In this issue:

From the unveiling of the National Volunteering Strategy charting our course for the next decade, to the amplified recognition of volunteers' pivotal role in our communities, we are making inroads in reimagining volunteering over the next ten years. 

This month's Volunteering WA State Conference came at the perfect time to discover, learn, share and collaborate. The takeaways, statistics, messages, as well as the connections and stories from speakers and delegates were invaluable, and we look forward to continuing to share these with the sector. 

Having celebrated International Volunteer Managers Day earlier this month (5 November), it has been an especially important time to recognise volunteer management professionals - the powerhouses of volunteering. Your dedication, expertise, and heart make the world a better place and bring about change in our communities.

With a very hot summer already here, we encourage everyone to be prepared and to help your neighbours and community stay safe. We extend our heartfelt thank you to our emergency services who work tirelessly to protect lives and homes.

On behalf of the Volunteering WA Board and team we wish you a lovely festive season and look forward to continuing to engage, lead and advance volunteering and support volunteer managers in 2024 and beyond.

Happy Volunteering,

Tina

Tina Williams, CEO Volunteering WA

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Volunteering WA News

International Volunteer Day - celebrated globally on 5 December

International Volunteer Day (IVD), mandated by the UN General Assembly, is celebrated around the world on 5 December each year and recognises the outstanding contribution that volunteers make in their communities.

With over 523,000 volunteers in Western Australia, International Volunteer Day is a day for mass celebration. Volunteer involving organisations celebrate the contributions of thousands of volunteers who support their programs and services to the community. 

2024 Theme: “If Everyone Did” centres on the power of everyone.

You can find the IVD Logos, WA Government Thank a Volunteer Certificate, and volunteering statistics on the Volunteering WA website. 

SOLD OUT | Annual IVD Volunteer Garden Party

Next week 550 volunteers will join us in the Government House Gardens for the annual Volunteer Garden Party. The afternoon tea is held in the stunning lower gardens, with special International Volunteer Day addresses from His Excellency the Honourable Chris John Dawson AC APM, Governor of Western Australia.

All event details have been emailed directly to attendees, however if you have any questions in the meantime please contact the Volunteering WA team. 

Recap | 2023 Volunteering WA State Conference

Educational, inspiring, fulfilling, authenticity, culture, informative, investment, connected, happy, fun, motivated, limiting, organised, invigorating, collective, reimagined, heart...

These are just some of the words used by volunteer management professionals to describe the 2023 Volunteering WA State Conference held 14-15 November. 240 delegates from across Western Australia joined us over two days at Optus Stadium for keynotes, discussions, and workshops to help volunteer involving organisations make the greatest impact in the community.

More than 50 regional and rural volunteer managers and emerging volunteer leaders were able to attend thanks to support from Lotterywest, RAC and the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation. 

Volunteering WA teamed up with WA AIDS Council (WAAC) to deliver a micro-volunteering activity throughout the conference with the hefty goal of packing 10,000 safe sex kits. We are proud to say that attendees help pack and deliver 10,960 kits for WAAC, which will be distributed at a number of events including Leavers WA and World AIDS Day. Thank you to all our micro-volunteers! 

Engage with our speakers and delegates on Volunteering WA's Linkedin. View the photo Album on Facebook, and view Presenter slides on the Conference Hub. 

Don’t forget to claim your 4* CPD points for attending the Volunteering WA State Conference. Volunteering WA Members will be awarded 4 CPD points for attending the 2-day Conference, and Presenters will be awarded up to 2 Points. Email the Training team. 

WA's State of Volunteering: Early Insights

Attendees at the 2023 Volunteering WA State Conference heard the early insights from the 2023 WA State of Volunteering Report, which will be published in early 2024. The data is based on a comprehensive survey of both volunteers and volunteer managers, and aims to provide a snapshot in time of the state of volunteering in the state. 

Find a PDF download of the Early Insights under '2023 WA State of Volunteering Report' on the Key Volunteering Statistics webpage.

During the conference Panel discussion, Meredith Blais and Tina Williams from Volunteering WA, and Paul Muller from the Institute of Project Management provided early insights from the 1,000 community members and over 600 volunteer managers who recently completed surveys on their volunteering experience. 

The 2023 State of Volunteering Report will be released alongside a series of online and in-person information sessions in early 2024. 

Coming soon | National Volunteer Week 2024

2024 WA Volunteer of the Year Awards
The WA Volunteer of the Year Awards recognise and celebrate the outstanding contribution of Western Australian volunteers, volunteer involving organisations, corporate volunteering programs, and volunteer managers at work within our community.

The WA Volunteer of the Year Awards are presented by Volunteering WA with the awards ceremony held during National Volunteer Week (20 - 26 May 2024).

National Volunteer Week Celebration Grants
Supported by Lotterywest, each year Volunteering WA offers small grants to organisations to celebrate their volunteers during National Volunteer Week. In 2023, over 150 Western Australian volunteering organisations received a grant to help deliver over 200 events. 

Information and opening dates to follow. 

Volunteering Community Reference Group (VCRG) meets with Minister Punch

The Volunteering Community Reference Group, convened by Volunteering WA, met with our new Minister for Volunteering, Hon Don Punch MLA.  Discussions focused on various issues affecting volunteering in WA, and the new WA Volunteering Strategy Action Plan released by the Department of Communities.

You can find all communiques of VCRG meetings and members on the Volunteering WA website. 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Group 

Last week, Volunteering WA held the inaugural meeting of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Group. Nine participants joined a rich conversation around what it means for volunteering to be diverse and inclusive and established a schedule of bi-monthly meetings to be held over the next twelve months. To ensure we are capturing a good cross section of the community, Volunteering WA invites other people to join the Advisory Group, particularly those who have a lived experience from any of the six focus groups – First Nations; Newly Arrived Migrants; People living with Disabilities; Youth; Vulnerable women and Unemployed people. 

Please contact Volunteering WA's Engagement & Project Coordinator, Jan Lucas for further information on participating. Email or phone 08 9482 4333.

Making the most of Volunteering WA Membership

Online information session, Thursday 7 December, 9:30am - 10:30am
As a member of Volunteering WA, you and your colleagues have access to a wide range of services and other benefits, but do you know where to start?

This session will show where you will get the most value from your Volunteering WA membership; and will show you how to access what you need, and when you need it.
Register for our final workshop for 2023. 

Did you catch our 2022-23 Annual Report?

As the peak body for volunteering in Western Australia, Volunteering WA is committed to our purpose of empowering people and communities to enrich WA. Throughout the 2022-23 Annual Report you will see how Volunteering WA continues to support our members and the sector, with the creation of new programs, delivery of volunteering resources, increased advocacy, and research projects to shape the future of volunteering.

Read Volunteering WA's 2022-23 Annual and Financial Report

Emergency Support Volunteers Project Update

An online information session was held last week as part of Volunteering WA's emergency support volunteers project to highlight lessons from spontaneous volunteer engagement during five recent emergencies in WA. Tailored specifically for emergency services organisations and volunteer involving organisations, the session shared latest research from multi-disciplinary fields, and insights from participant interviews conducted as part of the National Disaster Risk Reduction (NDRR) 2022-23 Grant funded project. Participants with first-hand experience with spontaneous volunteers shared their lessons and recommendations during the discussions. 

Want to tap into Corporate Volunteers in 2024?

Are you a volunteer involving organisation and keen for a team of corporate volunteers?

Volunteering WA’s Corporate Volunteering Program helps community organisations link with businesses wishing to contribute to the community through team-based volunteering and skills-based volunteering. Get in touch today and learn how we can assist you through corporate volunteering in 2024. 

Welcome New Members

Welcome new and returning Volunteering WA Members. Please contact Jane Mason to become a Volunteering WA member and make volunteering matter across WA and within you organisation.

Sector News

Thank a Volunteer Day Certificate 2023

Taking time out to thank your volunteers is an important way to recognise the incredible contribution they make to our communities. Thank a Volunteer Day WA, held each year on 5 December, is also known as International Volunteer Day. To help celebrate, the Department of Communities provides a certificate template, signed by Hon Don Punch, MLA Minister for Volunteering, to acknowledge the volunteers in your team. 

To download the certificate follow the link: Thank a Volunteer Day Certificate form (digital.wa.gov.au)

Help shape the future of the Not-for-Profit sector

The Not-for-Profit (NFP) Sector Development Blueprint (the NFP Blueprint) issues paper is now available on the DSS Engage website for feedback. 

The NFP Blueprint issues paper will start a conversation to inform the development of a sector led Blueprint, a roadmap, advising the government what is needed for a sustainable NFP and charities sector.

Your input, ideas and views will help create a more vibrant and thriving NFP and charities sector. The Blueprint Expert Reference Group (BERG) wants your suggestions for sector-led workable and effective reform options. 

To share your views and help support long-term change for the NFP and charities sector, visit the DSS Engage website. Submissions close on 20 December 2023.

Have your say | National Volunteer Management Online Project

Volunteering Australia is seeking a diverse and representative group of people to be involved in the Volunteer Management Online Project. This significant project will support volunteer involving organisations by bringing key online services and resources into a centrally coordinated space and create a foundation that can grow and improve over time. 

Be Involved: Volunteering Australia (VA) is looking for people who are passionate about volunteering and want to help us make a difference to be involved in User Research. The research will ensure the solution meets the needs of its users across the volunteering ecosystem.

To register your interest please complete a short form to let VA know how you’d like to be involved in the Volunteer Management Online Project.

WA Volunteer Service Awards to expand nomination eligibility

Separate to the WA Volunteer of the Year Awards (hosted by Volunteering WA), the WA Government delivers the WA Volunteer Service Awards which recognises individuals for their longstanding service to Western Australian communities through length of volunteering service. 

The Hon Don Punch MLA, Minister for Volunteering, announced that nominations for the 2024 WA Volunteer Service Awards will open on 5 December 2023, and close on the 29 February 2024. View further information in the Minister's media announcement. 

Trends in volunteering: Insights from 2023

Volunteering Australia is please to share the recording of the recent webinar Trends in volunteering: Insights from 2023. The presentation explored the latest national data and trends, shedding light on changes in volunteering and the invaluable contributions of volunteers across the nation during the first year of the National Strategy for Volunteering.

• Watch the Trends in Volunteering - Insights from 2023 webinar recording
• Read the ‘Ongoing trends in volunteering in Australia’ report on the ANU Centre for Social Research & Methods website

Presented by Professor Nicholas Biddle from the ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods on new data collected on volunteering in Australia in 2023.

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

Volunteering WA empowers people and communities to enrich Western Australia.