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VOLUNTEERING

 

Volunteer at the Migrant Information Centre (Eastern Melbourne)

The MIC has volunteer opportunties for people to assist young refugee students with their homework. There are two homework support groups, one in the City of Knox and one in the City of Maroondah. If you would like more information please contact Sue Herbst at the MIC on 9285 4888 or email sherbst@miceastmelb.com.au. to download a brochure for people interested in volunteering for the Croydon homework group please click here and for the Knox homework group please click here. This program is funded by CYMI.

There are a number of other volunteer opportunities at the MIC including assisting refugee community groups to establish office and office systems, working with refugee clients to assist them with their studies or to better understand the labour market and how to apply for jobs as well as assisting MIC staff with particular projects or general administrative work. To download a brochure on volunteer opportunities at the MIC please click here. This program is funded by the Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizenship.

For further information please contact Mervat Dahadoule on telephone 9285 4888 or email mdahdoule@miceastmelb.com.au

 

Inviting Cultural Diversity in Volunteering Project

The Inviting Cultural Diversity in Volunteering Project commenced in October 2007 to address some of the barriers to volunteering in HACC organisations in the Eastern Region for people from CALD backgrounds. The Project is funded by the Home and Community Care (HACC) program, a joint Commonwealth and State/Territory Program, and coordinated by the Migrant Information Centre.

The project encouraged organisations to adopt welcoming and inclusive policies and procedures for CALD volunteers; established mechanisms for organisations to share resources; piloted a mentoring program for CALD volunteers; and highlighted good practice in volunteering for people from CALD backgrounds at a forum in May 2008.

Click here to download a copy of the project report and evaluation of the mentor program.

For further information, please contact Sharon Porteous at the MIC on 9275 6905 or email sporteous@miceastmelb.com.au

     

Inviting cultural diversity in your organisation

If you would like to learn more about inviting cultural diversity in your volunteer organisation you can download information sheets that outlines the steps you can take to ensure your policies are welcoming and inclusive, how your organisation will benefit, how you can improve communication with volunteers from other cultures and where to look for more resources.
A good practice forum regarding Inviting Cultural Diversity in Volunteering was held on Thursday 29 May 2008 at Maroondah Federation Estate, Ringwood. The forum highlighted examples of HACC organisations inviting cultural diversity in volunteering with speakers from Volunteering Australia, Monash Volunteer Resource Centre, Brimbank City Council, Wesley Do Care, Clota Cottage and the Migrant Information Centre.
Mentor Program

    As part of the Inviting Cultural Diversity in Volunteering Project a mentor program was piloted with three HACC organisations. The aim of the program was to assist people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to participate in volunteering in HACC services in the Eastern Metropolitan Region by providing a volunteer mentor to guide and support them in their volunteer placement. An appropriate mentor model was developed and included a handbook and training for mentors, information for mentees, and other relevant forms.

    The program was piloted with Boroondara Volunteer Resource Centre, Clota Cottage and Wavlink. An evaluation and project report was completed in 2008 (see above for final project report). If you want to know more about the pilot program you can download the model, handbook and information for mentees below. For further information contact Sharon Porteous at the Migrant Information Centre on 9275 6905 or sporteous@miceastmelb.com.au.

Translated Information about Volunteering

To Invite Cultural Diversity in Volunteering, organisations should consider providing information about volunteering to new volunteers from other cultures in their own language.

Click on the links below for some good practice examples of providing translated information about volunteering:

* Volunteering Illawarra - look in the "WANT TO BE A VOLUNTEER?" page

* Gateways Spotswood - good practice example of translated information about volunteering

*What are the jobs for volunteers - a brief introduction of the jobs for volunteers, handy for volunteer recruitment. Download in English, Arabic, Chinese, Greek, Italian, Vietnamese.

 

Other Resources

To find out more about making your volunteering organisation more inclusive and welcoming for people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds click on the links below:

       

Last Updated Wednesday, May 12, 2010 [top of page