Howard Government gives helping hand to Tasmania’s volunteers

Volunteering in Tasmania will benefit from more than $310,000 in new funding from the Australian Government to acknowledge volunteers and encourage more people to give something back to their communities.

The Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Kay Patterson, said a one-off grant of $100,000 to Volunteering Tasmania would help the organisation to promote the benefits of volunteering.

“The Howard Government is also pleased to announce that Volunteering Tasmania will receive more than $125,000 in recurrent funding over the next 18 months and its Northern Office will also get more than $87,000 during the same period,” Senator Patterson said.

“The one-off payment over two years for ‘Encouraging Volunteers’ is funded under the Government’s 2004 election commitment: Strengthening Tasmania’s Economy and Building a Better Community.

“Already about 34 per cent of adult Tasmanians contribute about two hours a week as volunteers in a wide range of areas including emergency services, welfare, education, the environment, animal care, tourism, sport and recreation.

“This money will strengthen Volunteering Tasmania’s ability to support and promote volunteering as a valuable and essential activity throughout the state. The funding will be used to develop a range of resource kits to help local communities find volunteers, especially young people, and will also help to redesign the organisation’s website.

“The recurrent funding reflects the Government’s commitment to ongoing support for volunteering including organisations, like Volunteering Tasmania, which deliver the Volunteer Management Program (VMP).

“The VMP funds 27 Volunteer Resource Centres to provide volunteer matching and referral services throughout Australia. People can contact these centres for assessment and connection to organisations in need of volunteers. For more information on volunteering visit www.govolunteer.com.au”