The theme for 2026 is - Your Year to Volunteer
To mark the occasion, St Kilda Town Hall will glow red on Friday 22 May and Saturday 23 May, shining a light on the vital contribution volunteers make every day.
Across our City, volunteers help create a city that is inclusive, safe and vibrant. From Library Services and the Youth Advisory Committee to the Port Phillip Heritage Centre and Children's Services, every contribution big or small makes a real difference.
Here are just a handful of our incredible volunteers:
Bell (Neurodivergent Craft Club)
Bell is the volunteer behind the Young Adult Neurodivergent Craft Club at St Kilda Library, a welcoming monthly space for people aged 18-25 to come together, get creative and connect.
What started as a simple idea has quickly grown, with more and more people joining each month. Bell has successfully created a space where people feel included and themselves.
Emma (Sewing Course)
Emma, a local teacher and new volunteer, recently ran a beginner sewing course at St Kilda Library and it filled up in just a few days!
Emma's workshops brought people together to learn something new, build confidence and connect with others in the community.
Helen, Greig, Ken, Adrian, Lillian (Rotary Club at Albert Park)
The Albert Park Rotary team collect donated books from two of our libraries and sell these books at their local store and other book sales. They also help contribute to the Albert Park Literary Festival each year by raising funds to support local kids and charities. Each year they raise hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Helen (Bridge Club Volunteer)
Helen, is our local bridge club volunteer coordinator. Each week she hosts free local bridge sessions for the community at our Albert Park Library.
These sessions give local community members a place to socialise and visit each week providing important social connection opportunities.
Pam and Michael (Friends of Emerald Hill Library)
Pam and Michael, long standing champions of the Friends of Emerald Hill Library. Since 2010 the Friends of Emerald Hill Library have played a vital role in shaping Emerald Hill Library into the vibrant and welcoming community hub it is today.
Through their dedication, Pam and Michael and other friends and volunteers have helped bring people together by sourcing and hosting free monthly author talks, as well as running the much-loved Non-Fiction Club held every two months. Their passion for libraries and community connection shines through everything they do.
Marcia (Job Help Coach)
Since 2020, Marcia has been volunteering at St Kilda Library, running regular sessions to help people with resumes, job applications and building confidence.
For many in our community, that support has made a real difference, not just in finding work, but in feeling more prepared and hopeful about the future.
Yvonne (Home Library Service)
For more than four decades, Yvonne has been part of the Home Library Service delivering books and audiobooks to people who are unable to visit the library.
Through her time, she has helped countless people stay connected to stories, ideas and the community.
Homework Club
At Emerald Hill Library, volunteers have been supporting local students with their homework for over a decade.
The program has helped many young people build confidence in their learning and some of the first participants are now at university, with younger siblings following in their footsteps.
Thank you to all our amazing volunteers and all the work they do in contributing to our community.
