Tuesday, 16 May 2023

 Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers, Minister for Child Protection and Family Services) (13:12): I rise to update the house on the invaluable contribution volunteers make throughout our local communities. This week is National Volunteer Week, where we recognise the important impact that volunteers have on our state. This year, as the Attorney said, the theme of National Volunteer Week is ‘the Change Makers’, and this gives us the opportunity to celebrate volunteering’s power to drive important social change and support the inclusion of all members of the Victorian community. The Parliamentary Secretary for Volunteers Ms Watt, I and I am sure everyone in the house acknowledge volunteers for the invaluable work that they all do.

Every day across the state there are volunteers making a positive impact on people, communities and places. From cultural events to emergency management, environmental programs, health services, community sport and beyond, our volunteers support a wide variety of important services, causes and activities across Victoria. Volunteers come from all walks of life, and regardless of background, skills, experience or the amount of time that they have to give, all contributions are incredibly valuable and make a real difference in communities right across Victoria. Each year more than 2 million Victorians volunteer with established organisations and programs, and many more volunteer informally in their communities. Our volunteers contribute to an estimated $58 billion worth of economic, social and cultural benefits to Victoria.

This government is proud to support our volunteers, and that is why we developed the Victorian volunteer strategy in 2022, a five-year plan to revitalise, reimagine and strengthen volunteering in Victoria. In the first stage of the strategy we have invested $1 million into the Emerging Stronger program, which has supported the delivery of 19 projects to re-engage volunteers and interest new people in volunteering within their local communities. We have developed a training and mentoring program in partnership with Volunteering Victoria that is helping to reimagine volunteering, and we have implemented the Ready to Volunteer communications campaign to inspire all to reconnect with their local communities through volunteering. This government has also committed more than $3 million to local organisations to support vital volunteer-led programs. National Volunteer Week recognises the vital importance of volunteering for people, communities and places, something that this government does every day, and this government is honoured to recognise and celebrate the immense contribution of Victoria’s volunteers.