We all know that being connected to each other is an essential part of what we love about Tasmania, and that lending a hand is as Tasmanian as being humble when thanked for it.

So, to shine a light on our volunteers and to encourage people to try their hand at volunteering, we’ve recently launched our Be Connected. Be a Volunteer. campaign.

This project was sparked by the negative impact on volunteering experienced through the COVID-19 crisis in Tasmania in 2020. During this time, many volunteers were encouraged to stay home and stop volunteering for public health reasons, while other services usually delivered by volunteers were cancelled (for example, local sporting competitions).

Volunteer numbers have not recovered since June 2020.

In this way, the campaign aims to both re-engage Tasmanians with volunteering and to raise awareness of the changing nature of volunteering and volunteer opportunities for those who may not have previously considered taking up opportunities to lend a hand in their communities.

We are now sharing volunteer stories from all corners of our state to show everyone what an incredible community of volunteers we have here in Tasmania. Thanks to funding from the Tasmanian Government, the campaign will include TV and radio advertising, online videos and volunteer profiles across social and traditional media.

We want to reveal the stories of volunteers who help out in countless different, sometimes small ways, and to inspire others:

to realise they are volunteering even though they hadn’t really looked at it that way or
to start lending a hand because they can do it in a way that suits them and their other commitments.
To find out more about the campaign and to check out top tips on how to land your dream volunteer role or to hear the stories of Nancy, Ken and Nicky, who feature in our TV advertisement, please head to our Volunteering and Resources page.

If you are inspired to have a go at volunteering or to get back to it again, head to our Volunteer Connect page and search for your next exciting role!

And stay tuned for updates and volunteer stories on our social media channels too: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.