Professionals Seeking More Volunteer Opportunities
29 September 2005 at 1:09 pm
The growth of Pro Bono Australia’s premier online VolunteerMatch service has seen an upturn in interest from an increasingly broader group of professionals wanting to volunteer but they can’t find enough opportunities.
In particular architects, human resources managers and engineers are now being drawn to VolunteerMatch.
The challenge now is for Not for Profits to extend their volunteer opportunities to include these highly skilled people.
In June 2005, VolunteerMatch partnered with the peak body Professions Australia to deliver more skilled volunteers to the Not for Profit Sector.
Professions Australia is a national organisation with 24 member associations representing over 400 000 Australian professionals. It advances and promotes professionalism for the benefit of the community.
Professions Australia says a number of professions that are PA members have skills that would be of great value to Not for Profit organisations and the partnership is consistent with the objectives of PA to promote the interests and welfare of the community through the combined influence and expertise of the professions.
Professions Australia is currently promoting VolunteerMatch to its members through newsletters and web links.
Pro Bono Australia has grown as the philanthropic arm of the Mahlab Group, a commercial organisations servicing business and professional groups with products and services for the past 30 years.
Founder Ms. Karen Mahlab says she is delighted that Professions Australia has come on board through VolunteerMatch to help in Pro Bono Australia’s aim to facilitate and increase the level of philanthropy in Australia and to give NFP’s the resources they need to run efficiently.
She says Not for Profits need to consider the greater variety of skilled volunteers wanting to become involved in the sector and tailor their opportunities accordingly.
An automated e-mail function advises volunteers when an organisation has posted a volunteer role that may suit them. The registration process is streamlined for both volunteers and organisations.
There are approximately 1200 skilled and professional volunteers registered with Volunteer Match Australia-wide. Volunteer Match is a free service to all using it.
Register as a Not for Profit or a volunteer at http://www.volunteermatch.com.au
