Rebuilding Community Volunteer Programs with Vanita Schwarz

This week we are joined by Vanita Schwarz from Volunteering South Australia and the Northern Territory. Vanita's career in volunteer management spans 20 years, beginning when she was just 16 years old. She has worked across local government and both small and large not-for-profit organizations before joining the state's peak body for volunteering. With a passion for volunteer management, Vanita has witnessed how volunteering enhances community connections, facilitates learning, enriches student experiences, and can lead to future employment opportunities while building more resilient and happier communities. Vanita discusses COVID's significant impact on volunteering, highlighting how shutdowns led to community loneliness and social disconnection among volunteer-run programs. She explains the challenges of rebuilding volunteer programs post-pandemic, citing changes in people's circumstances—such as returning to work and childcare issues—alongside increased compliance requirements as major barriers. Vanita explores effective recruitment strategies including social media, word of mouth, and networking. She also emphasizes the importance of adapting volunteer roles to current community needs and suggests the concept of the term "volunteer" being redefined.