Tamworth's RU Volunteering is reborn as MyTRC Volunteer Connect

Tamworth council is taking over the duties of local volunteer organisation RU Volunteering, re-branding the connectivity program and hiring an expert to lead the charge in bringing would-be volunteers to the groups that need them most.

"Across the region there are community groups crying out for volunteers," council's new Volunteer Services Officer Luke Macdonald said.

Mr Macdonald has been chosen by council to run the revamped program, dubbed MyTRC Volunteer Connect, and his first order of business is building a dedicated one-stop-shop website to bring together people interested in volunteering with the region's wide variety of organisations looking for help.

A launch date for the new website is yet to be decided, but people seeking volunteer opportunities can express their interest on council's website.

Organisations seeking volunteer workers can also get in touch with MyTRC Volunteer Services through the same web page.

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Mr Macdonald said the region's volunteer shortage is a pressing issue for Tamworth Regional Council as volunteer work usually provides huge amounts of value to the local area.

"Volunteers are the backbone of the community, they make up a large proportion of the work we do in the region."

The council-run program will carry the torch from the previous initiative run by Regional Unlimited, which has worked closely with council since it launched in June 2019.

While the new brand carries out the same role as the former RU Volunteering initiative, Mr Macdonald says MyTRC Volunteer Connect is about more than just giving the old program a new name.

"The Volunteer Connect program is a way for community members to access volunteering opportunities. Different organisations can also register their interest and we can help them find volunteers," he said.

Mr Macdonald also said all community groups are welcome to join the program, regardless of whether or not they're affiliated with Tamworth council.

He said he's confident the new website will help attract more volunteers - especially younger people who tend to seek opportunities online - despite current cost of living pressures.

"Cost of living is certainly an issue, but we live in a regional town and there's a lot of support. There will be challenges, but we're working together as a council to bring the community together," Mr Macdonald said.

For less tech-savvy volunteers, MyTRC Volunteer Connect is also setting up an in-person meeting space in the Lands building on 25 Fitzroy Street to be opened in the coming weeks.

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