Volunteer Sector Development

Supporting and Strengthening Volunteer-Led Services

Volunteers are at the heart of community information and support services. Across our membership, volunteers play a vital role in responding to local need, supporting people experiencing hardship, and strengthening community connection. Community Information & Support Victoria (CISVic) works in partnership with our member agencies to build a strong, sustainable and well-supported volunteer sector.

While many of our members are predominantly volunteer-run, others operate with a mix of paid staff and volunteers. Our approach to volunteer sector development recognises this diversity and is designed to be practical, flexible and grounded in the realities of community-based service delivery.

What We Mean by Volunteer Sector Development

Volunteer sector development is about more than recruitment. It focuses on building the systems, capability and culture that enable volunteers—and the organisations they support—to thrive. At CISVic, this means supporting good practice in volunteer management, strengthening governance and leadership, sharing knowledge across the sector, and advocating for the value and sustainability of volunteering.

Our work is informed by consultation with members and volunteers and guided by CISVic’s Volunteer Action Plan, which sets out a shared vision for respectful, inclusive and well-supported volunteering across the sector.

How We Support Our Members

CISVic provides a range of tailored supports to help member agencies strengthen their volunteering practice and build long-term sustainability.

We support volunteer coordinators, managers, boards and committees with practical advice and one-to-one support across the full volunteer lifecycle—from attraction and recruitment through to training, support, recognition and succession planning. This includes guidance on inclusive and flexible volunteering models that respond to changing community expectations.

We deliver accredited Community Support Worker training to build the skills, confidence and consistency of workers and volunteers providing direct support to clients. This training strengthens service quality and supports volunteers to work safely and effectively in often complex and challenging contexts.

We develop and deliver targeted training sessions, resources and practical tools to build confidence in volunteer management, governance and compliance. This includes VITALS sessions, which provide timely, focused learning and discussion around emerging issues, good practice and shared challenges across the sector.

We facilitate peer networks and communities of practice, including the Volunteer Coordinators Network and regional networks. These forums create space for members to share experiences, problem-solve common issues, exchange resources and contribute to the ongoing development of volunteering practice across the sector.

We provide hands-on support to member agencies using the Better Impact volunteer management system, including guidance on setup, use and integration into everyday practice. This support helps organisations strengthen recruitment, communication and record-keeping while reducing administrative burden for volunteer-led services.

We also provide governance support to help boards and management committees understand and meet their responsibilities when working with volunteers, including duty of care, child safety, and creating safe, respectful and inclusive environments.

Advocacy and Sector Voice

As the peak body for the community information and support sector in Victoria, CISVic advocates for funding, policy settings and program design that recognise the essential role of volunteers and the limits of relying on unpaid work to deliver critical services.

We work with government and other stakeholders to highlight the value of place-based, volunteer-involved services, and to promote models that properly resource and support local organisations. Insights from our members, networks and training programs inform our advocacy, submissions and sector development priorities.

Building a Sustainable Future

Our goal is a volunteer sector where volunteers feel valued and supported, and where member agencies have the capacity, tools and confidence to deliver safe, effective and rewarding volunteer experiences.
Through training, peer support, tailored advice, systems support and advocacy, CISVic is committed to helping local people continue to help local communities—now and into the future.

If you would like to know more about our volunteer sector development work or access support, please contact us.