Are you Ready to Volunteer?

NFP House, the leader in the not for profit sector, were funded by Volunteer Queensland to deliver the “Volunteer Ready” project which identified the barriers to volunteering for people from various groups, including migrants, first nations, disability, unemployed and vulnerable women.

We identified the main reason why people weren’t volunteering was because they “didn’t know where to go”. The desire to volunteer was there, but lacked the knowledge of where to go. The statements below indicate some of the other responses from the groups about their barriers to volunteering:

• Not sure what is out there to do
• No one really tells you about opportunities but ask you to donate money
• Hear about opportunities but at late notice
• Transport limitations
• Time and money also affect the decisions to do it
• Childcare limitations
• Unreasonable, little understanding of circumstances or culture
• Sometimes not accessible
• Need assistance from support worker
• Difficult to find places that need volunteers
• Support worker required to volunteer
• Challenges about the dialogue with the organisation that the person has a disability and what they need to do that will support the volunteer experience

One of the ways we have addressed these barriers, is the implementation of the NFP House Volunteer Portal which has been a welcomed response to increase volunteering opportunities.

Through many consultations, workshops, walk-ins and organisational assessments completed with community organisations, it is evident that community organisations are still in dire need of volunteers and that there is a community of potential volunteers at our doorstep waiting to get active to help their community.

The Volunteer Portal was launched in April 2023 and is a website that links volunteers to community organisations in the Gladstone Region who need volunteers. The Volunteer Portal is an engaging platform that includes all volunteering options, however, focuses on activating people to volunteer through shorter-term or one-off tasks and activities. This shares people’s skills and energy across multiple community organisations and links them based on their interests, passions and availability within their community. Finding that support for community organisations and interested volunteers is only a click away through the NFP House Volunteer Portal. Check it out www.nfphouse.org.au and Volunteer today!

Happy volunteering!! 

Lois from NFP House, where you can contact us anytime, to make a difference to your life and our community!