Corporate Volunteering
It’s the ripple effect…touching one life and changing the community!
Corporate or employee volunteering is one way in which businesses can develop and action their social responsibility policy.
Companies which engage in corporate volunteering actively support and encourage their employees to volunteer their services to a local community organisation.
Steadily growing in popularity since the 1990’s corporate volunteering involves the contribution of time, talent, energy, skills and resources to help local charities and community groups within our community.
Business benefits include:
- Staff development: teamwork, morale, and skills development
- Enhanced reputation and leadership
- Increased understanding between businesses and community sector
- A high-impact way to invest in a healthier community & trading environment
- Contribution to the development to community groups
- Development of a sense of community connectedness between staff and residents
Employees benefits include:
- Development of skills and networks
- Leadership opportunities
- Translation of skills into workplace
- Increase in staff morale and sense of pride in working for an organisation that contributes to and helps others in the community
- Promotion of greater awareness of our communities social and cultural diversity
- Increase awareness of local community issues
Wider Community benefits:
- Enhanced social cohesion
- Enhanced understanding
- Greater participation
- Capacity building the non-profit sector
- Business-community partnerships
Skilled Volunteering/ Transition to Retirement
Bendigo Volunteer Resource Centre supports individuals transitioning to retirement by assisting them to connect to our community by sharing their work-life skills with the community sector.
Our small team of retired professional skilled volunteers meet regularly and share ideas and discuss new ways in which they can assist individuals volunteering or paid employees working in our community sector by utilising their acquired skills and experience gathered during their working life.
The advantage for these skilled volunteers is that they retain social connections within our community whilst they contribute their skills and knowledge to support the valuable work undertaken by community groups within the not-for-profit sector.
Skilled volunteering provides a new opportunity for you to pass on your knowledge and life skills, and support others in our community.
Bendigo’s skilled volunteers share their knowledge, life skills, and experiences to mentor and inspire growth in our community.
These volunteers work with individuals in our community sector, empowering them to make their own decisions, explore new ideas and see things from a different perspective.
A skilled volunteer can help build the capacity of your community organisation.
The skilled volunteer can:
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- Support you and your staff
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- Help you identify opportunities for improvement
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- Help with networking
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- Help you find information about government and non-government services, incentives and supports
- Help identify areas for development, skills improvement and training
Student Volunteering
Volunteering is a way of supporting not-for-profit organisations (NFP’s) and getting involved in your community. Students can become involved in volunteering by running their own project, running an event, or volunteering at NFP’s. You can volunteer for a short term or long term or for one-off events.
Benefits for Students
Students who volunteer will:
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- Gain opportunities to have work experience during their course
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- Gaining skills and knowledge that are often not taught at university
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- Improve leadership skills
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- Work in teams
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- Gain early networking opportunities within student’s field of study that benefits their future career
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- Gain a feel for possible future career opportunities
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- Talk to current professionals in their field
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- Contribute to something they believe in and are passionate about
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- Create positive change to their community as an active citizen
- Gain experience for their resume and referees
Categories of potential volunteering opportunities
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- Arts and Media
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- Animal Welfare
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- Disability support
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- Children and Young people
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- Seniors and the Aged
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- Office – Administration
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- Emergency and crisis
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- Sports/Recreation/Outdoors/Gardening
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- International or National service
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- Education and training
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- Writing/Editing/Research
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- Health/Medical/Wellbeing
- Conservation and Environment
Volunteers should be:
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- Reliable and dependable
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- Ethical and respect confidentiality
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- Prepared to carry out the specified job role
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- Committed to working for the organisation
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- Willing to undertake training
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- Supportive of other team members
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- Willing to adhere to the policies and practices of the organisation
- Willing to speak up and participate in discussion about issues that affect your work.
Where to Start?
Contact the Bendigo Volunteer Resource Centre, and enquire about how our team can assist your business get involved in our community
Email: bvrchub@bgovolunteers.org.au
Tel: (03) 5441 1404
Bendigo Library, Hargreaves St, CBD Bendigo
