Goal four: Creating volunteering connections and pathways

The benefits of volunteering are far-reaching. They add immense value to Victorian communities and to volunteers themselves.

The act of volunteering helps a person gain a greater sense of personal achievement, development and self-worth. This leads to increased levels of self-reported health and wellbeing. It also reduces symptoms of depression or feelings of social isolation.¹⁴ These benefits transcend culture, age and gender. They can be realised by the volunteer themselves, by those they are helping, or both.

For many people, volunteering can lead to paid work. Through our discussions with volunteers and the volunteering community, we heard there is an opportunity to define pathways more clearly for volunteers. These pathways could be into further education, training and work. Volunteer-involving organisations (VIOs) have also said they need more support for the leaders of their volunteers. They want to offer skill development, mentoring and networking opportunities.

Many people use volunteering as a way to feel a greater connection to their community. They use it to build social networks and friendships. Often the act of volunteering itself brings purpose and meaning to people’s lives. Personal connections and relationship building are a key driver of volunteering in Victoria.¹⁴

For young people, regular access to opportunities like volunteering can lead to better outcomes for them and their communities. We are invested in seeing young people succeed. We commit to promoting and engaging young people in lifelong volunteering. For young people leaving care settings, these opportunities can be particularly important.

Supporting volunteers is at the foundation of the strategy’s vision. We cannot underestimate the personal benefits of volunteering. These benefits are both through providing pathways to training and jobs and to develop stronger social connections.

Priority outcomes

• Victorians can develop skills and experience and explore new interests through volunteering.
• Volunteering facilitates connections and networks. It offers pathways to education and work and from work to retirement.
• Victorians can add value to their local communities and beyond through a lifetime journey of volunteering.

Priority actions

• The Victorian Government to encourage innovative approaches to strengthen pathways for a broad range of Victorians including disadvantaged Victorians such as young people leaving care.

This action will be delivered in years 3 to 5.

• VIOs and volunteer support organisations (VSOs) to establish partnerships with the private sector, government and non-government organisations to develop volunteering programs in corporate settings and defined pathways to jobs, education and retirement for volunteers.

This action will be delivered in years 1 to 4.

• VIOs to investigate ways to strengthen connections with a broad range of community members by creating partnerships with other organisations. These include culturally and linguistically diverse community groups, youth-focused organisations, seniors’ groups, Aboriginal-controlled organisations, and other organisations that provide social connections.

This action will be delivered in years 1 to 4.

• The Victorian Government to promote and motivate young people to engage in volunteering. Examples are through schools, tertiary institutions, youth-oriented services and social media.

This action will be delivered in years 3 to 5.

Case study

Footnote

[14] Healthdirect 2021, Benefits of volunteering. Retrieved from: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/benefits-of-volunteering