State Member for Western Victoria Region, Gayle Tierney, today announced that the Brumby Government will provide a grant of $2,815 to Ngarrakeetoon Meeting Place to help them recruit and train more volunteers.
Ms Tierney said the group was awarded the grant to help develop a comprehensive recruitment strategy to recruit volunteers to assist with program activities.
“This grant will help sustain and grow the activities of the Ngarrakeetoon Meeting Place, enabling them to continue their contribution to the life and strength of our community”, Ms Tierney said.
Ms Tierney said this volunteer program was just one of 18 new projects to benefit from the latest round of grants, which are aimed at helping organisations recruit and train volunteers.
The Volunteer Small Grants program is part of the Victorian Government’s $6 million volunteering package over the next four years, aimed at helping people get involved and increase support for volunteers.
The Minister for Community Development, Peter Batchelor, said the lives of people in communities across Victoria were touched each day by the efforts of volunteers who give their time to help out a fellow neighbour.
“One million adults – a third of the Victorian adult population – provide around $10 billion worth of unpaid services each year,” Mr Batchelor said.
“From coaching kids’ football teams to teaching older people to use the internet or running a local support group, volunteers play an important role in building stronger communities.
“And not only does the community benefit, research shows that people who volunteer reap rewards such as improved health and wellbeing, and better employment opportunities.
“It’s no exaggeration to say that many of our most important local organisations, events and services would simply cease to function if volunteers stopped giving their time,” he said.
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.