Using your scone: How specifics can help volunteers and managers
Graeme has volunteered since he was 12 years old in the Scout Movement, going on to lend his services to sporting clubs, and groups including Apex Australia and Lions Clubs International.
He is now the secretary of the Altona and Laverton Historical Society and on the board for Latitude Homeless.
Graeme Reilly naturally progressed into volunteer management through his secretarial position at the Altona and Laverton Historical Society.
The need for volunteers became apparent when Graeme started writing articles for the society. After noticing a that editorial support was needed here or there, he advertised for a volunteer editor. He was pleasantly surprised to receive a number of responses and went on to onboard two volunteer editors who were both studying at university.
We caught up with Graeme to chat more about his volunteer and volunteer management experience.
What were your primary needs when you approached Volunteer West?
In a previous volunteering role at Louis Joel Centre, I got to know the Volunteer West team. When I realised the need for volunteers at the society, I contacted Volunteer West and told them what I wanted a few weeks before Christmas. After they made suggestions for the position descriptions, the ad was up and interest started coming in within a week.
What is your top tip for finding volunteers?
Advertise for clear and specific jobs. I was debating for 18 months about getting volunteers in to help with editing. I was specific about how many articles there would be to edit, what time was needed and made my workday flexible to work around their schedule. It’s about knowing what they want to get out of it and adding value to them and their course without burdening them.
The Altona and Laverton Historical Society hosts a Devonshire tea once a month (pre-Covid) for four hours where we would split shifts for volunteers into two-hour stints. We make it clear what we expect from our volunteers, who serves, who cleans up, who does the preparation, who cooks the scones and who talks to people.
“You meet some brilliant people whilst volunteering”
What can you tell us about the Altona and Laverton Historical Society?
We are located at the Altona Homestead which has been around since the 1840s. The last major renovations and extensions were in 1910. It’s styled with period furniture to look 1930s, and there are a number of displays, photos and paintings showing what it has looked like over time. Some of our members walk people around and we do tours when it’s open. We've even had an enquiry from a primary school for a tour for 75 prep students.
We get asked if it’s haunted. We have a few stories to tell.
What inspired you to volunteer?
You meet some brilliant people whilst volunteering. It makes me feel good when I am there doing things with others. My mum and dad volunteered their whole life. I was always at sporting events when I was younger and I got to an age when I wanted to give back what people did for me.
For more information about Altona and Laverton Historical Society, visit here.
Visit our Organisations page for further information on our Volunteer Managers Network meetings.