Volunteers - Very Special Kids

Very Special Kids’ programs and support would not be possible without the generosity and energy of volunteers, who have been an integral part of Very Special Kids since our beginning. At Very Special Kids, you can choose to work directly with children and families by becoming a Family Support Volunteer, or you can conduct fundraising and administration work as a ‘Friend’ of Very Special Kids. This page focuses on ‘Friends’ volunteers – for more information on becoming a Family Support Volunteer, please click here, and for information on corporate volunteering, please visit the corporate supporters page. Many people want to help Very Special Kids, but may not wish to work directly with the families. There are still ways to be part of our organisation. Our Friends volunteers offer support in fundraising – from selling raffle tickets to serving tea and coffee at events – to administrative and professional assistance. Currently, our Friends groups operate under the leadership of Michelle Brown, Fundraising Events Volunteer Coordinator and the following volunteers: Melbourne Friends Sue Harlow and Brian Milnes, Joint Chairpersons Dawn McKenzie, Deputy Chairperson Sue Hardiman, Secretary Helen Jackson - Treasurer June Woods - Curator of Friend's Gallery Regina Hona - Assistant Curator of Friend's Gallery How to become a Friend of Very Special Kids If you are interested in becoming a 'Friend' volunteer you will need to attend one of our regular information sessions which are held at Very Special Kids, 321 Glenferrie Rd, Malvern. Here you will learn about the work and mission of Very Special Kids and how you can assist through volunteering. Sessions run from 6.30 pm- 7.30pm. Please phone 9804 6222 for information on session dates.Call 03 9804 6222 to receive an information pack. As a Friend of Very Special Kids you will be given the opportunity to become involved in a wide range of activities including: Attending monthly Friends meetings where you can meet other Friends, contribute ideas and hear more about our events and activities. Assisting us with our internal major public fundraising events including our annual Piggy Bank Appeal, Community Fair etc. These events require an enormous number of volunteer hours to ensure their success. Assisting us by developing stand-alone external fundraising events and activities that are managed and co-ordinated by individuals or groups of Friends e.g. Trivia Night at your workplace, Fashion Parade at your local school. Assisting us in the activities associated with the daily operations at the Tattersall’s Very Special Kids Centre in Malvern eg. office administration, database entry, functions, gardening, reception relief, public speaking etc. Your commitment to us To ensure that the Very Special Kids organisation provides a professional, efficient, consistent and high quality service, it is essential that our Friends volunteers are able to fulfil the following commitments. In your capacity as a Friend of Very Special Kids you are an ambassador of our organisation and therefore your actions whilst giving service to us should always comply with our values. When you volunteer for an event or a task, we are relying on you. If for some reason you cannot meet your commitment we ask that you let us know as soon as possible. Your time commitment is obviously dependent on the enthusiasm and spare time that you have. The time Friends give to Very Special Kids ranges from a couple of hours a week through to one day a year. There are opportunities to volunteer during the week and on weekends. Our commitment to you To enhance the volunteers' experience, promote excellence in service and comply with legislation and duty of care, Very Special Kids shall: Interview and employ volunteer staff in accordance with anti-discrimination and equal opportunity legislation Provide volunteer staff with orientation Provide volunteer staff with a healthy and safe workplace Provide appropriate and adequate insurance coverage for volunteer staff Not place volunteer staff in roles that were previously held by paid staff or have been identified as paid jobs Differentiate between paid and unpaid roles Define volunteer roles and develop clear job descriptions Provide appropriate levels of support and management for volunteer staff Ensure volunteers are not required to take up additional work during industrial disputes Upon request provide all volunteers with information on grievance and disciplinary policies and procedures Acknowledge the rights of volunteer staff Ensure that the work of volunteer staff complements but does not undermine the work of paid staff Treat volunteer staff as valuable team members and advise them of opportunities to participate in organisational decisions Acknowledge the contributions of volunteer staff This ensures that all volunteers for Very Special Kids are treated as a valuable resource and their rights are upheld, in line with the Code of Practice as outlined by Volunteering Australia.