Expo to showcase local volunteering opportunities

More than 3.3 million Victorians volunteered in 2024, contributing more than 730 million hours statewide. Photo: City of Greater Geelong.

VOLUNTEERS from across Geelong and the Bellarine will come together later this month for the Geelong Volunteering Expo.

Presented by Volunteering Geelong as part of National Volunteer Week, the expo will bring together more than 40 local not-for-profit organisations to showcase volunteering opportunities and connect with community members interested in getting involved.

The event is expected to be the region’s largest gathering focused on volunteering and community participation.

“Being that it is International Year of the Volunteer, we really felt like it needed to be recognised, particularly in Geelong, that we have a lot of volunteers here that do make a big impact,” Volunteering Geelong’s Alana Whitten said.

Similar expos held across Victoria have drawn strong interest from both organisations and prospective volunteers.

Whitten said it highlights how many people are looking for volunteers.

More than 3.3 million Victorians aged over 15 volunteered in 2024, contributing more than 730 million hours, according to Volunteering Victoria’s 2025 State of Volunteering report.

Whitten said National Volunteer Week helped shine a spotlight on the sector and encouraged broader conversations about the value of volunteering.

“I think that volunteering doesn’t really get the recognition that it deserves, but during National Volunteers Week it seems to really lift,” she said. “And I think that’s what gets the conversations going.”

She said volunteering opportunities in Geelong continue to grow, with roles suited to a wide range of interests, skills and availability.

“There really is something for everyone,” Whitten said. “We are really, really lucky to have some of these really great, big organisations that offer very varied ways to get involved.” Whitten added volunteering could also play an important role in reducing social isolation by helping people build connections within their community.

The expo will be held at the Geelong West Town Hall from 10am to 5pm on Thursday 21 May. Entry is free.