Australian Social Policy Conference Symposium

Volunteering Australia took part in the 2023 Australian Social Policy Conference, leading a symposium exploring the different ways in which research and researchers can influence policymaking. This panel explored how research evidence informed the new National Strategy for Volunteering. The symposium also debated the challenges of undertaking research that directly informs public policy and shared lessons for ensuring social policy research has influence and impact.

We are pleased to share the presentation slides from the session.

Good Design Award for Excellence and Innovation recognises National Strategy for Volunteering

Volunteering Australia is delighted the National Strategy for Volunteering has been recognised in Australia’s International Good Design Awards for Excellence in Design and Innovation.

Working with ThinkPlace we combined mass civic participation and futures thinking to facilitate meaningful co-design. The process was deeply participatory and aimed to empower individuals and organisations to guide the development of the National Strategy for Volunteering.

The Good Design Awards Jury commented: “Congratulations on this incredible design. The project is a brilliant example of systems-level design work, and the Jury is excited to see its impact evolve over time. Well done!”

Projects recognised with an Australian Good Design Award demonstrate excellence in professional design and highlight the impact a design-led approach has on business success and social and environmental outcomes.

Volunteering Research Papers Initiative – Round 3

We are pleased to launch the third wave of Volunteering Research Papers. This round includes five papers, each of which addresses a key area of research on volunteering such as inclusion for CALD communities, mental health and informal volunteering. The Volunteering Research Papers summarise important research on volunteering and outline key insights for policy and practice. These insights helped to shape the strategic objectives outlined in the National Strategy for Volunteering 2023-2033.

The online event was introduced by the Chair of the National Strategy for Volunteering Research Working Group, Professor Melanie Oppenheimer, and included a series of brief presentations in which contributing authors highlighted the findings and policy and practice implications of their research.

New National Strategy Director Appointed

We are delighted to announce that Zac Reimers will be joining the Volunteering Australia team in June, taking on the role of National Strategy Director. Zac is a life-long volunteer, first joining his local youth council at age eleven. He has worked professionally in volunteer leadership roles since 2011, engaging thousands of volunteers for large-scale cultural events.

Zac has a strong interest in how policy and research can strengthen volunteering. He joins us from his state peak body, Volunteering Queensland, where he worked as their Policy, Advocacy and Research Lead. Former National Strategy Director Sarah Wilson will remain part of the Volunteering Australia team in the new role of National Strategy Advisor.

National Strategy for Volunteering Launched

Following a rigorous and inspiring 12-month co-design journey Australia has a new shared agenda for a reimagined future for volunteering. Launched today at the biennial National Volunteering Conference, the National Strategy for Volunteering, co-created by stakeholders from across the volunteering ecosystem, provides a blueprint for the next ten years that will enable volunteering in Australia to thrive.

Thousands of stakeholders participated in online consultations, interviews, participatory design workshops, working groups, surveys, and a bespoke research project to build the National Strategy for Volunteering. The culmination of this process identified a unifying vision, three focus areas and aims, and eleven strategic objectives.

Launching the New National Strategy for Volunteering

Volunteering Australia is delighted to announce the opening Plenary Session of the 2023 National Volunteering Conference will be the Launch of the new National Strategy for Volunteering.

National Strategy Director Sarah Wilson will provide an overview of the new National Strategy for Volunteering, which will be followed by a panel discussion on the ambitious agenda set out in the National Strategy and what comes next. The conversation will consider where we are now and how we get to where we want to be in 10 years’ time. Throughout the Conference, there will be opportunities to dig deeper into the themes and ideas in the National Strategy.

Don’t miss this historic event as we launch Australia’s first National Strategy for Volunteering in a decade and hear firsthand how the National Strategy will move from development into implementation.

Volunteering Research Papers Initiative – Round 2

Thank you to everyone who attended the Volunteering Research Papers Round 2 Launch.

The Volunteering Research Papers Initiative aims to capture evidence on a wide range of topics related to volunteering and outline key insights for policy and practice. The Volunteering Research Papers are peer reviewed, and insights will directly inform the new National Strategy for Volunteering.

The online event was introduced by the Chair of the National Strategy for Volunteering Research Working Group, Professor Melanie Oppenheimer, and included a series of brief presentations in which contributing authors highlighted the findings and policy and practice implications of their research.

Draft National Strategy for Volunteering

Volunteering Australia is delighted to present the Draft National Strategy for Volunteering.

The Draft National Strategy is a culmination of feedback, ideas, and information from our Discovery Phase, Visioning Workshops, Volunteering in Australia research, and Volunteering Research Papers.  The Draft National Strategy identifies three focus areas, three strategic objectives, and eleven ‘systemic shifts’ that are required to achieve our vision for volunteering over the next ten years. We encourage you to have your say and share the draft with your volunteers, colleagues, networks, and other stakeholders.

The survey is now closed and we thank everyone who provided feedback on the Draft National Strategy for Volunteering.

2023 National Volunteering Conference

Join us at the 2023 National Volunteering Conference as we launch the new National Strategy for Volunteering. There will be an opportunity to hear firsthand how the strategy will move from development into implementation.

The 2023 National Volunteering Conference is being held on Ngunnawal Country, Canberra at the Australia National University from 13-14 February 2023 and promises to be the premier event on the volunteering calendar.

Volunteering in Australia 2022

Volunteering Australia has published landmark research presenting a full picture of volunteering in Australia as told by volunteers and organisations. This major research project provides new and exciting insights into the contemporary state of volunteering in Australia. The launch included the release of two reports:

• Volunteering in Australia 2022: The Volunteer Perspective
• Volunteering in Australia 2022: The Organisation Perspective

The Volunteering in Australia research draws on two major surveys undertaken earlier this year: one of the Australian population (including volunteers and non-volunteers) and one of volunteer involving organisations.

The launch event included presentations by lead researchers from the Australian National University Centre for Social Research and Methods, Curtin University, Griffith University, and the University of Western Australia, and a Q&A session.