VolConnect
VolConnect is a Volunteer-to-Job Program, enabled by $1M funding for 6 months from the Victorian Government’s Working for Victoria initiative. The grant has increased Volunteer West’s capacity to provide focused and tailored support services to community members and community organisations, to meet the growing needs for volunteer-to-job (V2J) pathways in Melbourne’s west.
Since VolConnect was announced in January 2021, Volunteer West have upscaled from 4 to 25 employees in order to increase capacity to provide focused and tailored support services to community members and organisations in Melbourne’s west.
Find out more information about the breadth of programs and projects VolConnect has achieved so far, below.
VolConnect’s Volunteer Manager Network Programs
WestSeed
FREE service package to support and connect multicultural community groups in Melbourne’s West.
VolPro
Supporting leaders of volunteers across Melbourne’s West to participate in Volunteering Victoria’s Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Program.
VolCase
A unique opportunity for volunteer managers to learn and put into practice the skills of the ‘Theory U’ case-clinic process, in an intimate and supportive environment.
VolBoost
VolBoost is Volunteer West’s COVID adaptation training and support package. The last cohort finished in May 2021.
PD Pivot
Develop inclusive Position Descriptions (PDs) in order to maximise the appeal and reach of your volunteering roles.
VolQ
VolQ is a digital drop-in session where you can receive advice and information about your volunteering needs.
Volunteer Manager Programs and Projects can also be found here: For Organisations
VoltAge
Volunteers from different generations paired up to create photographic stories about their community
We hosted a successful VolConnect Launch Event in May 2021
CEO Thu-Trang shares her VolConnect Speech
VolConnect’s launch event speakers -
Kashif Bouns – General Manager of the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation
Katie Hall - Member for Footscray
Thu-Trang Tran - CEO Volunteer West
Research
Volunteer West through the VolReach platform has championed the space of Volunteering Research, Engagement & Advocacy Hubs. VolReach aims to build a minimum viable operating platform to enable Volunteer West to amplify the impacts and innovate, to ensure a sustainable future for high quality meaningful local volunteering in Melbourne’s west. The hubs will host a network of independent and organisation-based research partners that work together to instigate and support research collaborations to advance practice, innovation, and leadership in volunteering.
Current research projects: CALD Communities’ pathways to volunteer participation in the Brimbank and Melton LGAs for COVID recovery, and exploring the impact of volunteering on volunteers’ and volunteer managers’ health and wellbeing.
Read more on the Advocacy and Research page.
Our Reasons For Volunteering
