Volunteering WA is pleased to announce the establishment of a new Expert Reference Group to help shape the future of volunteering in Western Australia.
Given the current cost-of-living crisis and its impact on the nationwide volunteering landscape, it's important more now than ever that we take action to improve the conditions of volunteering.
Volunteer-involving organisations are experiencing significant rates of volunteer drop-out during onboarding, due to administrative complexity and the excessive time required for volunteers to complete screening checks.
Building upon the work the Volunteering Community Reference Group is doing to advocate for better volunteering conditions; we have brought together experts to strengthen and support Western Australia's volunteering sector.
Comprised of individuals from member volunteer-involved organisations, the group brings together experienced voices from different industries to improve the conditions for volunteering across Western Australia. The group will work closely with representatives from relevant government agencies including the Department of Communities, the WA Police Force, the Office of Digital Government, and the office of the Minister for Volunteering.
The purpose of the group is to advise the Volunteering Community Reference Group, provide expert advice to government and consultants, work towards remove barriers to volunteering, and assist with streamlining and creating greater efficiencies in volunteer checks.
Short- and long-term priorities for the group include:
- Provision of quality advice to government.
- Obtaining clarity from government on changes proposed to enable digitisation of volunteer screening checks and timeframe for implementation.
- Advocating for the implementation of the ten recommendations made by the Volunteering Community Reference Group to the Minister for Volunteering in May 2025.
- Volunteer-involving organisations will convert more people to from potential volunteers to fully-fledged volunteers once processes have been simplified.
- Provide a model for engagement of the volunteering sector in policy development.
