Community
27 February, 2023
"Gazza´s Goss: No barriers to caring volunteers"
IF I was asked the question as to the most popular topic for the ‘Goss’ over the last couple of years, it would definitely be stories about the amazing volunteers in our communities.
People of all ages and backgrounds who give up their time and energy to improve our lives and make things happen. Without their input and effort, many day to day activities simply would not go ahead.
It was fairly recently that I wrote about the Queensland Care Army Connect Project and how it was being rolled out in the Douglas Shire.
Now ‘Breaking Down Barriers to Volunteering in Douglas Shire’ is a new program running out of Port Douglas Neighbourhood Centre.
It follows on from the Care Army Connect Program and encompasses the also previously written about, Douglas Grass + Roots Volunteer Network.
Breaking Down Barriers to Volunteering in Douglas Shire is intended to develop the capacity of volunteer involving organisations and empower them to attract, recruit, retain and manage volunteers across the Shire.
This project also aims to identify priority groups including, First Nations people, people with disabilities, and newly arrived immigrants.
To further enhance the opportunity, there will be collaboration with Douglas Shire Council, support services, local schools, NDIS providers, job network providers and First Nations’ organisations.
The project will also support volunteer involving groups, stakeholders and the volunteers themselves, by allowing access to online and face to face training, resources and services which are vital tools to build volunteering capacity in Douglas Shire.
At present, work is being carried out to create a dedicated Douglas Grass + Roots Volunteer Network Web Page, aimed at promoting and advertising local volunteering opportunities. This page will have direct links to establishments in the Douglas Shire, which will enable potential volunteers to connect directly with opportunities. It will be possible to have a direct link to your volunteer setup placed on this webpage. Details of how this can be achieved are available by emailing dgrn@pdnc.org.au
Breaking Down Barriers to Volunteering in Douglas Shire is also working towards hosting an inaugural ‘Community of Practice’ meeting. This will give volunteer involving bodies an opportunity to meet on a bi-monthly basis and will act as a support network for people who share a common role as managers, coordinators and leaders of our local volunteer groups. It will also create opportunities for learning, building capability, sharing knowledge and reducing duplication of work.
In the coming weeks the Breaking Down Barriers group will be reaching out to individual organisations, either in person or by phone, to gain a better understanding of their local needs and how to best support our communities in the volunteering workspace.
I’m off to meet some more amazing people, so for now it’s Gazza signing out!
Send your stories to gazza@cairnslocalnews.com.au
