Volunteering is a great way for people to develop skills and connect to their community. Often, people with disability can find it more challenging to find and participate in such opportunities. The Buddiup Community Club Partner Program aims to provide young men with disability the opportunity to connect with their local community club to volunteer and develop life skills, social skills and working skills.

As a community club, it can be difficult at times to find volunteers, though without volunteers, our community clubs would not exist!

The Buddiup Community Club Partner Program provides benefits to both volunteer and club – providing an opportunity for participant to connect to their local clubs and develop skills, while also providing the club with regular assistance to complete weekly tasks.

Participants will be fully supported by a mentor/support worker, in line with their NDIS plan and goals.

Buddiup supports adolescent males and young men (primarily 16yrs – 30 yrs) with disability to develop healthy lifestyle choices and habits. We aim to build capability, confidence and friendships through health, education, wellbeing and physical activity.

Buddiup focuses on developing mentor-type relationships with participants to role model positive lifestyle choices and behaviours.

The Buddiup Community Club Partner Program provides Buddiup clients the opportunity to be part of this program to develop new skills and connect to their local community.

Volunteers will be supported by Buddiup mentors and support workers. If there is an opportunity to develop the skills for volunteers to participate independently in the future, then this would be a fantastic goal to work towards to build individual capability.

1. Buddiup connects with local community club.

2. Together, Buddiup and club establish if the program is viable within club

3. Club outlines the type of jobs that will be completed each week, and the best time of week to undertake volunteering.

4. Buddiup connects appropriate volunteer with local community club

5. Buddiup provides appropriate mentor with volunteer

6. Regular volunteering takes place

7. Monthly check-ins with volunteer, Buddiup and club

The program provides our participants:

• A sense of responsibility

• A sense of belonging

• The opportunity to develop life skills

• The opportunity to develop employment skills

• The opportunity to connect with a local club

The program provides community clubs:

• New volunteers

• An opportunity to actively promote diversity and inclusion within their club

• An opportunity to help someone on their journey

• An opportunity for jobs to be completed around the club!

Jobs can include:

• General sweeping and clean up

• Line marking for seasonal codes (football, baseball etc.)

• Stocking canteen and bar fridge

• Tidying change rooms, storerooms, and gym

• Setting up on game days or before training

• Other weekly tasks that need to get done around the club

• There is flexibility on when volunteering can take place, taking in to account availability of participant and mentor.

• Weekly sessions will be approx. 2 hours per week per participant

• Opportunities for participants to get involved on game day, helping set up tents, goal pads etc.