CEO Report
Welcome to the July edition of the volunteering sector news. Another year has just passed us by - it feels like end of year reporting has come around all too quickly.
I’d like to urge all volunteer-involving organisations to acknowledge the benefit and value volunteers bring to your organisation. Our updated online volunteer benefits calculator is a great tool to help you assess the actual value of the contributions volunteers have had on your service and program areas over the past year.
I’d also encourage qualitative measures, in the form of surveys and evaluations to complete your full benefit assessments.
In a little over a week we will be celebrating National Student Volunteer Week (8 - 14 August), an opportunity to acknowledge the incredible impact student volunteers have in our communities. Head over to the NSVW page to download social media graphics, NSVW Toolkit, and see how you can get involved.
In this issue, among other important activities, we will highlight:
- Input sought on Volunteering WA’s Constitution
- Census data seminar - 9 August
- Digital Accessibility & Inclusion Webinars
- Exciting updates on INVOLVE and our Emergency Platform
Congratulations on all you’ve achieved this past financial year, which has been another challenging one for many. We look forward to working with you this coming year.
Happy Volunteering,
Tina Williams | CEO Volunteering WA
SECTOR NEWS
Registrations open for 2021 Census data seminars
The Australian Bureau of Statistics will host a series of virtual data seminars, from 19 July to 16 August to provide insights into the 2021 Census data for each state and territory. The seminars will include information on population, families, housing, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, cultural diversity, and health.
Find out more and register for the Western Australian data seminar on Tuesday 9 August, 9:30am - 11:00am WST.
Free 'top-up' RATs for the disability sector
The Western Australian Government is providing 2.25 million free Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) for people with disability and disability support workers as part of its commitment to supporting the sector. Twenty RATs per person are now ready for collection for eligible people with disability to top-up their supplies at home.
Visit the RATs for the Disability Sector page for eligibility information, collection site locations and the online request form.
National Student Volunteer Week #NSVW2022
National Student Volunteer Week (Monday 8 - Sunday 14 August) celebrates the positive impact students and young people have on the community through volunteering. It is also an opportunity to promote the many benefits of volunteering in the hope of inspiring others.
Join Volunteering WA as we celebrate this year's theme: Passion. Opportunity. Change. There is no doubt that young people are finding their passion through volunteering, and relishing the opportunity to make a change in the world.
Toolkit and downloadable
social media resources
National Student Volunteer Week (#NSVW2022) resources are available to download on the Volunteering WA website.
Resources: include logos, social media tiles, certificates, posters, email banners and Instaframes.
2022 NSVW Toolkit: is the go-to place for your National Student Volunteer Week planning. Download the toolkit for key messages, themes and ideas on how to get involved and say 'thank you' to our wonderful young volunteers.
www.volunteeringwa.org.au/nsvw | #NSVW2022 @VolunteeringWA
NSVW Panel Discussion: The Future of Student Volunteering
This year's #NSVW2022 virtual event will be hosted by Volunteering Queensland, and will give all volunteer involving organisations the opportunity to learn how to engage with young volunteers, and discuss what the future of student volunteering looks like.
Western Australia's panel representative is student volunteer, Josef Czeschka Rojas from UWA Guild Volunteering.
Panel Discussion: The Future of Student Volunteering
Tuesday 9 August, 2022
Virtual event, 3:00pm - 4:00pm WST.
Free Workshops: Digital Accessibility & Inclusions
Volunteering WA is delighted to host a series of sessions on digital inclusion and accessibility for people with disability. The sessions will be delivered by experts from The Centre for Accessibility with lived experience, and are suitable for volunteer managers, marketing and content creators, and IT and administrative teams in your organisation.
The sessions will be split across three afternoons, and you can attend any (or all) that are relevant to you.
- Wednesday 10 August, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
- Wednesday 17 August, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
- Wednesday 24 August, 1:00pm - 4:30pm
The workshops will provide a chance for volunteer involving organisations to review and improve the accessibility of your digital content and delivery, and help you better include and communicate with people with disability, including prospective volunteers.
Read more about the topics covered in each session, and register on our website.
WA Seniors Week 2022 | Grants and Awards Applications Open
This year, WA Seniors Week falls between 6-13 November 2022. During this time there are two State Government Funded Programs that celebrate Seniors: the WA Seniors Awards and the Community Grants Scheme.
Both of these programs open for nominations and applications from Monday 1 August 2022 and close COB Friday 9 September 2022.
2022 WA Seniors Awards
COTA (WA) delivers this annual the 2022 WA Seniors Awards program on behalf of the State Government as they aim to recognise and acknowledge the extraordinary service that our Seniors undertake for the benefit of their communities.
- View the nomination package - and help recognise some of Western Australia’s senior quiet achievers.
Community Grants Scheme
The Community Grants Scheme encourages organisations to apply for up to $1,000 to hold an event during Seniors Week 6-13 November 2022 that celebrates seniors.
- View the application pack, which outlines the criteria.
Volunteering WA News
Volunteering WA Draft Constitution
Volunteering WA is undertaking a review of our Constitution and wish to thank our members who have already provided their input. The Volunteering WA Draft Constitution is now available for a final review prior to its presentation at the Annual General Meeting on 19 October 2022. Please direct any questions or further feedback to alana@volunteeringwa.org.au by Monday 15 August 2022.
Do you have a project for our Corporate Volunteering teams?
If your community group is interested in learning about Volunteering WA’s corporate volunteering program and how corporate volunteers might assist your organisation, we invite you to attend our upcoming free online information session on Wednesday 31 August (10.00am – 11.00am). Learn more and register.
Aboriginal Cultural Immersion Workshop
Volunteering WA was honoured to partner with our First Nations Advisor, Sharon Wood-Kenney, South West Kinships Cultural Immersions, for an important Aboriginal cultural immersion workshop, focusing on engaging with Aboriginal people in the volunteer sector. Sharon brought our members along for the cultural immersion journey respectfully, reflecting and healing together.
Emergency volunteering - platform upgrade
We are excited to share that thanks to funding from the Department of Communities and feedback from our reference groups, we will be launching our upgraded Emergency Volunteering platform in early August. It boasts increased automation and capability in volunteer recruitment in times of emergency and community recovery, as well as any other events that require significant volunteer assistance. Registrants can now manage their profile to keep their details up to date so they can be contacted to assist when they are most needed.
The increased automation and ability to connect volunteers to volunteer positions makes the process for both volunteers and community recovery organisations easier and more efficient. Improved integration also means that emergency volunteer pools can be easily managed within our new volunteer management platform, INVOLVE.
Upcoming Workshops for the Volunteer Sector
We have a huge range of workshops and seminars planned for the next few months, suitable for both new and experienced volunteer managers. Learn more and register below, or see all upcoming training.
- 2 Aug, How to create and manage volunteer opportunities in VIKTOR
- 3 Aug, How to create social media content
- 4 Aug, Making the most of your VWA membership
- 10 Aug, Making your website accessible (part 1)
- 11 Aug, Module 4 - Reviewing your volunteer management program
- 16 Aug, Implementation of the Volunteer National Standards
- 17 Aug, Making your website accessible (part 2)
- 24 Aug, Making your website accessible (part 3) for marketing and IT teams
- 25 Aug, Writing successful grant applications
- 30 Aug, Volunteering in a virtual world
- 31 Aug, Conflict resolution and setting personal boundaries
Subscribe to the new training alerts email for reminders on upcoming development opportunities.
Online course - How to write effective volunteer position descriptions
Volunteering WA is thrilled to launch a new e-learning format, with our first self-paced online course for volunteer coordinators now live. This e-learning course is split into four modules allowing you to work through materials in your own time and in sections and will take you through the necessary steps of writing effective volunteer position descriptions.
For more information, please visit our website.
Welcome new members
Perth Football League
WA Landcare Network
Hydrogen Society of Australia
Good Sammy
Perth City Farm
Patricia Giles Centre for Non-Violence
Inclusee
Volunteer involving organisations can enjoy the benefits of membership, including significant training and events discounts. Find out more.
www.volunteeringwa.org.au | 08 9482 4333 | info@volunteeringwa.org.au
Volunteering WA empowers people and communities to enrich Western Australia.
