Of Change, Chances and Courage…

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When I volunteered to join Volunteer West as the Treasurer in early 2019, little did I expect to take up the Presidency in less than a year!

Nevertheless, it is an incredible honour to serve in this capacity and I wish to thank Danny Civitico for his stewardship of Volunteer West in 2019. 

This year has been a year like no other and has changed the face and soul of Volunteer West significantly. Earlier in the year, we farewelled our General Manager Patricia Lauria, and staff members Robert Wagner and Eleisha Lauria as they went on to pursue their individual passions. They made valuable contributions to the community and we wish them the very best in their future endeavours.  


Thu-Trang Tran was appointed as our new CEO and has brought renewed energy and a fresh perspective to our organisation.

Together with new staff on board – Marijke Fotia, Sanjeev Singh and Ash Lee – the almost new team (with Phuong on parental leave) embraced their roles with vigour and admirable efficiency. 

With the unwelcome disruption of COVID, our board, staff members and volunteers adapted quickly to operate remotely from home and have risen above the wave of challenges that came our way.

Riding on the waves of change, we decided it was an opportune time to move away from a physical office in Altona and embrace a virtual office based out of Footscray. Along with that, the Volunteer West brand was given a new lease of life with a refreshed contemporary logo and a brand new website to signal a new era of our influence in Melbourne’s west.


At the Board level, Secretary Jacob Wood ended his tenure due to work commitments and we thank him for his valued contribution to the organisation. The Board has since welcomed Bernard Fernandez and William Burrows during the year, with Bernard taking on the role of Secretary.

Despite the many changes and challenges that has come our way, Volunteer West remained faithful to its mandate of improving the wellbeing of our community through volunteering that is meaningful and sustainable. There is much to be celebrated, as you will see throughout this 2019/2020 Annual Report and at our AGM, and much more that we aspire to achieve. 

Change seems to be the new constant and we are always looking at new areas where we can make a meaningful contribution especially in these unprecedented times. 

I am delighted to have a dedicated team of Board Members who have availed their time, experience, wisdom and ideas to raise the bar of our service delivery to the community in the west. We are taking cognisance with areas where we need to improve and have a strong strategic plan for Volunteer West as we forge forward. 

I am also grateful to a team of dedicated staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to ensure the success of Volunteer West. I am confident that Volunteer West will maintain its momentum and continue to strengthen its impact on all its stakeholders in the coming years.

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What’s Next? - Reflections on International Volunteer Managers Day