Concrete commitment to volunteers

 Federal Minister for Community Services, Larry Anthony today announced funding for the first round of pilot projects, enabling voluntary organisations to provide important support and training to volunteers throughout Australia.

Mr Anthony said the six projects would roll out across the country as part of the four-year, $8.8 million National Skills Development Program for Volunteers.

“The first projects will share more than $260,000 this year and involve Emergency Management Australia, Lutheran Community Care, Volunteering New South Wales, Tweed Training and Enterprise Company, Better Hearing and Volunteering South Australia,” Mr Anthony said.

“They focus on a range of important areas like Emergency Relief research and development, to training for volunteers working with people with hearing impairments.

“Although many of these new pilots will target specific State or Territory needs, I am confident the approaches being tested will benefit volunteers all around Australia.”

Mr Anthony said the projects represented an important part of the Government’s commitment to volunteers during the International Year of Volunteers.

“They will leave a lasting legacy well beyond 2001, as the projects make a real difference to peoples lives,” Mr Anthony said.

National Skills Development Program

First Pilot Projects

Organisation	Project brief description	$ 2000/01
EMA	Emergency management sector training package – for recruiting, supporting, recognising, training volunteers	$50,000
Volunteering NSW	Develop IT systems to recognise prior learning gained through volunteering and other life activities for use by Centrelink customers and others.	$63,000
Tweed Training and Enterprise Company	Volunteer Research in Action – training to volunteers, managers and volunteer coordinators in the Tweed regions.	$21,000
Better Hearing South Australla	Community Education Project – education and training for volunteers who deal with the public on the needs of people with hearing loss	$25,000
Volunteering South Australia	Pilot training workshop series in generic skills based on SA Premiers Training Initiative 2000	$50,000
Lutheran Community Care	Training, Research and Development Resources for Emergency Relief Volunteers	$51,594
TOTAL		$260,594.00