Department of Education and Training's Student Volunteering Program

[13 November 2007 | The Minister for Volunteering]

Following the appointment of Linda Burney MP as Minister for Volunteering after the 2007 election, the Iemma Government made a number of volunteering election commitments.

One of these is the commitment of $7.8 million to support a Student Volunteering Program in High Schools for students in Years 9 and 10 to provide a significant opportunity to develop the core values of care, respect, responsibility and participation through volunteering. The program will require a minimum of 10 hours per student each year and aligns with the Respect and Responsibility theme of the State Plan 2006. It will provide students with opportunities to understand and value being a volunteer and doing voluntary work in the community.

The Department of Education and Training will support students undertaking voluntary community service activities through schools by linking these activities to the school curriculum to explicitly strengthen student learning. Schools, regions and participating schools will be provided with funds to help them coordinate student participation and liaise with community organisations. Policy procedures, online and print publications, promotional materials and professional learning courses will also be developed through the pilot stages of the program to ensure its success across the community.

The Department's agenda for the planning and implementation of this new Student Volunteering Program is:

Late 2007
Establish a Reference Group by the end of 2007, with the anticipated inclusion of a volunteering sector representative.

2008–09
During the financial year of 2008–9 conduct a pilot program involving two schools from each Region allowing twenty schools to participate and assist in providing final shape to the program.

2009–10
Full implementation of the program across NSW government schools will commence in 2009–10.