Volunteer West Pathways to culturally diverse volunteering towards COVID-19 recovery (2021)

The Department of Families, Fairness, and Housing through the local Brimbank Melton Area commissioned Volunteer West to conduct a focused study to better understand the critical success factors for volunteer engagement among culturally diverse groups. 

Study Melbourne LIVE Volunteers Pilot program

Study Melbourne LIVE Volunteers was a year-long pilot project to explore volunteering by international students with community-based organisations across Victoria.

Study Melbourne LIVE Volunteers was supported under the volunteering part of LIVE, which aims to enhances the employability skills of international students by developing soft skills, building social connectedness and confidence, through experiencing local workplace culture, and expanding support networks and contacts.

Volunteering Naturally (2021)

The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning has released a Volunteering Naturally report that gives information on trends and activities of environmental volunteer groups and organisations in Victoria. 

Victoria has a strong history of environmental volunteering, with volunteers contributing enormously to improving our environment, our local communities and our economy.

State of Volunteering in Victoria (2020)

The Victorian government has commissioned Volunteering Victoria to develop a report that provides new insights on the economic, social and cultural benefits that volunteering brings to Victoria; along with a snapshot of volunteering characteristics, barriers and motivations.

Volunteering provides significant benefits for Victoria, and supports the health, social and economic recovery from the pandemic. In 2019, the value of volunteering to Victoria was $58.1 billion in 2019. This includes $19.4 billion in replacement labour costs and an $8.2 billion contribution to Victoria’s Gross State Product; and represents a return on investment of $3.70 for every dollar invested.

AMES Australia Volunteering in CALD communities (2020)

This paper identifies existing barriers to volunteering for people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. It discusses policy options for fostering increased and sustained CALD participation in formal volunteering and explores potential contributions from informal volunteering.

Competency framework for leaders of health volunteers (2020)

This framework will help health organisations to understand the types of competencies required to effectively manage volunteers to maximise efficiency and quality of the volunteer and patient experience. 

The report also explored factors that influenced the volunteer’s intention to stay within health services and provides recommendations for health organisations.

Health Leaders of Volunteers Competency Framework Report

Health Volunteer Engagement Report (PDF, 716.9 KB)

Victoria ALIVE Project - “Ability, Links, Inclusive, Volunteering, Everyday” (2019)

In partnership with Volunteering Victoria and Neighbourhood Houses Victoria, the Victoria ALIVE or Ability – Links – Inclusive – Volunteering – Everyday, has released a project report that will help people with a disability participate in the Victorian volunteering community.

To help overcome barriers and bring about change, the report gives a range of strategies and areas of focus for organisations to more effectively involve people with disability through volunteering.

Recommendations have also been made on activities to improve inclusiveness of the volunteering sector. 

To see the report visit www.victoriaalive.org.au 

Meaningful Volunteering and Mature Age Employment Opportunities (2019)

Many older people give back to the community through volunteering in mainstream or ethno-specific organisations. Through working and volunteering, seniors feel valued and top up their age pension, remain socially engaged and develop or expand their skills.

Environmental Volunteering Plan (2018)

The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning has released their Volunteering for Nature - Environmental Volunteering Plan which addresses the challenges and changing needs of the volunteering community in Victoria. The Plan is a coordinated and revitalised approach to environmental volunteering that supports and fosters a sustainable and valued volunteering community in Victoria.

For further information on environmental volunteering, please email environmental.volunteering@delwp.vic.gov.au