Media Release by Senator the Hon Ursula Stephens

$10.3 million boost for volunteering

Joint Media Release with:

  • Jenny Macklin, Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

Fifty Volunteer Resource Centres around Australia will benefit from $10.3 million in Australian Government funding to support a skilled, well-trained and well-resourced volunteer workforce.

Celebrating National Volunteer Week, the Minister for Community Services, Jenny Macklin, and Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector, Ursula Stephens, said this funding will provide support to the Volunteer Resource Centres over the next two years.

The funding will help enhance skills, training and resources in the volunteer sector and improve the capacity of the non-profit sector to deliver training to our volunteers.

National Volunteers Week is a chance for Australians to thank our volunteers for the significant contribution they make to this country.

They are the people who protect our homes when summer bushfires rage, deliver meals on wheels, raise money for local causes and organise local sports and youth groups.

They also play a pivotal role in linking volunteers with organisations and are a key part in the success of Australia’s voluntary sector.

This investment will enable Volunteer Resource Centres to expand their important work.

Nationally, more than five million people volunteer their time to a range of organisations.

Volunteering makes a significant contribution to the Australian economy and has an estimated value of around $42 billion annually.

Volunteer Resource Centre State Funding to 30 June 2011
Volunteering ACT Inc ACT $332,007
The Centre for Volunteering – Volunteering NSW – Sydney NSW $574,779
NORTEC Employment and Training Ltd – Tweed Heads NSW $119,466
Bathurst Information and Neighbourhood Centre Inc NSW $185,466
Wollongong City Council NSW $231,466
Hunter Volunteer Centre Inc – Newcastle NSW $295,466
New School of Arts Neighbourhood House Inc – South Grafton NSW $185,466
Port Macquarie Neighbourhood Centre Inc. NSW $119,466
Liverpool Volunteer Resource Centre NSW $119,466
Volunteering Coffs Harbour Inc NSW $119,466
Volunteering Central Coast Inc. NSW $133,300
Sector Connect – Macarthur NSW $129,466
Lismore Neighbourhood Centre Inc NSW $129,466
Volunteering Queensland Inc – Brisbane QLD $766,179
Volunteering North Queensland Inc QLD $231,466
Far North Queensland Volunteers Inc QLD $207,466
Wide Bay Volunteer Resource Association Inc – Bundaberg QLD $239,466
Volunteering Gold Coast Inc QLD $165,300
Volunteering Sunshine Coast Inc QLD $125,300
Volunteering Logan River Valley Inc QLD $125,300
Volunteering SA and NT Inc – Adelaide SA $458,179
Northern Volunteering SA Inc – Salisbury SA $271,466
Southern Volunteering (SA) Inc – Noarlunga SA $185,466
Limestone Coast Volunteer Resource Centre – Naracoorte SA $119,466
Volunteering SA and NT Inc – Port Augusta SA $119,466
Volunteering SA and NT Inc – Darwin NT $308,007
Volunteering SA and NT Inc- Alice Springs NT $119,466
Volunteering Tasmania Inc – Southern Region – Hobart TAS $419,179
Volunteering Tasmania Inc – Northern Office – Burnie TAS $119,466
Volunteering Victoria – Melbourne VIC $431,300
Albury Wodonga Volunteer Resource Bureau Inc VIC $185,466
The Geelong Volunteer Resource Centre Inc VIC $207,466
Wimmera Volunteers Inc VIC $185,466
Monash Volunteer Resource Centre Inc VIC $185,466
Bendigo Regional YMCA Youth Services Inc VIC $119,466
Warrnambool City Council VIC $119,466
The Centre for Continuing Education Inc – Wangaratta VIC $119,466
City of Boroondara VIC $119,466
Vision Australia (Ballarat Volunteer Resource Centre) VIC $119,466
North East Volunteer Resource Centres Inc – Heidelberg VIC $119,466
Eastern Volunteer Resource Centre Inc – Ringwood VIC $119,466
Volunteer West Incorporated – Footscray VIC $119,466
Whittlesea Community Connections Inc VIC $119,466
The Volunteer Centre of Western Australia – Perth WA $468,179
Peel Volunteer Referral Agency Inc WA $196,083
Shire of Esperance Volunteer Resource Centre WA $196,083
Kalgoorlie Boulder Volunteer Centre Inc WA $119,466
Albany & Regional Volunteer Service Inc WA $119,466
Roman Catholic Bishop of Geraldton – Centacare WA $119,466
Volunteer South West Inc – Bunbury WA $119,466