Volunteering
About
Looking for a way to give back and connect with the community? One of the many volunteering groups in Cardinia Shire may be for you!
Whether you’re interested in gardening and the environment, sports and recreation, or just want to give back to the community, there is a volunteering opportunity for everyone.
If you are looking to volunteer for a local not-for-profit or community group, you can search our volunteers directory.
Council supports its many volunteers in many ways including:
- workshops and information sessions
- subsidised training
- volunteering job opportunities.
Recruit volunteers for your organisation
- If your not-for-profit organisation is looking for support from volunteers, please submit the role and we will post it in our volunteering opportunities directory.
- The directory is a free service to not-for-profit organisations based in Cardinia Shire, or that service Cardinia Shire residents.
Training calendar for volunteers and community organisations
Council offers a range of free or subsidised training for volunteers to support our volunteer community organisations such as sporting clubs, neighbourhood houses, community asset committees and many more.
Volunteer training calendar July - December 2023
Grant writing workshop
This session is designed to provide the tools, strategies and confidence necessary for writing successful grant applications. Come along to find out what grants are available, where to find them and how to put your best foot forward in applying for them.
Date: Wednesday 13 September, 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Location: Cardinia Council Civic Centre – 20 Siding Avenue, Officer.
To book: Register on Teams
Securing your future with a fundraising plan
Having a written funding plan gives you a measurable goal to work toward. Because you can track your progress, you can reduce doubt or uncertainty about your decisions and make adjustments to help overcome obstacles that could derail you. This session will help to make sure your funding plan helps you achieve your long and short term goals.
Date: Tuesday 3 October, 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Location: Hybrid - Option upon registration to attend online or face to face at the Gallery Room, Cardinia Civic Centre, 20 Siding Ave, Officer.
To book: Register on Teams
Preventing and managing community group conflict:
This session will provide participants with the foundations for creating an inclusive and productive group culture. It will help participants to prepare a plan that will help organisations to prevent or mitigate potential conflicts through positive culture, improved communication, good policy and processes and early intervention.
Date: Wednesday 18 October, 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Location: Hybrid - Option upon registration to attend online or face to face at the Gallery Room, Cardinia Civic Centre, 20 Siding Ave, Officer.
To book: Register on Teams
Understanding financials for committee members:
Learning how to read and understand the facts and figures presented in financial reports will mean committee members become equipped with knowledge on which they can base major decisions when guiding their community group and help it to survive and thrive.
Date: Tuesday 14 November, 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Location: Hybrid - Option upon registration to attend online or face to face at the Gallery Room, Cardinia Civic Centre, 20 Siding Ave, Officer.
To book: Register on Teams
Recruiting and inducting volunteers:
This session will take the guess work out of finding volunteers and assist groups to use online platforms to help their efforts. The session also steps through the recruitment process and the critical aspect of inducting your volunteers.
Date: Tuesday 5 December, 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Location: Hybrid - Option upon registration to attend online or face to face at the Gallery Room, Cardinia Civic Centre, 20 Siding Ave, Officer.
To book: Register on Teams
Subsidised training for volunteers
We offer a volunteer training program each term, which is offered by local neighbourhood houses, community centres and Universities of the Third Age (U3A) at a subsidised rate (conditions apply).
The following courses will be available throughout the year:
- food handling
- basic bookkeeping
- first aid and CPR
- various computer courses.
For details of available programs and fees and to apply for a subsidised place, please contact the relevant training provider directly.
- Beaconsfield Neighbourhood Centre
- Moy-Yan Neighbourhood House (formally Bunyip & Ditsrict Community House)
- Cardinia U3A (Pakenham)
- Cockatoo Neighbourhood House
- Emerald Community House
- Lang Lang Community Centre
- Living and Learning Pakenham
- Outlook Community Centre
- Upper Beaconsfield Community Centre
Annual event for volunteer organisations
- More than 500 volunteer organisations work to make Cardinia Shire a great place to live, so in May every year we celebrate our volunteers through a volunteer reception at Cardinia Cultural Centre.
- Each year, invitations to attend the volunteer reception are sent to 2 representatives from not-for-profit groups. To ensure representatives from your organisation are invited, please confirm your organisation's contact details are correct in our community directory.
- We hold the volunteer reception in May, to coincide with National Volunteer Week