In this issue:

A note from the CEO

Welcome to the January volunteering newsletter. I hope you all enjoyed a well-deserved break with your loved ones.  

We are here to help you grow a thriving volunteer community in 2023. 
As your peak volunteer body, we're here to support you and champion the volunteering community, so you can focus on making a difference. Without a doubt 2023 is set to be another challenging year for our sector. The impact of inflation and rising interest rates will see more people needing to work longer, and as a consequence, having less time to volunteer. Our job will be to convey the health and well being benefits of volunteering, especially in times of hardship. Giving just a couple of hours a week can lift our spirits and make such a big difference to the lives of others.

I’m really excited for the launch of the National Volunteering Strategy next month, and importantly, how we will translate it into actions for Australia and our volunteer sector in WA. We’ll be working with you and keeping you updated on the key actions and adding them to our training calendar throughout the year for involvement and implementation.

For years, Volunteering WA has been committed to providing our members, and other state and territories, with IT solutions for recruiting and managing volunteers. Following significant resource and funding investment from Woodside, Federal and State Government, Volunteering WA and our volunteering peak body partners, we are immensely proud to deliver the best products for our sector. 

WA Volunteer of the Year Awards + National Volunteer Week 2023
After cancelling the Awards due to COVID in 2022, we are thrilled to have the WA Volunteer of the Year Awards back, and bigger than ever before! There are thousands of people in our State doing amazing things. We need your help to recognise the inspiring volunteers, volunteer managers, and organisations who have made incredible difference in Western Australia over the past two years. Nominations are open. 

With support from Lotterywest, applications are open for National Volunteer Week Grants,  to host activities and events that celebrate volunteering during National Volunteer Week (15-21 May 2023). Certificates, logos, and graphic templates will be uploaded to the Volunteering WA website in late February. 

Lastly, I’d love to hear from you on how we, as your volunteer peak body, can better support you, your volunteers, and your organisation? How can we help? Get in touch at VIOHelp or give us a call on 9482 4333.

We look forward to supporting and working with you throughout 2023. 

Happy volunteering,

Tina

Tina Williams | CEO Volunteering WA

Follow us: Facebook | Linkedin | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube

Volunteering WA News

Connecting and celebrating Western Australia's incredible volunteers

The WA Volunteer of the Year Awards program celebrates the value and important contribution of volunteering to the social, cultural, economic, and environmental well-being of Western Australia and pays tribute to those volunteers who inspire and promote the spirit of volunteerism through their exemplary endeavours.

Nominations are open for the following categories: 

• Excellence in Volunteer Management, presented by INVOLVE
• Volunteer for Multicultural Communities, presented by Office of Multicultural Interests
• Lifetime Contribution to Volunteering, presented by Silverchain
• WA Young Volunteer of the Year, presented by the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation
• RAC WA Volunteer of the Year, presented by RAC
• Excellence in Corporate Volunteering, presented by NeonLogic
• Community Volunteer Organisation of the Year, supported by Lotterywest

Thank you to our Event Sponsors Department of Communities and AON. 

Become a member of Volunteering WA

Volunteering WA provides leadership and support to volunteer involving organisations throughout the State. Becoming a member gives you a say in the future of volunteering and access to a broad range of valuable benefits for you and your organisation. Volunteer involving organisations can enjoy the benefits of membership, including significant training and events discounts.

Learn more about becoming a member of the peak body for volunteering >> www.volunteeringwa.org.au/membership

Volunteering WA Constitution Amended

Last year we made changes to our Constitution, which have now been fully approved. Read the Volunteering WA Constitution (PDF). 

Applications open | National Volunteer Week Grants, supported by Lotterywest

Volunteering WA, with generous support from Lotterywest, is offering volunteer involving organisations across Western Australia the opportunity to apply for a grant of up to $1,000 to organise an event or activity to recognise and thank volunteers during National Volunteer Week (Monday 15 - Sunday 21 May 2023).

Grant applications are now open and can be submitted until close 5:00pm Sunday 5 March 2023. For more information about National Volunteer Week Grants, please visit Volunteering WA’s website.

How corporate volunteers can assist your organisation

Is your volunteer involving organisation interested in Volunteering WA’s corporate volunteering program and how corporate volunteers might assist your organisation?

If so, we invite you to attend our first virtual Step into Corporate Volunteering session for the year on Tuesday 14 February (10:00am – 11:00am). >> Register online.

Hosted by Volunteering WA’s Corporate Team, this session covers how you can utilise corporate volunteers within your organisation, what’s involved in sourcing a skills-based volunteer and/or team-based volunteers, and what you need to know when hosting a corporate volunteer or team of volunteers through Volunteering WA and much more.

Advocacy and Policy

Child safety – Reportable Conduct Scheme now in place for some volunteer roles
From 1 January 2023, a new Reportable Conduct Scheme to support child safety has been introduced in WA. It applies to paid and volunteer roles in some sectors and is the responsibility of the WA Ombudsman.  

Volunteering WA has met with the office of the Ombudsman and is working with them to develop specific resources and guides for volunteers and volunteer involving organisations.

In the meantime, you can find out more on the Reportable Conduct webpage or call or email them directly on the contacts provided.   

SAVE THE DATE | Volunteering WA State Conference 2023

Tuesday 14 & Wednesday 15 November 2023 | Optus Stadium, Perth
Western Australia’s most innovative, passionate, and eager to evolve, volunteering leaders will come together to share the skills and tools they need to advance volunteering in 2023 and beyond. 

Over 200 delegates will join us on Tuesday 14 & Wednesday 15 November 2023 for two days of keynotes, discussions, and workshops analysing the latest volunteering research, trends, techniques, and case studies to help volunteer involving organisations make the greatest impact in the community.

Key details will be shared in this monthly newsletter, however you can subscribe to our Conference Alerts for updates on abstracts opening and closing dates, key topics and themes as they happen. 

If you are interested in a Sponsorship Prospectus, please email communications@volunteeringwa.org.au.

Are you making the most of your access to volunteering recruitment and management IT products?

As the peak body for volunteering, Volunteering WA prioritises developing IT products to make the advertising and management of volunteers easier. As we enter the new year, it's a timely reminder of the products available to Australia's volunteer sector and how you can use them. 

INVOLVE | Volunteer management platform *Now delivering demos

• INVOLVE is Australia's new volunteer management platform made for coordinators, managers, and administrators to track, plan, and seamlessly mobilise your volunteers in one easy-to-use, flexible platform.
• Recommended for: With three subscription plans, INVOLVE has been built for any agency or organisation that manages volunteers.
• Book a demo to see how INVOLVE will provide a better user experience and a complete management solution customised to suit your needs.
• Volunteering WA's not-for-profit Members* receive a 25% discount on INVOLVE's annual subscriptions. Ask about the pricing and key features during your demo.

VIKTORLite | Simplified volunteer position advertising tool *updated December 2022

• Recommended for: Any community group or organisation wishing to advertise volunteer positions. Access to VIKTOR is included in Volunteering WA Membership.
• ViktorLite is the back-end portal for volunteer involving organisations (VIOs) to list vacant volunteer positions and group volunteering activities, which are then displayed on the Volunteering WA website, GoVolunteer, SeekVolunteer and YVolunteer (if suitable for under 18s).
• Your team can list positions for individual roles (e.g. Treasurer or Tour Guide) as well as event volunteering (e.g. Sign up for a beach clean up).
• Over 260,000 applications for volunteer positions were made through our system nationally last year.
• Contact us for more information

Display the Volunteer Search Widget on your website (the interactive list + map)

• The Volunteer Search Widget allows organisations to implement a ‘search for volunteering opportunities’ feature on your own website.
• Recommended for: Can be used on any website, but most commonly used by peak bodies, Volunteer Resource Centres, and local government agencies.
• This widget searches and displays volunteer adverts from VIKTOR straight onto an organisation’s website along with the opportunity details and expression of interest form (just like positions sit on Volunteering WA, YVolunteer of GoVolunteer).
• The widget can be tailored to only show volunteer positions available in your local area/State, or just positions advertised by your organisation, or all positions suitable for under 18 years.
• Contact us for more information

*Volunteering WA Financial Members

Online courses - enrol and complete any time

Volunteer Engagement Planning
The new Volunteer Engagement Planning self-paced course is for people who lead volunteers. Each module has been designed for you to work through in your own time and a certificate of completion will be sent once you have successfully completed the four modules. 

Writing Effective Volunteer Position Descriptions
Volunteer recruitment and retention are key challenges for volunteer managers, but can be helped by understanding the importance of writing strong, engaging and clear volunteer position descriptions at the beginning of the recruitment process. 

>> Start your online Volunteering WA course through EdApp. 

Funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services.

Volunteering WA Workshops & Training

2022 was a great year for training and development. Volunteering WA delivered 21 workshops with 332 workshop participants and eight new training courses. We increased attendance by 144% overall. In 2023, our Manager Training and Development, Louise Giles, aims to increase interaction through a combination of in-person and online workshops and network meetings. 

The Continuous Professional Program (CPD) is available for volunteer managers who want to be recognised as leaders in volunteering. You can find out more about CPD recognition on the Volunteering WA website.  

Our 2023 training calendar will be released soon. Feel free to get in touch if you would like to organise a bespoke workshop for your organisation. Workshops can be tailored to suit your needs and funding requirements. 

RAC – the driving force for a better WA

In August 2022, RAC launched a refreshed Community Volunteering program, offering a suite of new pathways for their employees to make a positive impact and embody RAC’s purpose to be ‘the driving force for a better WA’.  

RAC employees have welcomed these new volunteering pathways with open arms. In less than six months, they have contributed over 2,000 volunteering hours across WA. 

Last September, with the support of Volunteering WA, RAC introduced a new and innovative skills-based project, which matches RAC volunteers with not-for-profits who need specialist skills to achieve their goals. The new initiative was launched with partners Town Team Movement and the Paraplegic Benefit Fund.  
 
RAC Community Volunteering Manager Carlie Jones said the skills-based volunteering project has enabled a two-way learning experience for RAC staff and partnering organisations. 
 
“These projects have been a real win-win. Our staff have told us they feel the intrinsic benefits of giving back and meeting inspiring change makers. Our partners benefit by learning new technical skills from passionate volunteers and their time and money is freed up to focus on driving positive change in the community."

RAC are proud supporters of the 2023 RAC Volunteer of the Year Award. Nominate today at awards.volunteeringwa.org.au

SECTOR NEWS

Key 2023 Dates

• National Volunteer Week | Monday 15 - Sunday 21 May
• WA Volunteer of the Year Awards | Thursday 18 May
• National Student Volunteer Week | Monday 7 - Sunday 13 August 
• Volunteering WA 2022-23 Annual General Meeting | Wednesday 18 October
• International Volunteer Managers Day | Sunday 5 November 
• Volunteering WA State Conference | Tuesday 14 & Wednesday 15 November
• International Volunteers Day | Tuesday 5 December
• IVD Garden Party | *tentative Thursday 7 December

WACOSS Award nominations open for community service sector

Nominations are now open for the 2023 Community Services Excellence Awards! The awards are an opportunity to pause, recognise and celebrate outstanding contributions made by organisations and individuals in the community services sector, and the significant differences they make to our communities. 

Don't miss your chance to nominate a person or organisation doing excellent work in the sector - visit www.cseawards.org.au

Research published | Myths and Misconceptions About University Student Volunteering: Development and Perpetuation

Megan Paull, Kirsten Holmes, Maryam Omari, Debbie Haski-Leventhal, Judith MacCallum, Susan Young & Rowena Scott

This paper examines myths and misconceptions about university student volunteering. The study explored the experiences of students, host organisations and universities participating in volunteering in Australia, identified good practice, and discovered barriers to success. 

Download the PDF | Subscribe to Volunteering WA's Research Digest (emailed twice-yearly, receive volunteering research & trends straight to your inbox)

RMIT Development of a tool to measure volunteer commitment

Volunteering in the 21st century has had to accommodate changes: we are all busier, work longer hours and have endured social distancing. Many organisations that recruit volunteers are also changing to a more project focused structure.

Researchers at RMIT University are investigating the power of the project to influence volunteer commitment. For example, are environmental projects important to volunteers, or is it working for the organisation that is more important, or is it the social connection that many volunteers appreciate? What makes you want to go back and volunteer again?

If you have volunteered on a project, you are invited by RMIT to complete a short, anonymous, secure survey. You can access the survey through this link RMIT survey for project based volunteers.

Closing soon | AIM WA Community Training Grants

Every year AIM WA recognises and rewards charitable and not-for-profit (NFP) organisations and individuals with their Community Training Grants. They provide training for organisations and individuals that can be used to fund participation on a selection of training courses.

It's easy to apply and you can enter the following categories:

• Organisational within the NFP sector
• Young Professional - individuals new to the workforce
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander - individuals working or looking to work within a managerial role and wanting to undertake professional development in support of this.

For more information head to AIM WA. Applications close on February 3.

Applications Open | Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience: Volunteer Leadership Program

Australia's capacity to respond to disasters relies on emergency management volunteers. Today's volunteer leaders must negotiate a maze of relationships, networks and expectations to lead effectively in the disaster environment. Leadership demands innovation, creativity, negotiation, improvisation and strategic vision.

The Volunteer Leadership Program (VLP) equips volunteers from community organisations, not-for-profits, disaster relief organisations and local government within the emergency management sector, with the skills and confidence to grow as leaders. 

The program will be held in Perth over 17-19 March. Applications close 17 February. 

Could you benefit from a student intern?

Expressions of interest to host a student internship through the McCusker Centre for Citizenship are still open. 

Semester 1 2023 internships run from 27 February to 26 May 2023, with interns working one full day per week for thirteen weeks to complete their 100 hours.

Many of Volunteering WA's members have already taken advantage of the internship program to assist their organisations. Here are some examples of internship projects.

If you are interested in hosting an intern in Semester 1, please aim to submit your role/s by 29th January 2023. The Centre is happy to accept EOIs a few days after the deadline if you need additional time.  

Offices for lease and facilities for hire at City West Lotteries House

City West Lotteries House would like to invite you to view their serviced offices and facilities for not-for-profit organisations on Delhi Street, West Perth.

City West Lotteries House is the perfect venue to host your next event. Conveniently located on the edge of the Perth CBD, the location is highly accessible, with CAT buses, train services, and the Mitchell Freeway converging practically on their doorstep. Not-for-profit organisations can access attractive discounts when booking their facilities, but all meeting facilities are also available for hire to the wider business community. 

Please call 0484 680 754 or 9470 7200 and speak to Nicky for a free tour, or visit their website.

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

Volunteering WA empowers people and communities to enrich Western Australia.