Gayle Tierney MLC, Member for Western Victoria, today announced that the Brumby Government will provide a grant of $3,000 to the Camperdown Community House to help them recruit and train more volunteers.
Ms. Tierney said the Camperdown Community House was keen to attract new volunteers to help keep the Community House at the heart of local activity.
“This Victorian Volunteer Small Grant will help the Camperdown Community House attract new supporters by publicising the many benefits of volunteering,” Ms. Tierney said.
Ms. Tierney said the grant to the Camperdown Community House was just one example of how the Brumby Government’s $3 million Victorian Volunteer Small Grants program is helping to increase volunteering.
“The Victorian Volunteer Small Grants program has already helped more than 850 local community organisations get new volunteers involved in their important work,” she said.
“The aim is to help broaden volunteering options and create new volunteering opportunities for people of all ages, genders, abilities and backgrounds.
“The program offers organisations the chance to attract a broader range of people, benefiting both the organisation and new volunteers.”
Ms. Tierney said research had shown that people living in supportive communities with lots of volunteers have better health, more community safety, lower crime rates, more school completions and greater ability to cope with a personal crisis.
“From umpiring a football match or teaching older people to use the internet, to fighting a fire or saving lives at the beach, volunteers play an important role in building stronger communities,” Ms. Tierney said.
“With more than 40 per cent of Victorians involved in volunteering, many local organisations, events and services would simply cease to function if they stopped giving their time.”
Organisations interested in applying for grants should visit www.grants.dvc.vic.gov.au or call 1300 366 356 on any weekday between 8.30am and 10pm (except Public Holidays) for more information and an application form.