The Maryborough Volunteer Resource Group (MVRG) is entirely run by volunteers and has established itself as a lead organisation in collaboratively embracing and advancing volunteering and community groups across the Central Goldfields Shire.

The MVRG is looking to:

• build a community-wide network of support to help address the challenges facing not-for-profit groups
• actively promote volunteering and attract volunteers for community groups
• help address rising loneliness and social isolation in our shire and to offer better mental and physical health outcomes

To obtain a snapshot of the state of volunteering across our shire, the MVRG extensively surveyed local not-for-profit groups.

This survey found that our not-for-profit groups are facing the same declining trends that were identified in the 2023 National Volunteer Strategy.

Local volunteers were invited to the “Changing Face of Volunteering” forum in May 2024, bringing together around 100 participants to give voice to all groups to collaboratively establish new directions and to form the basis for the Council’s new Volunteer Strategy.

The forum proved to be a pivotal point in galvanising our not-for-profit community to take action to ensure its sustainability and viability.

Large numbers of community groups have recently participated in several face-to-face and online meetings with the MVRG to set agreed priorities for 2025.

In early February 2025, this cohort undertook extensive training with FRRR as part of the ‘Investing In Rural Community Futures’ program which generated much excitement and optimism.