The Guidelines for Successful Partnerships Between Public Sector Agencies and Volunteers are designed to assist in the development of agency-specific policies for achieving effective volunteer partnerships in the public sector.

The Guidelines:

• Are deliberately broad in scope, describing general principles rather than rigid procedures, to accommodate the many diverse relationships between public sector agencies and volunteers.
• Recommend good practice principles and strategies for public sector agencies working in partnership with volunteers; and
• Outline key legislation, policies and programs relevant to the management of partnerships with volunteers and provide links to further information.

Background
The Guidelines were first developed in 1994 following consultation with the public and key community sectors. Capitalising on the impetus provided by the 2001 International year of Volunteers, a consultative review of the Guidelines was undertaken in 2002. The second edition 2003 Guidelines built on the original and reflected the social, government, demographic and structural changes effecting volunteer involvement in public sector agencies at that time. There was a commitment to review the Guidelines within two years to maintain its currency.

This third edition of the Guidelines captures current issues and trends relevant to today's government-volunteer partnership development and management. The updated Guidelines reflect a number of shifts from the previous version including:

• A focus on public sector agencies working in partnership with volunteers, rather than a hierarchical relationship of public sector agencies working with and/or managing volunteers.
  
• Updated information and links on volunteering, relevant legislation, policies and procedures for working in partnerships with volunteers.
  
• A new focus highlighting the role volunteering plays not just in contributing to the delivery of government services but also in enhancing social capital, as a vehicle for community education and behaviour change, and for building the capacity and connectedness of individuals and communities in Western Australia.
  
• A supplementary discussion document highlighting the change in the nature and way that public sector agencies work with volunteers. The reference group identified five key models of government-volunteer partnerships and these are outlined in the document.  
  
  

Download the Guidelines for Successful Partnerships Between Public Sector Agencies and Volunteers
(Word, 396kb) (PDF, 183kb)
Download the Background Discussion Paper
(Word, 474kb) (PDF, 425kb)