International Volunteer Day & Garden Party

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International Volunteer Day

Volunteering WA proudly supports International Volunteer Day to raise awareness of the important role volunteers play in responding to challenges facing the world. With over 1.5 million volunteers in Western Australia, International Volunteer Day is a day for mass celebration.

International Volunteer Day is recognised around the world on 5 December each year.

It started as an international observance mandated by the United Nations General Assembly in 1985. It’s a day where volunteers are acknowledged and the spirit of volunteerism is promoted at the local, national and international levels.

The United Nations Volunteers programme joins IVD celebrations with UN Volunteers and all volunteers around the world – amplifying the importance of people-led solutions to our common challenges.

2026 marks an important year, as the world celebrates International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development (IVY2026), a global initiative that highlights the crucial role of volunteering in achieving sustainable development.

The IVD Toolkit including certificates, editable social media graphics, and key messaging will be released closer to the time. 

Volunteering WA’s Annual Garden Party

Save the date | Thursday 3 December 2026

Each year, on the Thursday closest to International Volunteer Day, Volunteering WA hosts the annual Volunteer Garden Party in the stunning gardens of Government House.

The International Volunteer Day Garden Party is a favourite on the Volunteering WA calendar. It’s an event that allows volunteers to connect with each other, and different organisations, while celebrating the power of volunteering.

The Garden Party features speeches, live entertainment, canapes and lawn games. We invite organisations to bring their volunteers to the event as a way of thanking them for their efforts.

Ticket sales open in September-October each year.

Tickets open Sept/Oct Subscribe for updates
A group of individuals seated at a table
  • Leading Youth Forward volunteer mentors empower teens in years 7 to 10 through one-on-one mentoring and engaging group activities.
  • A man giving a haircut to another man
    One of the volunteer hairdressers behind Short Back and Sidewalks, an organisation providing free haircuts to people experiencing homelessness.
  • St John WA volunteers can be found in all corners of WA, including this team from Tom Price.

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