Victorian Landcare Magazine - Summer 2023-24, Issue 86
Many of Victoria’s Landcare facilitators started their careers as volunteers. This puts them in a unique position to understand the experiences of those filling voluntary roles. Some Landcare facilitators continue with voluntary work alongside their paid roles.
Many of Victoria’s Landcare facilitators started their careers as volunteers. This puts them in a unique position to understand the experiences of those filling voluntary roles. Some Landcare facilitators continue with voluntary work alongside their paid roles.
Landcare facilitators are often tasked with recruiting and managing volunteers to bolster group membership and to assist with specific projects. Landcare facilitators may be employed by a group or network board that is made up of volunteer members.
Support and advice for those who volunteer and work with volunteers is available from Volunteering Victoria – the state peak body for volunteering, focusing on advocacy, sector development and the promotion of volunteering.
Volunteering Victoria sees its role as leading the development of a collaborative, sustainable, thriving volunteering community and movement in Victoria.
In its role as peak body, Volunteering Victoria provides extensive support and resources for people who lead and work with volunteers. Staff run training and workshops, provide opportunities for networking support and mentoring, facilitate a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) program and organise important events such as the Volunteering State Conference, Victorian Volunteering Awards and volunteering advocacy forums, encouraging the sector to celebrate and promote the invaluable work of our diverse volunteers and volunteer-involving organisations.
In their role as peak body, Volunteering Victoria provides extensive support and resources for people who lead and work with volunteers.
The Volunteering Victoria website provides information about the various types of volunteering, helps connect volunteers with opportunities and provides information about what to do if any problems arise when volunteering.
Anyone can access the suite of tools and resources from the website around all things volunteering, including volunteer engagement, finding and creating volunteer roles, volunteer rights and responsibilities, legal issues and insurance, as well as access to research and trends.
The case studies on the website also make great reading. We learn why people decided to get involved in volunteering, how they found their placement and how it has enriched their lives.
The Barb Martin Bushbank is a good example. For more than 20 years, this group of volunteers has been providing local provenance native plants to create quality habitat for wildlife. The Barb Martin Bushbank is managed by Phillip Island Nature Parks but the on-ground-work is done by a team of more than 50 volunteers who meet every Wednesday and Thursday around the propagation table for a chat and a laugh. The volunteers are all ages and from all walks of life. The plants grown go to local government, schools, Landcare and Coastcare groups, businesses, individuals and to the Phillip Island Nature Park’s revegetation work.
The case studies illustrate Volunteering Victoria’s vision: Victorians are happier and healthier because they volunteer, to support each other and care for the future of their communities.
Jen Frees is Communications Officer and Peter Wingate is State Programs Support Officer at Volunteering Victoria.
For more information go to www.volunteeringvictoria.org.au