National Collaboration

Volunteering Australia collaborates closely with the State and Territory Peak Volunteering Bodies to strengthen, advance and protect volunteering across the country. Together, we form a national network committed to ensuring that volunteering is recognised, supported, and empowered to thrive across Australia.

Our partnership enables us to bring a unified voice to federal policy development. Volunteering Australia works with the State and Territory Peak Bodies to analyse issues, gather insights from diverse communities, and co‑design evidence‑informed policy positions. This collaborative approach ensures that federal advocacy reflects the needs and experiences of volunteers, volunteer‑involving organisations and the communities they serve across Australia.

By working together, we advocate more effectively for outcomes that support the sustainability and impact of volunteering. Whether contributing to consultations, briefing government, or promoting reform, Volunteering Australia and the State and Territory Peak Bodies coordinate to deliver consistent national messaging and strong, aligned advocacy.

Volunteering Australia leads shared national communications efforts to ensure clear, cohesive messaging about volunteering. This includes joint media activities, shared campaign content, and coordinated national celebrations such as National Volunteer Week and National Youth Volunteering Week and the National Conference. Through this collaboration, we elevate the visibility and value of volunteering nationwide. Volunteering Australia also collaborates with the State and Territory Peaks on major national initiatives that shape the future of volunteering, including:

• National Strategy for Volunteering – A long‑term, sector‑led roadmap guiding the future of volunteering in Australia.
• National Standards for Volunteering – Best‑practice guidelines developed with sector input to support safe, effective and meaningful volunteering.
• Volunteering Gateway – A national digital ecosystem designed to improve access to volunteering opportunities and strengthen participation across communities.

Through these shared projects, we harness our collective expertise to deliver tools, resources and systems that benefit the entire volunteering ecosystem.

Volunteering Australia collaborates with over 1700 Associate Members – organisations or individuals who are current members of their State or Territory volunteering peak body – to ensure that national advocacy is informed by insights from across the volunteering ecosystem. These Associate Members play an important role in shaping our national work and strengthening the collective voice for volunteering.

Volunteering Australia partners closely with the Coalition of Support to strengthen our understanding of the needs and aspirations of the volunteering ecosystem.
Through this collaboration, we draw on the insights and experience of organisations across the sector, ensuring our national leadership is informed by the realities of volunteers, volunteer-involving organisations, and communities.

Together, we provide coordinated input and support to shape positive outcomes for volunteering at the Federal Government level.
By presenting shared perspectives and evidence-informed advice, we help ensure that volunteering is recognised, valued, and supported through national policy and investment.

Through this collaboration, we ensure that national projects are sector-led, inclusive, and aligned with the aspirations of Australia’s diverse volunteering communities.

Volunteering Australia works in close partnership with a wide range of organisations and groups across the volunteering ecosystem to strengthen, support, and champion volunteering nationwide. Our collaboration extends well beyond the volunteering sector itself, recognising that effective and inclusive volunteering relies on a connected and coordinated network.

We work with volunteer‑involving organisations, including not‑for‑profits, charities, and community groups, to understand emerging needs, share good practice, and advocate for conditions that enable meaningful and sustainable volunteering.

Our partnerships also include peak bodies from other sectors, interest groups, communities of practice, regulators, resource centres, and service providers. By engaging with this broad network, we help ensure that volunteering is integrated into national conversations about community wellbeing, social policy, and reform.

Through open dialogue, shared initiatives, and evidence‑informed collaboration, we bring together diverse voices from across the ecosystem to create a stronger, more resilient future for volunteering in Australia.