VolunteeringACT are calling for expressions of interest to become a member of our Volunteering Strategic Advisory Group (VSAG). The group provides advice and expertise to VolunteeringACT on current trends and challenges facing ACT Volunteer Involving Organisations (VIOs) and potential solutions. The group also provides input to the priorities for implementation of the 2024-2034 ACT Volunteering Strategy and Action Plan 2024-2027.

The Terms of Reference for the group can be found below.

We are looking for members from a diverse range of volunteer involving organisations.

To be considered to be a part of VSAG an 18-month commitment is required, and you should be able to attend monthly meetings as the group is established and then moving to bi-monthly or quarterly meetings.

If you are interested in joining the VSAG, please complete an Expression of Interest form below by 30 May 2025. You will be notified in June as to whether you have been successful.

If you have any questions about the role or the group, please do not hesitate to contact Heather or Emma at policy@volunteeringact.org.au.

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Background

The ACT Volunteering Strategy 2024-2034 and the first ACT Volunteering Strategy Action Plan 2024-2027 were released in August 2024 following an extensive co-design process. The Volunteering Strategy Advisory Group (VSAG) was a key stakeholder in the development of these. Importantly, the Strategy aligns with ACT Government priorities and the National Strategy for Volunteering and provides the roadmap for volunteering over the coming decade.

Purpose

The Volunteering Strategy Advisory Group will:

• Provide advice and expertise to VolunteeringACT on current trends and challenges facing ACT Volunteering Involving Organisations (VIOs), and potential solutions.

• Provide input to the priorities for action/implementation of the ACT Volunteering Strategy and Action plan 2024-2027.

• Coordinate wider volunteering sector engagement and input into policy advice.

• Communicate progress and provide updates to the volunteering sector on implementation of the Strategy and Action Plan.

• Reflect the perspectives and needs of the different volunteering sub-sectors and types of VIOs

• Provide advice into the design and development of volunteering data capture methods and monitoring and evaluation frameworks.

Approach

The Advisory Group is underpinned by the following principles:

• Clarity of Purpose

• Inclusive

• Equal Partnership

• Respect and Trust of all parties

The Advisory Group is a core mechanism to coordinate wider sector engagement and may establish a range of additional engagement mechanisms to provide a suite of options to support inclusive practice.

Advisory Group objectives are to be: 

• Human centred 

• Breakdown silos 

• Tap into broad experiences 

• Respect the wisdom of the members 

• Try, Test and Learn, before adopting 

Co Design

VolunteeringACT is committed to a genuine co-design process and defines this by the following: “Codesign is a process that brings people together around an issue or theme they all have an interest/stake in, where knowledge is shared, and the experiences of all participants are respected and valued.​ All parties have equal power and decisions are discussed openly ​and made collectively.”

Membership

The Group will ensure there is a spread of representation from across the different volunteering
sub-sectors. These may include areas such as:

• Physical and Mental Health

• Environment and Conservation

• GLAM sector (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums)

• Sports and Recreation

• Community/Welfare Assistance

• Emergency Response

• Aged Care

• Education

• Faith based organisations

• Children, Family and Youth

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community owned and controlled organisations

• Homeless and Housing Related Support

• Multicultural organisations

Role of Advisory Group Members

The primary role of Group Members is to provide expertise and advice to VolunteeringACT and ACT Government on current trends and challenges facing ACT VIOs and suggest potential solutions to inform VolunteeringACT policy and advocacy more broadly, and specifically, the delivery of the ACT Volunteering Strategy.

Group Members are respected for the multiple roles they are occupying within their organisations and the added value this brings to the Strategy development process.

Group Members act as representatives for the wider ACT Volunteering Sector and provide specialist knowledge around the needs and wishes of their specific sub-sectors. They are also a point of contact for VIOs to raise issues/give feedback and are a conduit for the two-way flow of information between the Advisory Group and VIOs.

Meeting Frequency 

Advisory Group members commit to 18 months of being a member.  The Advisory Group will meet monthly from June 2025 as the group is being reestablished and then moving to bi-monthly or quarterly meetings.   This will be reviewed at the end of 2025. As VSAG is one of the primary mechanisms for policy engagement and advice for VolunteeringACT, the VolunteeringACT CEO or senior manager- Policy & Advocacy will Chair the meetings.  

Reporting and Administrative Support 

VolunteeringACT will provide secretariate support to the Advisory Group. Minutes of meeting discussions will be recorded and circulated within the Group membership, highlighting action items to be progressed. Minutes will be prepared and circulated to members within four (4) working days of an Advisory Group meeting and endorsed at the subsequent meeting.  

The Group may prepare brief reports or summaries for stakeholders such as ACT Government Directorates and/or Ministers’ Offices as appropriate. 

Conflict of Interest 

Group members are to declare any actual or perceived conflicts of interest they may have with any matters to be discussed and agreed upon. Group members will determine how conflicts of interest issues will be addressed. 

Confidentiality 

All Advisory Group papers and discussions are to be regarded as confidential documents and will not be hosted publicly. Disclosure of documents or their contents to external parties must not occur without Advisory Group approval.  

Paid Participation 

 VolunteeringACT’s Lived Experience Paid Participation Policy formalises payments for participation as a recognition of the contribution and expertise of volunteers who engage in codesign through the work of VolunteeringACT’s Lived Experience Advisory Groups to inform our ongoing policy and advocacy work. Please note that the following cohorts are ineligible for payments:   

• VolunteeringACT Members who are acting in their membership capacity  

• People who are already remunerated for their lived experience contributions by the organisation they are representing.