Volunteering

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.

Register now to attend an upcoming session:

 

Volunteer Training Workshop: Project Management Essentials

Date: Wednesday 6th August 2025 

Time: 6:30pm - 9pm 

Location: Council Chambers, Cardinia Shire Council Civic Centre, 20 Siding Ave, Officer 

Every successful program or project is based on great design and loads of planning and the planning of a project takes focus and creativity. So how does one design a project that is successful, on time, on budget and achieves all of the goals set? It’s a big ask when there are limited resources. This workshop will assist committees to avoid common project plan faults and maximise resources for a better chance of success. It will also help those who apply for grants to have a solid base for including in grant applications, so funders can see everything is ready to go.

Topics include:

• Defining the project and its benefit to the community
• Creating the project or program plan
• Assessing risk in new programs and determine their viability
• Identifying program opportunity risks
• Building program budgets
• Utilising project management tools
• Understanding the role of evaluations and its importance when managing a project

 

To register, please fill out the form at this link: https://forms.office.com/r/zQpVmHZXRr or email: connectedcommunities@cardinia.vic.gov.au

 

Volunteer Training Workshop: Diversity and Inclusion

Date: Wednesday 10th September 2025 

Time: 6:30pm - 9pm 

Location: Council Chambers, Cardinia Shire Council Civic Centre, 20 Siding Ave, Officer (online attendance option available)

 

Do you worry about saying the wrong thing? Do you want to be more inclusive of others but are not sure where to start? You’re not alone. Many people want to create a more inclusive and respectful environment but feel uncertain about how to navigate sensitive topics. This training is designed to give you the confidence, knowledge, and practical skills to foster inclusivity in your organisation and community.

Topics covered:

• What is Intersectionality?
  • Intersectionality in Your Life

• Understanding Inclusion
  • What is Inclusion?
  • Inclusive vs. Exclusive Community Organisations

• The Importance of Diversity & Inclusion in Community Organisations
  • Why Diversity & Inclusion Matter
  • Unconscious Bias & Its Impact
  • Identifying Unconscious Bias

• Barriers to Inclusion
  • Barriers to Inclusion in an Organisation
  • How to Address These Barriers

• Creating an Inclusive Organisation
  • Building an Inclusive Culture
  • Leadership & Intersectionality

• Volunteer recruitment & Retention Strategies
  • Inclusive recruitment & promotion practices
  • Successful Inclusion Initiatives
  •  

Register to attend: https://forms.office.com/r/Wnt4PTszzJ  or email: connectedcommunities@cardinia.vic.gov.au

 

Volunteer Training Workshop: Preventing & Managing Community Group Conflict

Date: Thursday 23rd October 2025 

Time: 6:30pm - 9pm 

Location: Council Chambers, Cardinia Shire Council Civic Centre, 20 Siding Ave, Officer (online attendance option available)

 

A diverse group of people from different backgrounds, experiences and varying opinions can enhance community groups or non-profits for being a successful organisation that is creative and progressive. Sometimes this diversity can also create challenges for the group if not managed effectively or if people are not respectful of the value of differences. 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.

Topics Include:

• Understanding the importance of creating a transparent and inclusive culture
• Identifying potential challenges which exist within community groups
• Introducing strategies to improve communication
• Appreciating respectful interactions that embrace differences
• Having ideas to prevent or reduce conflict
• Implementing a dispute resolution policy and grievance procedure for their organisation

 

Register to attend: https://forms.office.com/r/aEX5ruZ7Pp or email: connectedcommunities@cardinia.vic.gov.au

 

 

Volunteer Training Workshop: Strategic Planning

Date: Saturday 8th November 2025 

Time: 10am – 12:30pm

Location: James Bathe Community and Sports Hub, 67 Caversham Drive, Pakenham 

 

A good strategic plan is a logical map of where an organisation is now, where it needs to go and how it will get there. It is used to set priorities, focus energy and resources, strengthen operations and lead the team towards the common goal. This session will help community groups and members to understand about the planning process and the importance of this preparation to take the organisation in a clear and defined direction without becoming side-tracked or getting caught up with ‘mission creep’.

Topics Include:

• Understanding why a strategic plan is needed
• Knowing when it is time to ‘re-vision’
• Appreciating the purpose for the members / clients
• Understanding stakeholder mapping
• Finding evidence to support direction
• Relating strategy to delivery; not leaving the plan on the shelf
• Preparing the framework for the plan
• Costing the plan

 

Register to attend: https://forms.office.com/r/evwPxSd64z or email: connectedcommunities@cardinia.vic.gov.au

 

Free training videos for volunteers

Non Profit Training produced a series of free educational volunteer training videos designed to educate and empower nonprofit organisations. 

These engaging resources provide essential skills and knowledge, helping volunteers maximise their impact and enhance their contributions to the community. 

Watch the training videos

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) 
• Cockatoo Neighbourhood House
• Lang Lang Community Centre
• Living and Learning Pakenham
• Outlook Community Centre
• Upper Beaconsfield Community Centre

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.

Submit a volunteer opportunity

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