Interview with Minister for Volunteering, Linda Burney
By The Centre for Volunteering
Originally published in The Voice of Volunteering, May 2007
The Centre for Volunteering spoke with the new NSW Minister for Volunteering, Linda Burney, about the Government's plans to enhance volunteering and support not-for-profit organisations across the State.
What measures are you considering to assist the not-for-profit sector to increase volunteering rates?
The appointment of a Minister for Volunteering creates an opportunity to establish a greater focus within Government to encourage community strength and harmony through volunteering.
The Iemma Government provides significant funding to support volunteering and community participation through sporting, emergency services, health and aged care, cultural, artistic and environmental activities. The establishment of this Ministry is the start of a framework to increase the efforts of Government, non-Government organisations, business and community groups.
Promoting the efforts of the volunteering sector is also important. Volunteers are the foundation of a successful society but the effort of the vast majority of volunteers is insufficiently recognised. I want to encourage greater recognition of this important work to highlight their valuable contribution.
Are you developing any special policies to increase the participation levels in volunteering from people with diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds?
The Iemma Government launched the State Plan in November 2006. A key priority in the State Plan is volunteering with a goal of building harmonious communities. Evidence shows that communities with a strong commitment to volunteering and participation are more cohesive and harmonious.
The Government has set a goal to halve the gap in participation in volunteering rates for people from lower income and diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds and this will be a prime consideration in the development of our policies.
What are the short-term objectives of your portfolio?
I will be meeting volunteers, volunteers organisations and people with an interest in this area to listen to their views on how the Government can support volunteering and build a stronger, harmonious society.
We are appointing a Volunteering Liaison Officer within the Department of Premier and Cabinet. This position will provide support and information to community organisations and provide links to organisations to assist individuals to identify volunteering opportunities. They will work closely with volunteering organisations to improve communication and collaboration.
We are producing a Guide to Government Grants to provide information to community groups who wish to apply for government assistance.
Government agencies will be encouraged to participate in community activities. To better recognise their efforts, the Premier's Award for Volunteering will be introduced for public servants who are involved in community activities and volunteering.
I will also encourage agencies to continue providing tools, training and equipment for the several thousand volunteers working on community conservation programs. These include weed removal, regeneration and conservation of natural assets in their local bushland reserves.
What are the medium-term and the long-term objectives?
The medium-term objectives are to:
- continue promoting the goals of the State Plan and to provide support to a wide range of organisations involved in volunteering and community based activities;
- support the greater availability of cadet programs offered by volunteers and organisations to encourage youth skills development in areas such as the Rural Fire Service; and
- develop strategies for encouraging the use of community resource centres and volunteer referral centres throughout the State.
The long-term aims are to reach the goals set out in the State Plan that are working towards creating harmonious communities:
- to increase the overall participation level in volunteering, group sports, recreation, culture activities for the general community over the next ten years.
- to cut the gap in participation rates not only of people non-English speaking backgrounds but also of those on low incomes or from Aboriginal communities.
Can you link your professional experience in government and the public service to the Volunteering Portfolio management?
My positions in the community sector, the public service, and politics have given me a great deal of experience in dealing across government and the community.
I was Director General for the NSW Department of Aboriginal Affairs and I have chaired and been a member of boards and committees at both state and national levels including the NSW Advisory Committee for the International Year of Volunteers in 2001 and Australian Volunteers International. I was also President of the NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group.
What volunteer experiences have you personally had?
I have had many years of experience in different kinds of volunteer experience from working on a wide range of committees involved in community work, running a homework centre and being the chief executive of a non-government organisation reliant on volunteers.
How can we avoid a potential volunteer crisis considering the rising of volunteering out-of-pocket expenses and the ageing population?
Government grants already support a wide range of organisations involved in volunteering. The Government is reviewing ways to offer in-kind contributions to volunteer organisations, and ways to reduce barriers for volunteers such as the cost of insurances, how to simplify OH&S requirements and methods to encourage flexibility in volunteer hours.
Prior to the election, the Government announced its intention to develop school based community volunteering, through the provision of ten education scholarships of $2,000 to encourage school children in Years 9 & 10 to participate in volunteer/community service activities. Every young volunteer who completes 20 hours of service will receive a Premier's Community Service Award alongside their Year 10 School Certificate.
As the new Minister for Volunteering, what can you offer the non-for-profit organisations that work with volunteers?
As the new Minister for Volunteering I can provide leadership to the community, community organisations and business to enhance participation in volunteering and community activities.
I can offer a focal point for the development of a policy and strategic framework within Government that will assist the work of many non-government-organisations that are funded through Government agencies.
I will work to streamline the scattered responsibilities for volunteering across Government agencies.
The Centre
for Volunteering [ABN 28 002 416 024]
Level 2, 228 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000
T: 02 9261 3600 | F: 02 9261 4033 | E: info@volunteering.com.au
www.volunteering.com.au