Community Programmes
Commonwealth Home Support Programme -
Sector Support and Development
The Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP), funded by the Australian Government, Department of Health, helps older people stay independent and in their homes and communities for longer.
CHSP Volunteer Management Support Program
Through CHSP Sector Support and Development funding, our CHSP Volunteer Management Support Program aims to improve the capacity of all CHSP-funded organisations to establish, develop and support their volunteer involvement and services. In particular, we assist with:
- free advertising for volunteer positions
- the preparation of volunteer recruitment advertisements
- a referral service to help find potential volunteers and help them apply for volunteer roles
- training for volunteers and volunteer managers, focusing on wellness and reablement
- access to networks for information sharing, advice and mentoring.
National Standards for Volunteer Involvement
- helping to promote the National Standards within your organisation
- conducting gap and self-assessments
- identifying training needs and resources that align with the National Standards for Volunteer Involvement
- providing additional support and monitoring
- helping to construct action plans
Current Projects
CHSP Clients and Volunteering
Positive Ageing: Volunteering and Wellness CHSP Innovation Project
Volunteering SA&NT's Positive Ageing: Volunteering and Wellness project, funded by a CHSP Innovation grant, was completed in December. It aimed to match CHSP clients with volunteering opportunities, offering one to one support. We have produced a number of resources for CHSP Providers, which you are welcome to download and utilise. Although the project has been completed, we will continue to support CHSP providers and client volunteering into the future and our CHSP team will be pleased to answer questions and provide further information.
CHSP Clients and Volunteering: A Manual for CHSP Providers
CHSP Clients and Volunteering: Webinar
CHSP Clients and Volunteering: Promotional Video for CHSP Clients
More Information
Wellness and Reablement
VSA&NT is developing a set of resources for volunteers and volunteer managers to support a wellness and reablement approach in CHSP provider organisations. The resources can be downloaded here. VSA&NT can also provide FREE training for volunteers and other CHSP provider workforce based on these resources.
1. What is wellness and reablement?
Presentation
Accompanying notes
2. Recognising ageism and changing mindsets.
Presentation
Accompanying notes
3. Documenting wellness and reablement.
Presentation
Accompanying notes
Community Transport Working Group
The working group has developed a matrix on volunteer roles, training and screening procedures for volunteer drivers. The aim is to promote collaborative training opportunities and create a pool of volunteers for CHSP providers. The network now includes the Northern, Western and Southern Collaborative areas. A major focus has been on wellness and reablement training and resources.
Community Transport Working Group – Terms of Reference
CHSP Volunteer Podcast Series
To support volunteers and volunteer managers/coordinators, Volunteering SA&NT is creating a series of podcasts that will inform and stimulate discussion in CHSP provider organisations. The first series consists of six podcasts.
Podcast 1: Wellness, reablement and volunteering: Valued roles. An interview with Dana Lavenant
Podcast 2: Wellness, reablement and volunteering: A strengths-based approach. An interview with Vanessa Leane
Podcast 3: Engaging younger volunteers in your CHSP provider organisation
Aboriginal Volunteer Program
The Aboriginal Volunteer Program (AVP) enables small groups of carefully-selected, well-trained and well-supported young Aboriginal volunteers to work collaboratively with the community of Oodnadatta on 10 week assignments to undertake locally identified community development projects.
The AVP has clear strategic goals which align with the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Closing the Gap targets, particularly focussing on increasing indigenous literacy levels. As well as the United Nation’s new Sustainable Development Goals to reduce inequality in all forms, everywhere.
The overall AVP goals are for volunteers to gain the confidence and skills to participate in and contribute to community life and for the Oodnadatta community to collaborate with volunteers. A complementary goal is to provide evidence and advocacy material to generate support for an ongoing Aboriginal Youth Volunteering Program.
We have managed five successful programs in Oodnadatta from 2012 to 2017, winning the South Australian Adult Learning Community of the Year Award in 2017 for a social enterprise project.
The AVP is a partnership between Volunteering SA&NT, it's Aboriginal Reference Group, Australian Volunteers International (AVI) and the community of Oodnadatta.
Impact of the Aboriginal Volunteer Program on Aboriginal Returned Volunteers 2018
Explores the impact of the Aboriginal Volunteer Program on the daily lives of young Aboriginal Returned Volunteers and to determine whether this impact had transformed into benefits for Aboriginal and wider communities.
Oodnadatta Social Enterprise Workshop Photo Story 2017
Aboriginal Volunteer Program Report 2016
Applications for the AVP are currently closed.
For an Expression of Interest please contact AVP Program Manager