Bendigo Volunteer Resource Centre celebrates International Volunteer Day

The event on Monday also marked 20 years for the Bendigo Volunteer Resource Centre (BVRC), with which Mr Wright has been involved for many years.

"You can't help but be impressed on occasions like today," he said.

"It warms my heart to hear the personal stories (of volunteers) and if I've done something to help along the way then I'm very proud and very privileged."

Attendees heard from a range of people who have jumped into volunteering and found community through giving back, including Tan See Tuang from the Bendigo Chinese Association and volunteer tutor for recently arrived migrants, Taylor Tran.

Mr Wright explained the BVRC started originally with funding from the then Commonwealth government to assist those on welfare benefits over the age of 55 to volunteer instead of finding new work, and the role has grown from there.

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"It's incredible to think that more than 3000 people every year we find volunteering opportunities for, within about 250 local organisations," he said.

"As Volunteering Australia said years ago, if the nation's volunteers all went on strike today the whole of Australia would come to a grinding halt."

BVRC chair John Willis said it was great to see the way the community supports each other.

"That's one of the things about volunteering, it's recognising that we all need each other in a whole variety of ways in our daily life," he said.

"Volunteering covers this huge spectrum of everything that happens in our community really, right from visitors coming to Bendigo and going on our trains to the festivals that we run, the sporting clubs, the community meals that happen, everything."

"The volunteer centre has done a lot of work in going into schools and talking about volunteering, so right from school age, people right through to people who are finishing work and looking to still have those social connections in their lives.

"Since COVID, that was a huge disruption to volunteering across the board, so it's important for us now to rebuild that volunteer base through the community."

Mr Willis said the community celebration on Monday also highlighted one of the most valuable benefits of volunteering, the opportunity to meet others.

"Those social interactions that happen when we're out there meeting people, and volunteers know this because it's one of the big reasons why people actually want to volunteer, to have those positive social interactions in their lives," he said.

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Another long-time volunteer and BVRC board member Paul Kirkpatrick said he had loved his time working with the community.

"It's been a privilege to serve on the board and come in contact with a lot of very dedicated people," he said.

People who volunteer, whether it's in neighbourhood houses or as voluntary justices of the peace, with the animal welfare services, there are so many opportunities."

Mr Kirkpatrick particularly noted the contribution of the BVRC manager Helen Yorston, without whom the group would not function.

Those wishing to get involved in volunteering themselves can email bvrchub@bgovolunteers.org.au or call 03 5441 1404.

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