Celebrating National Volunteer Week, about 100 people who donated their time and effort to various parts of council attended the event at Ulumbarra.

Volunteers with the council work in a range of services including the Bendigo Art Gallery and Post Office Gallery, The Capital and Ulumbarra theatres, the Bendigo and Heathcote Visitor Centres, Yo Bendigo, Landcare and the environment and the Bendigo Animal Relief Centre.

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"A lot of the services wouldn't happen without volunteers," council work placement officer Greg Harris said. "We have 500 active volunteers.

"They are all very altruistic. People like to volunteer their time to make a difference in the community. It is something that gets into your blood and it's something that you want to do to contribute back to the city.

"The main thing that's important today is to thank everybody for their time, commitment and professionalism."

Among the volunteers at the morning tea was Grace Cox.

Ms Cox has been volunteering at the city's theatres for more than 30 years.

Her passion for theatre was sparked in 1970 when her then 12-year-old son auditioned for Oliver Twist.

"They were asking for young boys to go in Oliver Twist and he said 'All right, Mum. I'll audition if you audition and come in the show with me'. So I said 'okay'.

"Then he did a few more shows and I kept on going. And I'm still here."

Ms Cox now volunteers as an usher for shows at The Capital and Ulumbarra theatres.

"Just yesterday, I was working at the Morning Music over at The Capital," she said. "I was serving tea and coffee to the patrons who come to see the show.

"I just the love the volunteering and have a love of the theatre and meeting new people all the time.

"We get to see the shows as well, which is great."

City of Greater Bendigo youth mayor Victoria Tangey hopes to work in leadership and is using her volunteer role as a way to get experience.

Speaking at council's morning tea for volunteers, Ms Tangey said about 22 per cent of young people did some form of volunteering.

She said their reasons for volunteering often differed from people simply looking to give back to their community.

"When they're volunteering, they might be volunteering with their sports club or with their school," she said.

"But they also might be volunteering - particularly uni students - in places that will help them to better their career and build skills and knowledge that will make them more employable.

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"So it's a slightly different motivation to other age groups of volunteers, which might be more focusing on giving back to the community.

"Young people can benefit a lot themselves from volunteering and benefit their future."

Ms Tangey said the work she did in her role as youth mayor was both a passion and fed into her desire to work in leadership.

"This is a voluntary role of youth mayor. I also study and work," she said. "I've always been really interested in leadership and hope to work in a leadership role within an organisation.

"But along with that, I'm really passionate about young people and have been doing student voice advocacy and youth voice advocacy as long as I can remember. It all adds to all my interest in that area."

Ms Tangey said it was impressive to see so many volunteers at the event on Wednesday.

"It is pretty impressive to look at all these people who give their time to help the city be a better place," she said.

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