Volunteer body in line for funding
A $120,000 funding shortfall for an organisation managing volunteers across the G21 region is likely to be filled following federal government intervention.
Volunteering Geelong, which provides volunteers to more than 160 local charities and not-for-profit organisations, is likely to receive $120,000 if it can convince the state’s peak body its work will put people with a disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and newly arrived migrants into volunteering roles.
It will put its case to Volunteering Victoria starting with a meeting this month.
The federal budget included $6.6m for volunteer management centres across the country, with about $1.3m to be divided among centres in Victoria.
Volunteering Geelong chief executive Helen Hunter said the funding was likely to put an end to uncertainty for the organisation in recent months.
“It’s probably likely that we will get 100 per cent of our funding for the next 12 months,” Ms Hunter said.
In the past 10 years, Volunteering Geelong has put about 49,000 people in the G21 region into volunteer roles.
Ms Hunter said it was running a funding drive and hoped not to rely on state or federal funding from July 2022.
“Our volunteers have been continuing to support individuals and organisations throughout Geelong and beyond with much of our work focused on being there for people in need during the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.
“The Lend A Hand Appeal is a chance for people in the wider community to also show their support.
“We are working on a 12-month sustainability plan, and this (government) funding allows us to achieve that goal.”
Senator Sarah Henderson said she took Volunteering Geelong’s case to Social Services Minister Anne Ruston.
“Volunteers are the lifeblood of our community and I’m delighted Volunteer Geelong will be eligible for this vital funding to continue its important work,” Senator Henderson said.
Volunteering Victoria has asked the state government to fund existing volunteer support services in 2022-23.