Volunteer Coalition and Strong Networks 

Volunteer Resource Centres’s (VRC’s) are a crucial partner in the volunteer coalition and are instrumental to sports volunteering. Volunteer West and other VRC’s provide locally sensitive and impactful advice. 

Volunteer West was invited to contribute to Sports Australia’s national volunteer strategy development where we have emphasised the need for the body to properly invest in local volunteering supports for local sports clubs.

Through partnerships with Victoria University and Western Bulldogs Community Foundation, we are trying to change sports volunteering to be more inclusive of newly arrived migrants and refugees. Devising strategies that reflect localised engagement between clubs and local volunteer resource centres. 

VRCs can assist with recruiting, retention and recognition of volunteers to sustain clubs who may be seeing a decline in volunteers or competition for volunteers. Utilising a cross-silo approach, VRCs champion volunteer managers networks to enhance opportunities for organisations and volunteers. 

However, backing the appreciation with investment is a challenge for any strategy development and implementation, leaving VRCs stretched to support the organisations and coordinators who rely on the resources.

Volunteer West presented at the National Sports & Physical Activity Convention (NSC) in November 2021. The NSC welcomed conversations around physical activity, sport and recreation with a focus on exploring innovation, growth and future investment. The presentation focussed on:

Volunteers: The Importance of Promoting Volunteering Leadership to Empower Volunteers and Reduce Churn, While Maximising Strategic and Operational Outcomes for the Organisation

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