About

Volunteering is the heart of Australian communities.

• Where more people volunteer more often.
• Where volunteers feel respected and know their contribution makes a difference.

• Where volunteering is valued and properly considered in policy settings, service design, and strategic investment.

• Where diversity in volunteering is recognised, celebrated, and supported.
• Where people individually and collectively realise their potential for creating thriving communities.

We share this vision with other members of the volunteering ecosystem.

This vision was co-designed with thousands of people from across Australia during the development of the National Strategy for Volunteering.

To meet the team committed to this vision, click here.

We believe volunteering empowers people to make a positive impact and leads to more inclusive and flourishing communities.

We support a thriving volunteering ecosystem in Australia by promoting and advocating for volunteering and providing leadership at a national level.

These are the principles that guide everything we do at Volunteering Australia.

Courageously pursue excellence

We are committed to courageously pursuing change, even when it is hard or unpopular. We act with integrity: striving to do what is right, not simply what is easy. A commitment to continuous improvement and the pursuit of excellence energises everything we do

Combine passion with evidence

We are passionate about volunteering and the benefits it has for people, places, and the planet. Everything we do combines this passion with evidence: research, lived experience, and expert advice.

Inspire collaboration

We believe that we are better together. We collaborate with others so that we can collectively harness our potential for a brighter future.

Prioritise equity

We strive to take an intersectional approach, through a commitment to amplifying diverse voices and breaking down systemic barriers to inclusion.

Our Activities and Strategic Directions

Our strategic directions build on our existing strengths and provide a framework to move Volunteering Australia towards a future state where we are maximising our impact. Our strategic directions are designed to complement the work of other members of the volunteering ecosystem, including our foundation members (the state and territory Volunteering Peak Bodies), so that we can collectively achieve a better future for volunteering.

Policy development and advocacy: We undertake policy analysis and development so that our advocacy promotes practical, evidence-based and innovative proposals for change.

Strategic Direction 1: We will strengthen our policy and advocacy capacity to provide guidance and promote change across the full breadth of policy issues relevant to volunteering.

Strategic Direction 2: We will develop and nurture relationships with our global peers so that we can share learning and collaborate internationally.

Communications and engagement: We represent volunteering in Australia at the national level, striving to ensure volunteering is comprehensively valued.

Strategic Direction 3: We will develop further strategic alliances and partnerships to amplify our voice at the national level and strengthen our policy and advocacy impact.

Strategic Direction 4: We will innovate in our communications and marketing strategies to enhance our reach and influence.

Ecosystem support and infrastructure: We support the volunteering ecosystem through our subject matter expertise and the provision of frameworks, tools, and resources that enhance volunteer engagement, organisational capacity, and overall societal impact.

Strategic Direction 5: We will target support through advancing key pieces of national infrastructure (for example, the National Strategy for Volunteering, the National Standards for Volunteer Involvement, and the Volunteering Gateway).

Research and knowledge sharing: We are leaders and demonstrate excellence in research and data analysis that informs volunteering policy and practice.

Strategic Direction 6: We will build upon existing research infrastructure (for example, the National Volunteering Research Network) and enhance our knowledge translation function to meet the information needs of the volunteering ecosystem.

Enacting the Strategy

We are committed to achieving our purpose in the most effective and financially sustainable way.

Everything we do is enabled by a collaborative and supportive culture, effective leadership and governance, and a diverse and thriving team.

We hold ourselves accountable to the implementation of our strategy and to tracking our impact. Our refreshed Theory of Change will guide this commitment.

• Volunteering Australia – Impact Strategy 2024-2027
• Volunteering Australia – Impact Strategy 2024-2027 – Summary
• Volunteering Australia – Theory of Change

Commitment to Volunteer Involvement

Volunteering Australia recognises volunteer involvement as integral to its operations and makes a commitment to run a safe, supported and sustainable volunteering program that meets the needs of the organisation and our volunteers.

At Volunteering Australia equity, diversity, and inclusion is at the core of who we are. We strive to position these values at the forefront of all we do. We are strong advocates for centring diverse voices and believe in the transformative power of volunteering in creating inclusive communities.

We are committed to inclusion across race, culture, ethnicity, gender, sex, sexuality, religion, and ability. We recognise that people from diverse communities face systemic barriers to participation. We seek to challenge the current system and strive for change that makes volunteering accessible to and inclusive for all.

We are committed to amplifying the voices and experiences of First Nations People, who represent the world’s oldest continuing culture. We recognise that volunteering in First Nations communities is based on values of reciprocity, mutual obligation, family and kinship ties, and communal responsibility and respect.

In Practice

We aim to centre equity, diversity, and inclusion at the forefront of our work by amplifying the voices of lived experience. We are committed to strengthening the volunteering ecosystem by addressing social, cultural, and economic barriers to volunteering.

We undertake to embed principles of diversity, inclusion, and equity in all our work and progress access and equity issues through our policy and advocacy agenda. We acknowledge the importance of an intersectional approach, recognising that many Australians face multiple forms of discrimination and disadvantage. We understand from time to time that this may ask of us to take
special measures in our program, in our policy or services.

We understand we have a leadership role to play in advancing inclusive volunteering, but recognise we are not experts in inclusion. We are committed to partnering with organisations, communities, and individuals to proactively advocate for an inclusive, safe, and accessible volunteering
ecosystem.

We pride ourselves on being a workplace of choice. We are committed to upholding our values on equity, diversity, and inclusion in our recruitment and workplace culture. We strive to make our roles and workplace accessible, culturally appropriate, and respectful of diverse needs and identities.