National volunteer week celebrates community work

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Volunteering brings a happy smile  – Victor Dominello delivering meal from Meal On Wheels to Jean Chin at her home in Marsfield

Minister for Citizenship and Communities Victor Dominello today marked the start of National Volunteer Week by launching the NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards, which include a new award recognising the contribution of students engaged in volunteering.

Mr Dominello, the Minister responsible for volunteering, said the NSW Government provides $30,000 to the Awards which are an initiative of The Centre for Volunteering.

“This year our state’s two million plus volunteers will make a contribution worth an estimated to $5 billion to our economy.

“Volunteers are the lifeblood of so many facets of our society, including aged care, emergency services, environmental management, health care, sport and tourism ”“ all of which simply could not operate effectively without them.

“Volunteers are as diverse as the range of skills they donate to their communities, and include growing numbers of younger people.

“To better recognise and celebrate the volunteering of younger people, the Student Volunteer of the Year Award has been created. I urge people to nominate a student volunteer who has excelled in serving their community,” Mr Dominello said.

This year a competition has also been established for younger volunteers to create dynamic multimedia content to share their personal experiences and help to promote volunteering to their peers.

Information about the competition including submission arrangements and dates is available at  www.volunteering.nsw.gov.au/volunteers/youth.

“We want young people to tell their volunteering stories through creative media including photography, audio-video, and graphic design.

“We will use the most creative competition entries to mobilise further youth volunteering and the winner will have the opportunity to work with graphic designers on a campaign to demonstrate the value of the volunteering experience,” Mr Dominello said.

Chief Executive Officer of The Centre for Volunteering, Gemma Rygate said National Volunteer Week is a celebration of individual volunteers, volunteer managers and leaders who help drive opportunities for local volunteers by identifying areas of need in the community.

“This year, the 25^th  anniversary of National Volunteer Week, hundreds of organisations throughout NSW will hold events to celebrate and demonstrate appreciation of their volunteers’ commitment.”

Nominations are now open for the Centre for Volunteering’s  2014 NSW Volunteer of the Year  Awards:

• NSW Volunteer of the Year Award
• NSW Volunteer Team of the Year Award
• NSW Excellence in NFP Volunteer Management Award
• NSW Corporate Volunteer of the Year
• NSW Adult Volunteer of the Year
• NSW Senior Volunteer of the Year

This year a new category is being introduced in  youth section, creating two distinct Awards to replace the previous one:

·                  Student Volunteer of the Year Award (open to all school students)

·                  Youth Volunteer of the Year Award (open to all those who have completed school and aged up to 24 years)

Nominations can be made at:  http://www.thecentreforvolunteering.com.au/2014-awards/nominate/. Winners will be announced  at a  ceremony  on 5 December in Sydney, coinciding with International Volunteer Day.

 

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