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The NSW Centre for Volunteering connects people and organisations in order to enrich its community. The Centre achieves this through referral, training, resource development, information and education services to help people get involved in their communities, and enhance the capacity and skills of not-for-profit organisations, corporations and government to become involved in the community.

In 2006, there were 1.7 million volunteers in NSW. They generously gave 235 million volunteer work hours. This means an enormous $5 billion contribution to the NSW economy. It is the role of The NSW Centre for Volunteering to support these volunteers and the organisations they work for.

The Centre for Volunteering is the peak body in NSW, promoting and supporting volunteering and community participation.

The Centre is a not-for-profit organisation and includes Volunteering NSW, its service delivery arm, and the School of Volunteer Management (SVM), a registered training organisation.

The Centre’s key program areas reflect its focus as a peak body. They include:
- Volunteer referral
- Accredited and non-accredited training through the SVM (www.svm.net.au)
- Volunteer management consulting
- Engaging young people through student community involvement and youth volunteering activities
- Advising and facilitating corporate volunteering
- Research projects on key issues impacting on the not-for-profit sector
- Policy development
- Information and communication.

Volunteering NSW is the delivery arm of The Centre which refers thousands of volunteers to hundreds of community organisations per year via its Volunteer Referral Service (VRS). The Centre also operates the Fido Skilled Volunteer Search service which assists members to recruit volunteers with a high level of qualifications, skills and experience using the Sydney Morning Herald.

The School of Volunteer Management is a registered training organisation providing skills, management and leadership training to the not-for-profit sector.

Nominations are now open for The Centre for Volunteering's 2008 NSW Volunteer of the Year Award.

Visit www.volunteering.com.au/nsw_volunteer_awards/ to find out how you can nominate community and corporate volunteers for this great Award. Nominations close on 20 September 2008.