Volunteering Victoria proudly celebrated the 2026 Victorian Volunteering Awards held at RACV City Club on 8 October 2026.
The Victorian Volunteering Awards are an opportunity to recognise and thank volunteers across Victoria for the incredible contributions they make to our state and local communities.
Showcasing excellence by individuals and organisations, the Awards are run by Volunteering Victoria with the support of the Victorian State Government.
The Awards combine the previously separate Premier’s Volunteer Champions Awards, featuring the Dame Elisabeth Murdoch Award for Volunteer of the Year, and the annual Volunteering Victoria State Awards. This creates a single nomination process and a more significant awards ceremony celebrating volunteers and volunteerism across the state of Victoria.
Eight categories were awarded:
- Volunteer Commitment Award
- Volunteer Impact Award
- Volunteer Leadership Award
- Young Volunteer Award
- Inclusive Volunteering Award
- Volunteering Partnerships Award
- Grassroots Volunteering Award
- Volunteering Innovation Award
One winner was named the Premier’s Volunteer of the Year, receiving the Dame Elisabeth Murdoch Award and a $10,000 donation to a not-for-profit organisation of their choice.
One winner was also named the Premier’s Organisation of the Year, receiving the Volunteering Excellence Award.
Congratulations to all our 2026 finalists and award recipients, and thank you to every Victorian who gives their time and care to supporting others.
Winners’ Stories
Premier's Volunteer of the Year
Vinh Nguyen
Dame Elisabeth Murdoch Award / Volunteer Commitment Award
For more than 40 years, Vinh has supported the Vietnamese and broader Australian communities through humanitarian aid, cultural leadership and volunteer service. After arriving in Australia as a refugee in 1983, he became deeply involved in community organisations, refugee advocacy and charitable initiatives.
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As a founding President of the Lions Club of Melbourne Vietnamese and founder of the Vietnamese 50Up Club, he has led efforts supporting medical care, disaster relief and community wellbeing. Vinh has also played an important role in preserving Vietnamese heritage in Victoria, including contributing to the development of the Vietnam War Memorial of Victoria.
Premier's Organisation of the Year
Transit Soup Kitchen and Food Support
Volunteering Excellence Award / Volunteering Innovation Award
Transit Soup Kitchen and Food Support is a grassroots organisation supporting people experiencing food insecurity, homelessness and financial hardship across Melbourne’s south-east. Faced with rising demand and changing patterns of volunteer participation, Transit transformed its volunteer program to be more flexible, accessible and sustainable.
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This included introducing a customised QR-code volunteer and guest management platform, digital onboarding and tailored training, while creating volunteer pathways that reflect different interests, skills and levels of availability. The redesign improved volunteer retention, reduced administrative burden and expanded access for underrepresented groups, enabling the organisation to extend its support to 1,700 people each week.
Category winners
Deb Robertson
Volunteer Leadership Award
Deb has led Eat Up’s Ballarat program for a decade, helping it grow from 600 sandwiches for nine schools into a vital service supporting 37 schools and delivering around 70,000 free lunches to local students.
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Deb oversees the local operation, secures support from community partners, and coordinates weekly teams of more than 30 volunteers to help meet growing demand. Known for creating a supportive and welcoming volunteer environment, Deb’s leadership has helped Eat Up become one of Victoria’s strongest regional programs.
She also contributes through Rotary, Ballarat Legacy and BreezeWay, supporting initiatives that strengthen wellbeing, education and community connection.
Jenani Therone
Volunteer Impact Award
Jenani is the founder of the Of Service Foundation and creator of Of Service, a 656-page publication documenting the stories and portraits of more than 100 Australian veterans.
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Through years of volunteer effort, she travelled across Australia to record veterans’ experiences through interviews, photography and storytelling. The project has helped share and preserve veterans’ stories through institutions including the Shrine of Remembrance and the Australian War Memorial.
As a volunteer Chair of the Of Service Foundation, Jenani continues to build on this work, turning veterans’ stories into enduring resources for families, communities and future generations.
Phu Nguyen
Young Volunteer Award
Phu is a youth and community leader who has volunteered for more than five years to improve access to sport, mentoring and community connection for young people from culturally diverse and financially disadvantaged backgrounds.
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As President of Yarra Futsal Ballers and a leader within Home Ground Hub, Phu coordinates free futsal, soccer, basketball, camps and community programs across the City of Yarra. His work supports young people to build confidence, belonging, leadership skills and positive pathways.
A former program participant himself, Phu is passionate about creating opportunities for young people to become volunteers, coaches, mentors and leaders within their own communities.
VincentCare – Ozanam House
Inclusive Volunteering Award
VincentCare’s Ozanam House provides accommodation and support services for people experiencing homelessness and disadvantage.
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Its Client Volunteer Program was created for people who have often been excluded from mainstream volunteering and employment opportunities, helping participants build confidence and reconnect with community.
Through the O Café, volunteers train as baristas while contributing to a welcoming hub within Ozanam House. By creating pathways into volunteering for those who may have faced barriers to participation, the program has a life-changing impact on participants and their recovery.
Nurture The Future Foundation
Volunteering Partnerships Award
Nurture The Future Foundation is a volunteer-led charity that harnesses the skills, networks, and generosity of professionals across the built environment to create safe, welcoming, and trauma-informed spaces for vulnerable communities.
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By connecting architects, designers, project managers, consultants and industry partners with for-purpose organisations, the Foundation transforms environments that support women, children and young people experiencing disadvantage, including homelessness, family violence or out-of-home care.
Through strategic advice, design expertise, project delivery and collaborative partnerships, Nurture The Future demonstrates how skilled volunteering can create lasting social impact, helping turn ambitious visions into spaces that foster safety, healing, dignity, and hope.
Ethiopian Community Association of Victoria
Grassroots Volunteering Award
The Ethiopian Community Association of Victoria (ECAV) is a wholly volunteer-run, not-for-profit organisation that has supported Ethiopian and East African communities since 1984.
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With more than 100 volunteers, ECAV provides settlement support, youth mentoring, community advocacy and cultural programs that strengthen connection across generations. Volunteers also assist families during times of bereavement, helping ensure community members receive culturally appropriate support when it is needed most.
Through grassroots leadership and a strong commitment to community solidarity, ECAV continues to preserve cultural identity, support new arrivals and bring people together through shared community events and initiatives.
