Volunteering WA is the peak body for volunteering in Western Australia, funded by the Department to contribute to the development and support of the community services sector and government in the areas of capability; networks and collaboration; research and consultation; advocacy and representation.
Community Recovery Volunteers
Volunteers and volunteer involving organisations play a crucial role in our communities and are integral to our State’s response to welfare emergencies, providing vital support to affected people, families and communities.
- Volunteering WA’s emergency support volunteering database was developed in response to bushfire emergencies and then adapted to help manage the overwhelming volunteer response to community needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over 4,000 people registered on the database at the start of the pandemic, offering a helping hand to vulnerable people. Following on from this success, the Department is providing funding of $145,997 to Volunteering WA over four years until 2025 to enable the organisation to further develop the coordination of volunteer-led assistance in response to emergencies.
The funding has enabled Volunteering WA to upgrade their Volunteer Community Recovery platform, to build capability in recruiting and managing volunteers in times of emergency, community recovery and other significant events that would benefit from efficient access to volunteers.
The platform allows members of the public to register through a simple sign up process. Volunteer involving organisations can register their need for volunteers at any time, to assist them to readily access volunteers in response to an emergency event or for relevant community projects. You can find out more at Emergency Support Volunteering.
A further $30,000 in grant funding has been provided for 2022-23 to enable Volunteering WA to conduct a system review of existing databases and a cost/benefit analysis to inform improvements to Volunteering WA platforms.
For more information on the election commitment grants read the media statement from the Minister.
Volunteering as a Pathway to Job Readiness Program
The Department is providing funding of $440,000 to Volunteering WA to deliver the Volunteering as a Pathway to Job Readiness program, known as the YVolunteer Project. This project is being delivered over three-years and will:
- work to facilitate, enable and support youth (aged 15 to 24 years) to undertake volunteering as a pathway to gainful employment
- develop and deliver face-to-face training, materials and online tools for young people
- support the Volunteer Resource Centres to facilitate youth engagement
- develop linkages with Volunteer Involving Organisations to ensure that young people ready to volunteer have access to opportunities to apply their skills.
The first milestone of the YVolunteer Project was the launch of the YVolunteer website which includes an online CV builder, informative learning modules and case studies showing how volunteering has helped young people to build skills, confidence and give back to the community.
For more information on the YVolunteer Project please email info@volunteeringwa.org.au or read the latest media statement from the Minister.
Promotion and Marketing of Volunteering in Western Australia Grants Program
In 2022 the Department provided $100,000 towards a grants program which aims to increase awareness and encourage the uptake of volunteering in Western Australia.
The Promotion and Marketing of Volunteering in Western Australia Grants Program is being administered by peak body Volunteering WA.
Funding of up to $5,000 has been made available to volunteer service organisations and local government agencies for projects which support local solutions focussed on bolstering volunteer numbers.
The grants can be used for marketing and initiatives that promote the value of volunteering to local communities, such as the design and printing of resources, volunteer awareness raising activities and recruitment campaigns.
Head to Volunteering WA for more information, including a list of the successful recipients.
