- Volunteering Development Services Program expanded to Pilbara and Wheatbelt
- Cook Government supporting regional volunteering with $2.1 million boost to the VDS Program
- Brings total support to more than $6 million across five years for the program
The Cook Government's Volunteering Development Service (VDS) Program will be expanded to the Pilbara and the Wheatbelt from June 2024, to boost local volunteering opportunities in regional Western Australia.
The Town Team Movement in the Pilbara and the Wheatbelt will receive a share of the State Government's recent $2.1 million boost to the VDS Program.
The funding is also supporting 10 existing operators to expand their services regionally across Western Australia.
The VDS Program has been operating across 10 regions, with this additional funding expanding the services for the first time to the Pilbara and the Wheatbelt.
Volunteering services play a vital role in boosting volunteering across WA by developing more local opportunities, upskilling volunteers and working with organisations to respond to community needs.
The funding is being used to address gaps for regional volunteering services and organisations across the Kimberley, Pilbara, Gascoyne, Mid West, Wheatbelt, Peel, South West, Great Southern, and Goldfields-Esperance.
The volunteering development service providers sharing in the funding include:
- Albany & Regional Volunteer Service
- Broome CIRCLE
- Busselton-Dunsborough Environment Centre
- Centacare Volunteer Service Exmouth and Carnarvon
- Centacare Volunteer Service Geraldton
- Esperance Volunteer Resource Centre
- Manjimup Community Resource Centre
- Nannup Community Resource Centre
- Peel Volunteer Resource Centre
- South West Volunteering
- Town Team Movement Pilbara
- Town Team Movement Wheatbelt
The 12 regional VDS providers will receive funding from 1 July 2024.
The $2.1 million boost brings the State Government's total funding for the VDS Program to $6.1 million across five years.
As stated by Volunteering Minister Don Punch:
"The Cook Government is investing in regional volunteering with a $2.1 million boost to the Volunteering Development Service (VDS) Program, bringing the total funding to $6.1 million over five years.
"Through this funding boost, we are welcoming the Town Team Movement in the Pilbara and Wheatbelt and boosting funding for 10 existing providers across regional Western Australia.
"By investing in the VDS Program, we are helping to create more volunteering opportunities and respond to community needs within our regions.
"Volunteering helps create stronger, more connected communities, and is also a great way to meet new people and boost overall wellbeing."
