Volunteering Resources Bank

Below we have assembled a list of resources that can help you find out more about volunteering.

Click on one of the headings below or scroll down to view all of the resources listed

• Volunteering: basic principles

• Volunteer management

• Youth volunteering

• Corporate volunteering

• Volunteering statistics

• Sundries

Basic principles of volunteering

Volunteering Australia: The foundation documents "These documents define what volunteering is, the principles that underpin volunteering, standards of best practice, and the major issues affecting the sector. We consider this collection of documents to be integral to understanding the philosophy and practice of volunteering in Australia today."

• Definition and Principles of Volunteering
A definition of formal volunteering and its underpinning principles

• Volunteer Rights and Volunteer Checklist
An overview of volunteers' rights and some important points for volunteers to check off with their organisation before volunteering

• Universal Declaration on Volunteering
An international statement about volunteering, its importance and place in the world, and what characterises volunteering.

• Volunteering - Compact Code of Good Practice (UK)
"The Volunteering Code identifies four key principles fundamental to volunteering: choice, diversity, reciprocity, and recognition."

Volunteering Management

Our Community has produced a range of helpsheets on topics in volunteer management:

• Managing volunteers

• Managing Your Volunteers -

• Valuing Our Volunteers

• Volunteer policy

• Volunteers Satisfaction Survey

• Using the internet to recruit volunteers

• Online volunteering: A new way to increase your reach and impact

• Recruiting Youth Volunteers

Other resources include

• Volunteer Policy and Procedures
This manual includes recruitment, rights and responsibilities of volunteer staff, and how the ACF handles issues such as confidentiality, reimbursement, occupational health and safety, personal insurance cover, equal opportunity and sexual harrassment , dispute resolution procedures, resignation. Australian Conservation Foundation.

• National Standards for Involving Volunteers in Not for Profit Organisations
National standards that describe the elements of a best practice system for involving and managing volunteers. Volunteer Australia.

• National Standards Workbook and Resource Kit
A workbook and resource kit designed as a systematic method of implementing the national standards in your organisation

Youth Volunteering

• Volunteering and youth development: making a positive difference.
A guide for youth development provider organisations in implementing good practice in volunteering and youth development. Ausyouth , 2002.

• Engaging and retaining volunteers for youth development
Paper presented at 2nd National Youth Development Conference, 2001, by Andrew Fryar , examining three aspects of involving youth in volunteering activities: recruitment, retention, and the implications of current volunteering trends on organisations and individuals who manage volunteers and volunteer programs.

Corporate Volunteering

• Employee Volunteering and Corporate Social Responsibility
A guide to assist organisations develop, implement and evaluate an employee volunteering program. It is full of alternatives to consider, resources to utilise and step-by-step checklists to assist in planning. (Government of WA)

• Employee volunteering guide: a resource for employers, volunteers and not-for-profit organisations.
A practical resource that covers what employee volunteering is, getting started, implementation, promotion, evaluation, and where to get more information: produced by the Employee Volunteering Working Group, NSW Department of the Premier, 2002

Volunteering - Statistics

• The community's most valuable (hidden) asset - volunteering in Australia
This report, prepared for the Department of Family and Community Services, covers current developments, the state of volunteering, projections of future volunteer supply, and motives for, and experiences of, volunteering. Social Policy Research Centre, 2002

• Giving time: the economic and social value of volunteering in Victoria
Estimates the economic value of formal and informal volunteering in Victoria and the contribution that volunteering makes to the social fabric of our communities. Produced by the Department of Human Services, 2002

• Measuring the value of unpaid voluntary work of older Australians
This paper seeks to estimate the financial value of the unpaid contributions of older people - both to their family and to the wider community. (International Social Security Association, 2003)

• Volunteering - statistics
"A statistical overview of volunteering in Australia". Volunteering Australia

Volunteering - Sundries

• Building Consumers In: A resource manual in consumer participation for the not-for-profit sector
A resource book to assist the not-for-profit sector to develop policies and practices that facilitate consumer participation in the organisation. (Arthritis Victoria, 2001)

• Visas for Volunteers from Overseas
Spells out the rules. ( GoVolunteer )

• Volunteering - Media Kit
A guide to media use from Volunteer Australia

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