Victoria Honours Its Volunteers at 2026 Awards
Volunteers across the Australian state of Victoria had a night in the spotlight this month. The winners of the 2026 Victorian Volunteering Awards were announced on Thursday 8 October at the RACV City Club in Melbourne.
The awards are run by Volunteering Victoria in partnership with the Victorian Government. Each year they thank the people and groups who give their time to make their communities stronger and more connected. The organisers point out that the finalists are only a small slice of the 3.3 million Victorians who volunteer.
The top honour, Volunteer of the Year, which carries the name of the Dame Elisabeth Murdoch Award, went to Vinh Nguyen. Vinh Nguyen also received the Volunteer Commitment Award. Deb Robertson won the Volunteer Leadership Award, Jenani Therone took the Volunteer Impact Award, and Phu Nguyen received the Young Volunteer Award.
Among organisations, Transit Soup Kitchen and Food Support had a big night. It won both the Volunteering Excellence award for Volunteer Involving Organisation of the Year and the Volunteering Innovation Award. VincentCare's Ozanam House received the Inclusive Volunteering Award, Nurture the Future Foundation won the Volunteering Partnerships Award, and the Ethiopian Community Association of Victoria took the Grassroots Volunteering Award.
The ceremony brought together finalists, the people who nominated them, community leaders and organisations to celebrate a year of quiet, steady help.
Volunteering Victoria CEO Geoff Sharp said it is easy to scroll through the news and miss the good happening around us. He said this year's winners are a powerful reminder of the care and generosity seen in communities every day.
