Volunteer centre in crisis

The Rockingham Volunteer Centre may have to close its doors at the end of next month if it is unable to obtain funding, according to its manager Vicki Pollard.

In the lead-up to National Volunteers Week, Ms Pollard said the centre, which helps not-for-profit groups recruit volunteers for their organisations, would shut on June 30 unless it was able to secure $29,000 in State Government funding.

She said the Rockingham centre — set up by the Peel Volunteer Resource Centre, which is funded by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and the Department for Communities — had never been independently funded.

‘‘We have sought support from the Rockingham City Council, Department for Communities, and we have also spoken to local politicians — all to no avail,’’ she said.

However, the centre received some financial support from the council via an initial set-up grant and this year had received $6000.

It opened in January 2008 and has one part-time employee working 25 hours a week and two volunteers.

Ms Pollard said the centre played an important role in the Rockingham community and had a list of 60 organisations looking for volunteers.

‘‘We are the only volunteer centre in Rockingham and volunteers come here to find a place to volunteer.’’

‘‘All not-for-profits will be affected (by the centre’s closure) as they will have to try and source volunteers themselves.

‘‘Also, volunteerswill not have a central place to visit to look at all volunteer opportunities and will have to travel to the Kwinana centre which doesn’t list volunteer opportunities for Rockingham.’’

Otherwise potential volunteers would have to contact Perth Volunteering WA or the Peel Volunteer Resource Centre in Mandurah for help.