Tamworth Regional Council has partnered with local not-for-profit organisation Regional Unlimited to launch a brand-new volunteer centre, with the aim of strengthening connections between individuals and organisations who are wishing to make a difference in the community.
The RU Volunteering Centre will provide the support and resources required for individuals and organisations to connect more instantaneously and encourage more volunteering within the community.
The RU Volunteering Centre is located in the old Tamworth Lands Building in Fitzroy Street, Tamworth.
The hub will be facilitated by Council's Volunteers Coordinator, Veronica Filby who is excited to see Tamworth's volunteering network grow.
"Volunteers offer their time and effort to help build a stronger community; a spirited and productive community. The RU Volunteering Centre will not only provide them with a platform to share their initiatives but a platform that will support them as they work towards accomplishing their goals for the betterment of the community," Tamworth Region Mayor, Cr Col Murray said.
The physical hub will also be supported by an online recruitment and management software program that will enable instant connectivity between the volunteering community with the click of a button.
Regional Unlimited, made up of community volunteers, will work with Council and liaise with community groups and organisations to help builder a better inter-connecting volunteer network.
"Part of the difficulty in volunteering is connecting people who are passionate with projects they want to give their time and skills to. This is where the centre and online platform will help, as it directly connects volunteers and organisations to each other based on common interests and availability," explained Mrs. Filby.
The centre will also offer a volunteers event calendar to advise members when and where events are taking place across the region, broadening the opportunities to get involved.
The online platform will be implemented through Hands On Connect, an international program that has been successfully used in Nashville and comes highly recommended by Tamworth's sister city.
"It's important for members of our community to be able to work together to make Tamworth a better place to live, work and play. Together with Regional Unlimited, Council wants to ensure that it is encouraging and supporting the people who want to make our community stronger," Cr Murray said.
Together, Council and Regional Unlimited are encouraging everyone to visit the RU Volunteering Centre and register as a Tamworth Region Volunteer.
