15/05/2026
Last night, we were announced as the winner of the Inclusive Volunteering Award at the 2026 WA Volunteer of the Year Awards!! 🎊
This award celebrates volunteering programs that create inclusive cultures of participation, recognising that the "gift of giving" can look different for people from all walks of life, backgrounds, abilities and life circumstances.
Over the last few years, we've been working alongside our community to build flexible, meaningful pathways for contribution. Rather than defining what volunteering "should" look like, we help people discover what they care about, what their unique gifts are, and how they want to share them. For us, it's simply about doing something meaningful that connects.
💛 For some, this means becoming a Befriend Host, bringing people together around shared interests and helping others feel a sense of belonging along the way.
💛 Others discover something about themselves through Befriend and go on to explore volunteering with other organisations and we love seeing this ripple effect of community spirit grow.
💛 Some dream up their own ideas, gatherings and projects, with Befriend as a supportive companion.
💛 Others contribute through street BBQs, one-off events, fundraising, or local clean-ups.
💛 And for some, contribution simply looks like brightening someone's day or helping another person feel seen, which matters deeply too.
This award truly belongs to everyone involved: the community members who courageously explored new ways of contributing; the partners who have generously supported us; and our staff team, who continue creating thoughtful, engaging and safe ways for people to explore what matters to them.
Here's to the year ahead! May more people discover something they care deeply about, and find beautifully-you ways of sharing it. And if you need a hand figuring out what that might look like, we would love to walk alongside you. 💛🌱
Thank you to Volunteering WA for this special celebration of community spirit!
