Volunteer West held an end of year lunch last week to celebrate the end of 2024 and look forward to 2025.
Held at Millennium Community House in Seddon, the headquarters of sister organisation Australian Multicultural Community Services, the lunch was attended by about 40 people, mostly made up of volunteers and volunteer managers from organisations around the western suburbs.
The lunch also acted as an end of year catch-up for members of Volunteer West’s Volunteer Engagement Network (VEN) and took place in the same week as International Volunteer Day on December 5.
“We only run one face to face session per year, so it was a chance to bring everyone together and recognise all the wins from 2024,” said Volunteer West’s project and operations officer, Jack Fawcett, of the lunch.
Mr Fawcett said those wins included referring more than 1800 people to volunteer roles in 2024, double the amount from 2023, as well as a program run in conjunction with the Brotherhood of St Laurence to break down barriers for volunteers with a disability and a volunteer expo held in May.
“It was also an opportunity for the VEN to see our new space at Millennium House,” he added.
Looking forward to 2025, Mr Fawcett said Volunteer West’s projects would include a leadership program aimed at building the capacity of female leaders in volunteer organisations in Melbourne’s north-west and a program co-designed with newly arrived migrants to further break down barriers to volunteering.
Details: www.amcservices.org.au/
Cade Lucas
