Update: In light of the current situation surrounding COVID-19, the Department of Social Services is extending the online submissions on the ‘Considerations for the Future of the Volunteer Management Activity’ Discussion Paper to 5:00pm AEDT Friday 3 April 2020.
The Department of Social Services (DSS) is seeking submissions to inform the development of options for the future of the Volunteer Management Activity program post 30 June 2021.
The Australian Government currently provides a total of $18.8 million (excluding GST) in funding from 1 January 2018 until 30 June 2021 for the Volunteer Management Activity (VMA), plus indexation.
The VMA provides support through Volunteer Support Services to individual volunteers, volunteer leaders and managers, and Volunteer Involving Organisations to encourage, support and increase participation in volunteering.
In 2017, the Australian Government indicated the VMA must be redesigned. On 13 February 2020, the Minister for Families and Social Services, Senator the Hon Anne Ruston, released the Report on the Review of the Volunteer Management Activity.
The Report on the Review of the Volunteer Management Activity recommends the Australian Government:
- Continue to invest in volunteer management, but clarify the focus and objective of this investment.
- Work with stakeholders to redesign a program that builds on the capacity of Volunteer Involving Organisations to effectively recruit and manage volunteers.
DSS will begin consultations with the volunteering sector in the coming weeks, including a session with Volunteer Resource Centres at the National Volunteering Conference. Dates of other consultations will be announced soon.
DSS has also developed a Discussion Paper to inform discussions on the redesign of the VMA. Public submissions on future options for the VMA, including responses to issues raised in the Discussion Paper are open now until 5:00pm AEDT Friday 3 April 2020.
