National Volunteer Week took us to Busselton for the second year running, where members of the Alike WA team joined local volunteers, community leaders and organisations for several days of learning, conversation and connection.

Amanda, Nichola and Janel travelled to the South West to deliver and support a series of activities in partnership with the Busselton Dunsborough Volunteer Centre.

It was an opportunity to celebrate the contribution volunteers make to their communities, while also creating space for local organisations to share knowledge, explore funding opportunities and talk openly about some of the experiences involved in supporting volunteers.

Sharing funding information with the South West community

One of the sessions held during the visit was a Grants Information Session, delivered in partnership with the City of Busselton, Lotterywest and Rio Tinto.

Local community groups and organisations had the opportunity to hear about funding opportunities available across the region.

Alike WA also shared information about our small grants programs and the role these programs play in supporting grassroots peer support groups and community-led initiatives across Western Australia.

Making space for local connections

Following the grants session, we facilitated a Networking Lunch with local community groups and organisations.

While bringing people together was a simple idea, the conversations that followed demonstrated the value of creating opportunities for people working and volunteering in the same region to meet one another.

It gave participants time to share what was happening in their communities, exchange experiences and build connections with other people working towards similar goals.

Voices from the Field

Another highlight of the visit was the Voices from the Field panel discussion.

Joe Carpersz-Loney, Hannah Brown, Neil Hopkins, James Jarvis and Clare Paine generously shared their experiences and reflections on supporting volunteers and building connected communities.

Rather than a formal presentation, the session became a broader community conversation between the panel and the volunteers and volunteer leaders in the room.

One of the opportunities that emerged from the discussion was the potential for ongoing volunteer forums, creating a way for people in the region to continue sharing information and exploring solutions together.

Listen to the conversation

We have since made the Voices from the Field panel discussion available to listen to through our podcast channel.

Continuing the connection

Our visit was made possible through collaboration with the Busselton Dunsborough Volunteer Centre, and in particular its Manager, Carl Holroyd, who worked closely with our team to deliver the National Volunteer Week activities.

Thank you to everyone who attended, contributed to the conversations and shared their experiences with us.

The visit reinforced something that sits at the heart of Alike WA’s work: valuable knowledge already exists within our communities. Creating opportunities for people to come together and share that knowledge can help strengthen connections well beyond a single event.

We look forward to continuing the relationships built during our time in Busselton and staying connected with communities across the South West.