Older Persons, and Western Australian Debating League.

As a non-profit organisation, Coders for Causes understand that technology solutions can be expensive, which is why they offer their services free of charge while providing their volunteers with hands-on experience.

If you're interested in working with Coders for Causes this winter (June - July) or summer (December - February), please get in touch via hello@codersforcauses.org.

Sporting Volunteers: Have Your Voice Heard with this Children & Young People Advisory Group

Are you a young volunteer from the WA sporting community? You could be a great addition to the new Voice of Children & Young People Advisory Group by TrueSport.

The Voice of Children & Young People Advisory Group aims to provide youth representatives from within our WA sporting community the opportunity to speak to and advise SportWest on matters concerning their sporting experience. This includes the opportunity to collaborate on True Sport, events, and resource development. This initiative aims to empower and elevate the perspectives of our younger generation, providing them with a platform to share their unique voices and contribute meaningfully to decision-making processes.

Express your interest.

Online Safety for Sporting Clubs

People are online everyday as part of sport. Sport members regularly use technology such as team apps, groups chats, social media to engage and communicate.

This one-hour presentation by the eSafety Commissioner is designed for community sport clubs. It will provide tips and guidance on: Types of online harm in sport; how to deal with online harm; tips for creating a safe online environment at your club; eSafety’s reporting schemes; advice on common online issues and resources to help clubs.
 

Register online.

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

Volunteering WA empowers people and communities to enrich Western Australia.