About Us

What is Volunteering Queensland?

Volunteering Queensland has for 40+ years been the state’s peak body for advancing and promoting volunteering. It represents over 300 member volunteer involving organisations and support thousands more through a wider network, encompassing hundreds of thousands of volunteers, who contribute their time, money, and skills to the benefit of all Queenslanders.

Beyond the direct networks, Volunteering Queensland advocates for the value of volunteering and the rights and wellbeing of all volunteers in Queensland, numbering over three million. Some of the work includes:

• collaborating statewide and nationally with all levels of government,
• networks of community and business organisations which utilise volunteers and represent the diversity of volunteering,
• and the volunteers themselves.

Volunteering is an essential contributor to the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of our state and nation and touches every facet of the lives of Queenslanders and Volunteering Queensland is the voice striving to maximise the potential of the rich resource that is volunteering. Volunteering Queensland’s work spans training (including accredited courses), information sharing, advice, consultation, research, advocacy, disaster and other specialist volunteer engagement and management, resource development, best practice volunteer management, inclusive practices, promotion and recognition events, communication and marketing campaigns, and capacity building.

Volunteering Queensland values its partnership with the Queensland Government, which spans 41 years and includes a range of programs and innovations, including initiatives to support best practice volunteer management and to grow the capacity of volunteer involving organisations. These include Care Army, the Neighbourhood and Care Army Connect Workers Initiative, digital inclusion programs and EV CREW disaster volunteer management services. Volunteering Queensland strives to build on this partnership, encouraging the investment and inclusion of specific measures in each state budget to strengthen the support for and recognition of the needs of Queensland’s volunteers and volunteer involving organisations.

Volunteering Queensland believes firmly in the power of volunteering to strengthen and connect our Queensland community.

The strategic plan

Last year Volunteering Queensland began the process of transitioning to a Company Limited by Guarantee. We were hoping this process would be complete by this time, but it has taken a little longer than anticipated.

Until the full transition is in place Volunteering Qld remains an Incorporated Association. We thank our members for your support and patience with this change and will keep you informed as we navigate the final part of this journey.

In preparation for this transition, Volunteering Qld has gone through an extensive and rigorous recruitment process during the last quarter of 2023 to identify and recruit new Board Directors with the required skillsets to meet the strategic needs and direction of our organisation. 

The cohort of eight new Directors will be co-opted and introduced to our membership for ratification at a Special General Meeting or the next AGM.

Leading the way

Volunteering Queensland is the lead voice for volunteering in Queensland supporting this essential industry to thrive. As the state peak body, Volunteering Queensland is solely dedicated to advancing and promoting volunteering. To achieve our vision Volunteering Queensland works across four strategic focus areas:

Volunteering Queensland’s work is vital to ensuring volunteer-involving organisations can engage, manage and retain the strong, effective volunteer workforce necessary to advance their mission and cause.

• It supports volunteer participation that is inclusive, transformative, flexible and meaningful.
• It informs policy, good practice, research and development, regulation and decision-making that supports the sustainability and advancement of volunteering. 
• It actively campaigns that investing in volunteering is fundamental to the continued prosperity of Queensland. Our industry is a vital force that fuels the economy, connects and enriches the lives of Queenslanders, builds social and cultural value, and protects the environment. 
• It grounds its efforts in inclusive practices and principles based on service, experience, evidence, transparency, accountability, consultation and continuous improvement. 

Our people

Our Patron

Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young AC PSM, Governor of Queensland

It’s an honour to have the Governor of Queensland as our Patron.  In her role as Patron, Her Excellency Dr Jeannette Young AC PSM will support our work and be a champion for volunteers in our great state. 

Dr Jeannette Young and her husband, Professor Graeme Nimmo are proud to serve all Queenslanders.

The Governor was born in Sydney in 1963, eldest daughter of Dr David Young and Mrs Lilly Young. After graduating from Medicine at Sydney University in 1986, she commenced her medical career at Westmead Hospital. During that time, she married, had a daughter, Rebecca, and transitioned to Medical Management, completing a Master of Business Administration at Macquarie University.

After her marriage ended, the Governor – with Rebecca – moved to Queensland in 1994 to become Director of Medical Services at the Rockhampton Hospital. In 1999, she relocated to Brisbane to take up the role of Executive Director of Medical Services at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, and served on various workforce committees, including as Chair of AMWAC (Australian Medical Workforce Advisory Committee).

During this time, the Governor met her second husband, Professor Graeme Nimmo. In March 2000, they were married, and in June 2001 welcomed a daughter, Jane.

The Governor was appointed to the role of Chief Health Officer for Queensland, in August 2005, with responsibility for leading the State’s preventative health and public health agendas, including response to public health emergencies. In January 2020, when the COVID-19 virus outbreak was declared a pandemic, the Governor became the State Health Incident Controller.

During her medical career, Dr Young had specialist qualifications as a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators and as a Fellow by Distinction of the Faculty of Public Health of the Royal College of Physicians of the United Kingdom. She was also appointed Fellow of numerous other eminent education and research institutions, has received honorary doctorates from two Queensland Universities, and has received an Australia Day Achievement Medallion, as well as a Public Service Medal.

Her Excellency was sworn-in as the 27th Governor of Queensland on 1 November 2021.

Our Board

Meet our skilled and passionate Board of Directors, who bring with them a broad range of knowledge and experience that we hold so valuable to our organisation.

Our Team

Life Members

Networks 

Thank you to our investors, sponsors, partners and volunteers. Your valued support and commitment is important and makes it possible for Volunteering Queensland to develop and grow volunteering – we are able to do this by working together with you and because of the generosity of Queensland’s volunteers. 

We would like to acknowledge the network of national, state and territory volunteering peak bodies, volunteer resource centres and local hubs with whom we work together to lead a thriving and sustainable volunteering movement. 

Statewide network of Volunteer Resource Centres

National volunteering network

Partners & Supporters

Our organisation is proud to have strong bonds and support from a number of Government departments, corporate, educational and community organisations. 

We recognise and thank all of our member organisations. We acknowledge every agency, organisation and group who has partnered with us.   

We are proud to work with many schools, tertiary institutions and education providers across Queensland.  In particular we would like to thank all schools involved in our Active Volunteering program.