Nominees, highly commended recipients and winners of the 2025 Volunteer Manager of the Year Awards

2026 VOLUNTEER MANAGER OF THE YEAR AWARDS

Honouring exceptional volunteer management in the Canberra Region

ABOUT THE AWARDS

The Volunteer Manager of the Year Awards are an annual celebration for volunteer managers in the ACT and surrounding areas. This event elevates the profile of volunteer management as a profession.

Awards are presented to an individual volunteer manager or a volunteer management team whose leadership and inclusive practices have shaped and strengthened volunteer programs in an organisation and/or in the Canberra Region.

The Awards are held in recognition of International Volunteer Managers Day, celebrated annually on 5 November.

For more details and step-by-step instructions on nomination process, please refer to the nomination guide and form below.

Please note: The key dates listed in the nomination guide are no longer valid. For the most up-to-date information, refer to the dates listed on the website below.

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KEY DATES

The nomination deadlines have been extended! Help us celebrate diverse forms of volunteer management. Nominate your outstanding volunteer manager or volunteer management team today—don’t wait until the last minute to celebrate their impact!

  • Nominations open: Tuesday 1 September 2026

  • Nominations close: Wednesday, 14 October 2026

  • Awards ceremony: Thursday 5 November 2026 (during Volunteer Leaders Seminar)

The details of 2026 Volunteer Leaders Seminar will be announced shortly!

AWARD CATEGORIES

Four prestigious award categories to recognise diverse forms of volunteer management.

This award recognises a volunteer manager who demonstrates exceptional skills in implementing the National Standards for Volunteer Involvement. The nominee excels in volunteer recruitment, training, support, and recognition, creating programs that maximise both volunteer satisfaction and community impact through strategic planning and innovative approaches.

This award recognises a volunteer manager who has made outstanding efforts to create safe, accessible, and inclusive volunteering opportunities in their programs/organisation. The nominee demonstrates a strong commitment to removing barriers, advancing diversity, and ensuring that volunteers from all ages, abilities, genders, and sexualities and from all cultures can meaningfully participate and contribute to the organisation’s goals.

This award recognises a volunteer manager whose leadership and innovation have significantly enhanced community wellbeing through volunteer engagement. The nominee demonstrates exceptional skills in supporting, inspiring, and creating meaningful opportunities that address community needs. Further, they forge partnerships, celebrate diversity, and take a proactive and adaptive approach to volunteer leadership for the community.

This award recognises a collaborative volunteer management team that delivers exceptional volunteer programs. The nominated team demonstrates strong coordination, shared vision, and collective impact in supporting volunteers, with evidence of effective teamwork, communication, and innovative approaches that enhance overall volunteer satisfaction and organisational outcomes. 

HOW TO NOMINATE

Nomination process

Simple steps to recognise outstanding volunteer management in the Canberra Region

  • Seek the nominee’s consent. The nomination will not be accepted without nominee’s consent.
  • Complete the nomination form. Fill out the comprehensive nomination form with detailed information about volunteer manager’s profile and demonstration of leadership and inclusion. The response to selection criteria can be submitted in writing or in audio/video format. Read the nomination guide for guidelines.
  • Submit by deadline. Nominations close 5pm, Wednesday 14 October 2026

Eligibility criteria

Nominations are accepted for an individual volunteer manager or a volunteer management team that has made a notable contribution to the ACT and region.

This can include areas such as community work, sport, education, science, culture, arts, or the environment.

Nominees must be –

  • managing, coordinating or leading volunteers in the Canberra Region in a paid or unpaid capacity, regardless of their position title in the group or the organisation
  • actively involved in volunteer management in the last 12 months

Thank you for your interest in the 2026 Volunteer Manager of the Year Awards! 

If you have any questions, contact us via email at events@volunteeringact.org.au or call us on 02 6251 4060