Volunteering Tasmania has made a commitment to the Tasmanian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people:

Volunteering Tasmania acknowledges the palawa as traditional custodians of the lands, seas, skies, and waterways throughout lutruwita/Tasmania. We recognise their continuing connections to the lands, seas, skies and waterways of lutruwita, and pay our respect to their Elders past and present.

As the peak body for volunteering in lutruwita/Tasmania, we are committed to working towards an inclusive and accessible volunteering sector and growing our cultural competency and understanding of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Community.

Volunteering Tasmania recognises and supports the Uluru Statement from the Heart. We recognise and value this as an invitation by many of Australia’s First Nations people to walk together with them to secure a better future. We also understand and support a localised approach to voice, treaty, and truth.

We express our hope that by working together and deepening our understanding, we can move to a more equitable and just society. We will work together to ensure all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Tasmania are able to connect with and through Volunteering Tasmania to access culturally safe information and opportunities that support self-determination.

Artwork celebrating volunteering in our communities.

At the 2023 Tasmanian Volunteering Awards, Volunteering Tasmania CEO Shirleyann Varney launched a piece of artwork we commissioned by Tasmanian Aboriginal artist Caleb Nichols-Mansell.

Caleb has provided an artist statement on the piece:

“The artwork I have created for Volunteering Tasmania represents the coming together of communities to build safer and stronger communities that support and uplift each other. The circular motifs represent the nine nations that called Tasmania home prior to invasion and colonisation. Through our connections and continued cultural presence, we have survived.”

The artwork will be used throughout our organisation to celebrate the coming together of communities across Tasmania.