DEC Student Volunteering Awards – Creating ‘New’ Activity and Organisations
The speed and efficient of the database is significantly affected by the number of activities and organisation
stored. This is especially noticeable when searching for a student activity, editing an activity etc. The following
advice is to assist selecting and editing ‘activities’ and ‘organisations’ on the SVA database.
Students are not able to create new activities or organisations.
Students need to select from the ‘drop down list’ available. The more frequent listed activities have been
numbered from 1 and will display at the top of the list.
Encourage students to consider what the volunteering activity actually involves. Volunteering that involves
attending an event, or undertaken as a member of a volunteer group may be better described based on the
activity or actual task.
E.g. Scouts: the volunteer activity may involve running a car wash to raise money for charity.
First select the Activity Type – in this case Fundraising/Sales, then check through the drop down list of Activities.
Rather than adding a new activity as Scouts, the activity, ‘2.Car wash’ could be selected.
Alternately the student may be involved with planning the event, in which case they could select
Activity Type – Management Coordination, Activity – ‘7.Plan fundraising activity’.
Organisation details help school coordinators identify where the activity may occur and/or who is involved. It
is optional as to how much detail you require for the student’s record. The common list of organisations may
be sufficient for this.
E.g. Instead of students entering 1st Division Bluetown Scouts, they could simply select ‘Scouts’
NB: School coordinators can add additional details concerning an activity or organisation as well as create
new activities or organisations that students can select.
Some activity entries currently listed on the system are more correctly examples of organisations or an event.
E.g.
• School name
• Organisation’s name E.g. Red Cross
• Name of a festival or community event E.g. Daffodil Day
• ‘Volunteering’ or Student Volunteering’
Again, consider what the volunteers are doing at this event or on this occasion e.g. collecting donations,
assisting with admin., canteen volunteer, assist teacher/s, maintaining gardens.
Remember,
• being a member of an organisation does not automatically equal volunteering. The activity undertaken
through membership might be volunteering e.g. fundraising by selling badges as part of Scouts membership,
helping others in need as part of Surf Life Saving.
• ‘event’s such as Clean Up Australia Day, Red Shield Appeal or 40 Hour Famine: in this format, doesn’t
specifically state the nature of the activity. Consider if the volunteering can be described more specifically e.g.
cleaning parklands, coordinating volunteers, promoting volunteering etc. to select a suitable activity.
The tables following give examples of volunteering activities matched to the Activity drop down list. This may
help coordinators to guide students to select appropriate activities and organisations.
SVA ACTIVITY
ACTIVITY TYPE
Admin/Clerical Work
Befriending/Support
Coaching/Refereeing/J
udging
Fundraising/Sales
Management/
Coordination
DROP DOWN LIST
Encourage students to select
from the following.
1. Admin assistant
2. Data entry
3. Filing
4. Library assistant/monitor
5. Meeting /event administration
6. Office assistant/courier
7. Student Volunteering Awards support
8. Exam assistant
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
1.
2.
3.
Camp leader
Companionship
Entertain patients/residents
Helping neighbour
Helping other students
Making' for charity
Peer support: training/program
Support others in need
Visit aged/care centres
Babysitting(unpaid)
Assist at carnival
Assist organise/coordinate sports event
Assist with fitness program
Coach sports team
Refereeing /Umpiring
Scoring/Timekeeper
Show steward/ judging
Cake stall/BBQ/canteen
Car wash
Collecting for
charity(money/donations/vouchers
4. Garage/car boot sale
5. ‘Making' for charity
6. Organise fundraiser
7. Sell merchandise/tickets
8. Support charity fundraiser
1. Assist at community activity / event /
festival
2. Assist at school assembly /carnival/ event
3. Assist with newsletter/
magazine/publication
4. Coordinate/organise/supervise activity
5. Leadership/committee duties
6. Planning for charity campaigns/activities
7. Plan fundraising activities
8.Support/assist with events
Examples of volunteering activities
previously listed;
Avoid creating these examples.
•
•
•
•
Answering phones at xx organisation
Filing for xx organisation
Being courier for school
Assisting teacher to set up sv program,
•
•
•
•
•
Looking after children at after care
centre
Helping out at the primary school
SRC camp
Helping out at the aged care centre
Peer buddy program
•
•
•
•
Helping to coach junior AFL
Helping timekeepers at swim carnival
3-3 Basketball ref
X Show – judging sheep
•
•
•
•
Selling badges for legacy
Collecting money for 40 Hr Famine
Making toys for fundraiser
Organise volunteers for fundraiser
event
•
•
•
•
Helping out with festival, manning stall
Assisting with school Open Day
Writing news article for web
Running TTT workshop
SVA ACTIVITY
ACTIVITY TYPE
Performing/Media
Personal Care
Preparing/Serve Food
Protect the
Environment
Repairs/Maintenance/
Gardening
DROP DOWN LIST
Encourage students to select
from the following.
1.Assist at festival/event/exhibit/performance
2. Assist with art/mural projects
3. Backstage/technical support or crew
4. Building or designing sets or staging
5. Community radio
6. Marching at school or community events
7.Performing
(eg.choir/band/dance/drama/musical)
8. Recording/ filming/ script writing
9.Making costumes
1. Aged care - assisting
2. Care/ support for others in need
3. Child care or assistance
4. Cleaning
5. Disabled care or assistance
6. Making things for others (eg kid's toys)
1. BBQ- cooking/cleaning/preparing
2. Breakfast Club assistant
3. Canteen assistant
4. Food assistant for charity eg Soup Kitchens,
Refuges
5. Food prep or service for carnivals / festivals
/ events
6. Making / selling / serving food to raise funds
7. Meals on Wheels assistant / food prep
1."Enviro Days" eg Clean Up Australia, Green
Day, Earthwatch etc
2. Bushcare/ Planting /Regeneration
3. Cleaning/caring for local environment
4. Enviro team/group activity (YATZ,
Streamwatch etc)
5. RFS cadets/assistance
6. Gardening maintenance/beautification
7. Natural disasters assist (cleanup/rescue/sandbagging)
8. Recycling program/activity/Worm farming
9. Rescue/care for animals/WIRES volunteer
1. Ag farm - assistant/volunteer
2. Building / carpentry / construction work
3. Cleaning
4. Gardening /mow lawns/plant trees/weeding
5. Maintenance / repairs
6. Painting (murals, props, buildings etc)
7. Recycling/ conservation programs
8. Washing cars / equipment
9. Working bee
Examples of volunteering activities
previously listed;
Avoid creating these examples.
•
•
•
•
XX School Drama Performance
XX Festival or XX Concert 2011
School assembly – set up lighting
Singing at local aged care
NB: There’s no need to include the School or
Town/Suburb name in activity (generally
covered in Organisation)
•
•
•
Painting nails of aged residents
Helping out at after-school centre
Putting bins out for disabled neighbour
•
•
•
Cooking bbq for Brunnings’ fundraiser
Baking cakes for cake stall
Cooking food for Meals on Wheels
•
•
•
•
•
Planting seedlings
Measuring stream pH
Helping to clear weeds from bush
Clean mud from floods
Collecting recyclables
•
•
•
Building seats for community park
Cleaning out school/community hall
Helping out with gardening working
bee at local church
SVA ACTIVITY
ACTIVITY TYPE
Search & Rescue/
First Aid
Teaching /Instruction
Other
DROP DOWN LIST
Encourage students to select
from the following.
1. First Aid training
2. Marine/Water or mine rescue
3. Provide First Aid
4. Rural/Bush Fire Service
5. Cadet program
6. Sandbagging
7. SES: State Emergency Service -duty/assist
8. Surf Life Saving: assist nippers
9. Surf Life Saving: training/patrol
10. Animal Care/Rescue
11. Disaster relief
1. After-school/child care assistant
2.Assist/support teacher
3.Exam reader writer
4.Leader/presenter-camp, workshop
5.Orientation Day/Transition program
6.Peer programs
(support/reading/mediation/tutoring etc)
7.Student Volunteering Awards support/mentor
8.Organise/coordinate sports activity
9. Reading buddy/mentor/partner
10.Teaching skills to others
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
Animal care/husbandry
Blood Donor/Coordinator
Campaign for charity
Face painting
Gift wrapping
Graphics & web design
IT support/develop
Knitting for charity
Pack/deliver donations
Show society assistant
Spokesperson for charity
Support crew for charity events
Usher/parking attendant
Examples of volunteering activities
previously listed;
Avoid creating these examples.
•
•
•
•
Helping out an animal rescue
St John’s Ambulance for carnival
Cleaning up after local floods
Helping to train nippers
•
•
•
Helping at primary school
Running student forum
Guiding parents/guests during
Orientation
Reading to other pre-schoolers
Showing aged patients how to use
mobile phone
•
•
•
•
•
Walking dogs for neighbour
Looking after pets for disabled person
Helping Show Society
ORGANISATION
It is optional to complete the organisation details but this may help coordinators identify where the activity is
occurring/ who is involved.
‘Misspelt’ entries have resulted in multiple entries for similar organisations. Using the common drop down list
may prevent this occurring. Coordinators are able to add new organisation if deemed necessary.
DROP DOWN LIST
ORGANISATION
TYPE
Animal Welfare
Arts/Heritage
Encourage students to select from the following.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
My School
Animal Rescue
Animal Welfare League NSW
Pony Club
Riding for the Disabled
RSPCA
Taronga Zoo
Vet clinic/hospital
WIRES
Youth At The Zoo (YATZ)
My School
Aboriginal Culture Centre
Heritage Centre
Art Gallery
Council
Museum
Theatre Company
Community/Welfare 1. My School
Services
2. Anglicare
3. Australian Red Cross
4. Beyond Blue
5. Black Dog Institute
6. Brownies
7. Camp Quality
8. CanAssist/ Can Revive
9. CanTeen
10. Cancer Council
11. Clean Up Australia
12. Girl Guides
13. Local Aged Care/Nursing/Retirement centre
14. Local Council
15. RSL
16. Salvation Army
17. Scouts
18. Show Society
19. Surf Life Saving Club
20. Venturers
Examples of organisations
commonly listed;
Avoid creating these examples.
A range of organisations are
listed, generally with the
suburb/town name.
Art exhibit at XX gallery
X Festival
Salvos
Salvation Army
XX Salvos Store
Red Cross Centre
Red X
Red cross op shop
1st Division Scouts
1st Keytown Scouts
1st Bridge Brownies
1st Viking Venturers
DROP DOWN LIST
ORGANISATION
TYPE
Education
Emergency Services
Environmental
Health
Encourage students to select from the following.
Most entries will be able to use the
‘My School’ from drip down list; organisation type
would generally be ‘Education’.
Examples of organisations
commonly listed;
Avoid creating these examples.
School roll call
School leaders group
School canteen
School swimming carnival
School band
XX Primary School
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
My School
After school centre
Childcare centre
Preschool/kindergarten
Primary school
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Coast Guard
Fire Brigade
Local Surf Life Saving Club
Rural Fire Service
SES (State Emergency Services)
St John Ambulance
Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service
My School
Bush Care
Clean Up Australia
Environmental Education Centre
LandCare
Local Council
Local Environment Group
National Parks
Planet Ark
Stream/Water Watch
Sydney Water/Catchment Authority
XX Surf Club
Royal Fire Service
Rural Service
St John’s Ambulance
Saint John ambulance first aid
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Australian Red Cross
Camp Quality
Cancer Council
CanTeen
Cure our Kids
DonateLife
Hospital
Leukaemia Foundation
Local Aged Care/Nursing/Retirement centre
Relay for Life
Ronald McDonald House
St John Ambulance
Red Cross
Red Shield
Red Door Knock
Donate for life
Canteen
Can Teen
Enviro team
SRC environment group
X Council
X Community Garden
Committee
DROP DOWN LIST
ORGANISATION
TYPE
International Aid
Religious
Sport & Physical
Recreation
Other
Majority of activities
listed in ‘Other’ can be
included in the above
categories.
Often students have
added an event or
individuals, rather than
identifying the
organisation.
Encourage students to select from the following.
Examples of organisations
commonly listed;
Avoid creating these examples.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Australian Red Cross
Global Citizens Network
Fred Hollows Foundation
High Resolves
Lions/Leo Club
Oxfam
Open Doors
Rotaract/Rotary Club
Salvation Army
Samaritan’s Purse
Save the Children Australia
School Aid
The Australia Cambodia Foundation
Unicef
World Vision
Wrap with Love
Zonta
Local Church/Temple
Anglicare
Fellowship/youth group
The Exodus Foundation
St Vincent De Paul Society
The Salvation Army
Students often list the name of
the event, rather than the
organisation.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
My School
Local Primary School
Active After Schools Program
Cadets
Combined High Schools
Disabled Surfers Association
Little Athletics
Local dance company/school
Local sports club
Local Surf Life Saving Club
PSSA(Primary School Sports Association)
Riding for the Disabled
State/national sports association
Zone/regional sports association
Students often list the name of
the event, rather than the
organisation.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
My School
My neighbour/family/friend*
Local community group
Local Council
Local Library
E.g. Biggest Morning Tea –
(fundraising) for Cancer Council
(Community Services/ or
Health)
* Coordinators will need to determine if the activity is
actually volunteering, or a reasonable expectation of
the role of family members.
Red Cross Door Knock
40hr famine
Forty Hour Famine
Salvos
World Vision
WORLD VISION
A range of religious
denominations are listed.
X School
X School Carnival
X Athletics
X Gala Day
X High School SRC – My School
(Education/ or others,
depending on the activity).