Meet Michelle, a Volunteer Manager at Warrigal whose leadership demonstrates courage, vision, and a deep commitment to advocacy. In this Share Your Story – Volunteer Managers Edition feature for International Volunteer Managers Day (IVMDay), Michelle reflects on what it means to lead boldly — to elevate the role of volunteers and embed their value at the heart of organisational culture.
Why Bold Leadership Matters in Volunteer Management
For me, bold leadership means having the courage to advocate for volunteers, to ensure their voices are heard, valued, and included in every part of an organisation.
At Warrigal, our volunteers are part of our history, our legacy, and our future. Leading boldly means continually reminding others of the importance of our volunteers and embedding volunteering into our vision and culture.
Every day, I’m inspired by the generosity, kindness, and spirit of our volunteers. They remind me that bold leadership isn’t always loud. It is consistent, values-driven, and grounded in empathy.
Photo: Recent visit to NSW Parliament House as part of the Leadership Illawarra Program.
Proudest Achievement as a Volunteer Manager
My proudest achievement has been developing, growing, and continuously improving Warrigal’s volunteer program. This wasn’t an overnight process but rather a focused journey where I set deliberate strategies and clear targets to strengthen engagement, build awareness, and highlight the value of volunteering across Warrigal.
These strategies and targets have truly paid off, with Warrigal proudly reaching over 500 active volunteers in 2025. This milestone reflects our growing culture of inclusion, connection, and purpose.
As part of this journey, I also set professional goals for myself to ensure our volunteers had strong, informed leadership. Completing my Certificate IV in Managing Volunteer Programs, achieving Professional Leader of Volunteers (PLV) status through the Continuing Professional Development Program, and embedding the National Standards for Volunteer Involvement 2024 into all aspects of our program have been instrumental in achieving that vision.
A career highlight was speaking at the 2024 NSW State Volunteering Conference, where I shared Warrigal’s story and showcased how deliberate strategy, leadership, and advocacy can elevate the value of volunteering across an entire organisation.
Photo: Receiving my Certificate IV in Managing Volunteer Programs at NSW Parliament House.
One piece of advice for fellow Volunteer Managers
Believe in yourself and have the courage to speak up for the importance of volunteering. Lead with confidence and heart. Advocate for your volunteers in every meeting, every policy, and every story you tell. Remind others that without volunteers, many programs and services simply wouldn’t exist.
Be proud of your role, trust your instincts, and never underestimate the difference you make. Bold leadership in this space isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about believing in the power of people and creating opportunities for them to shine. When you do that, you’re not just managing volunteers, you’re building community.
View the full collection of our Share Your Story series and be inspired by the many ways Volunteer Managers are leading with courage, care, and creativity.
