Greater Shepparton City Council noted the plan at the April meeting, which outlines the strategic vision to strengthen and support the local volunteer sector over the next four years.
Developed in partnership with the Greater Shepparton Volunteers Managers Network (GSVMN), the document sets goals and initiatives to increase volunteering participation, support volunteer-involving organisations and recognises the contributions of volunteers in the region.
Cr Sam Spinks forwarded the motion, praising the collaborative effort of the plan between council and GSVMN.
“It has been created in response to what we know is a challenging volunteer environment,” she said.
“We know numbers are dwindling, we know its increasingly difficult to have people engaged in volunteering activities.”
Cr Spinks also said, despite the tricky environment, volunteering offers a lot to the community.
The number of volunteers has been declining in Greater Shepparton, with an estimated decrease of 2604 people between 2016 and 2021.
Cr Anthony Brophy and Cr Fern Summer also spoke for the motion; however, Cr Summer said she had some concerns with the document.
“If I can give some constructive feedback on the plan itself, many actions listed in it are not measurable, so if we aim to continue growing our volunteer base we’ve got to find tangible ways to engage more people,” she said.
“Over the years we know that red tape has increased... but it has become somewhat of a disincentive as people now need to jump through hoops and often need Working with Children checks to participate in volunteering, so personally I would like to see actions that make this process clearer more manageable for everyone.”
City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Shane Sali said the plan highlights the urgent need to address the decline of volunteers.
“Volunteers play a vital role in building strong, connected communities, and we know that the sector has been under pressure in recent years,” he said.
“The Greater Shepparton Volunteer Action Plan is a proactive step in ensuring our local volunteer organisations are supported, and that residents are encouraged and empowered to give their time and skills for the benefit of others. We thank the GSVMN for their leadership and commitment to this important work.”
To formulate the plan, broad community consultation took place, which asked residents about the benefits and barriers to volunteering and their ideas for a better volunteering sector.
This feedback formed the plan’s key focus areas, including volunteer promotion, engaging young people, reward and recognition, training and skills development, inclusion, and corporate volunteering.
The council and the GSVMN will now begin implementing the plan.
A copy of the plan is available at https://tinyurl.com/3zythza4
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