Stonnington Volunteer Awards

Presented by the Mayor, this award recognises exceptional volunteering service and impact on community, a cause, group or organisation.

The Mayor’s Award is selected from nominees from across the other award categories.

This award celebrates volunteers that support the creative sector through activities such as:

• providing services and expertise to support artistic outcomes across not-for-profit theatre, galleries, films, performances
• developing networks and advocacy for arts and culture groups
• being a mentor or positive role model within the local arts sector
• showing commitment to enhancing diversity and inclusion across the arts.

This award celebrates the enormous volunteer effort contributed to, and the opportunities provided by, not-for profit organisations and/or community groups for the Stonnington community. Examples include:

• assistance provided to people who are vulnerable or disadvantaged
• provision of inclusion and social connection programs
• assistance provided to diverse demographic and / or cultural groups
• material aid or emergency relief.

This award celebrates volunteer activities that demonstrate strong community service and the promotion of inclusion, respect and equity. Examples include:

• participation in local groups
• involvement with charity and non-profit organisations
• fundraising
• advocating for change or a cause
• being a mentor or positive role model for others.

This award celebrates volunteers who contribute to environmental sustainability and climate health through activities such as:

• initiating a project to reduce energy use
• promoting recycling or protection of local wildlife
• engaging with the community through workshops
• working bees or meetings
• raising awareness about sustainability issues. 

This award celebrates the immense contribution to community wellbeing, inclusion, fitness and social connection generated by volunteers in sporting clubs and/ or groups. Examples include:

• development programs
• demonstrating open and inclusive club culture
• initiating innovative activities
• contribution to club administration and / or operations.

This award celebrates the important and selfless impact of young people volunteering. Nominees will be young people aged up to 25 years, who have made a contribution to a community, a cause or a service through volunteering. Examples include:

• mobilising and organising peers and others to address an issue or opportunity
• being a mentor or positive role model for others
• involvement with a charity, community service, or community group
• demonstrating leadership or contributing for a cause.

• Nominees do not need to live in Stonnington but must have made a substantial contribution to the municipality through their volunteering.
• Community Groups must be a group active within Stonnington with at least four members.
• Nominees for the Young Person award must be aged up to 25 years.
• Nominees cannot be previous winners of a City of Stonnington Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year or Community Group of the Year award.
• Individuals cannot self-nominate to receive a Volunteer Award. Volunteers working with (but not employed by) Community groups can self-nominate in the “Community Group” category only.  
• Current serving Councillors and Council staff members are not eligible to be considered for these awards. 

City of Stonnington runs an annual Volunteer Awards Program that celebrates people and community groups whose commitment to volunteering makes a difference to our local community, positively impacts the lives of others and makes City of Stonnington a better place to live (Program).  We will collect the following Personal Information about the nominator and nominee to administer the program: name, age, residential address, email address and mobile number (Personal Information). 

The Personal Information will be used for the following primary purposes:

• To enable the nominee to be eligible for the Awards Program;
• To assess the application for a volunteer award;
• To contact the nominator and the nominee;
• To invite the nominee to the Volunteer Awards ceremony
• To undertake nominee background checks using publicly available information (i.e. a google search) to assess if the nominees are fit and proper or whether they may bring the awards into disrepute.

Council may disclose the Personal Information to media organisations reporting on the Volunteer Awards event should the nominee win an award. Your application will not be accepted if you do not provide the specified Personal Information. If you wish to access or alter any of the Personal Information that you have supplied to Stonnington City Council, please contact Council’s Privacy Officer by telephoning 03 8290 1333.

For more information about how Council handles Personal Information, please refer to our Privacy Policy.

• The Volunteer Awards is being run and managed by City of Stonnington, 311 Glenferrie Road, Malvern, Victoria 3144 (Council).
• Nominations must be submitted through the online application form (or paper version) as provided by Council.
• All submitted nominations are deemed acceptance of these Terms and Conditions of Entry.
• One group/individual nomination will be accepted per form.
• Entries open on Monday 18 May 2026 and all entries must be received by no later than Friday 3 July 2026 at 5pm.
• Individuals or individuals acting on behalf of organisations may submit nominations.
• Individuals cannot self-nominate to receive a Volunteer Award. Volunteers working with (but not employed by) Community groups can self-nominate in the “Community Group” category only.
• Groups and individuals cannot be nominated by Council staff.
• Winners will be awarded in the following categories: Community Service, Young Person, Community Group, Sport Environmental Sustainability, Arts & Culture and Mayoral Award.
• All nomination information and material submitted is handled in accordance with City of Stonnington Information Privacy Policy. City of Stonnington is committed to compliance with its obligations under the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic). All personal information (including images) collected about the nominee will be used for Council business purposes and kept confidential, except as permitted in the above Terms and Conditions of Entry. These details will not be disclosed to third parties unless the Council is required to disclose the information under other legislation or disclosure is necessary to complete the purpose for which it is sought. Copies of the Council’s Information Privacy and Data Protection Policy, together with details of how you may contact Council, are located on Council’s website https://www.stonnington.vic.gov.au/
• All enquiries and submitted information regarding the awards are to remain confidential (with the exception of winners) unless permission is obtained by the City of Stonnington.
• Individuals or groups who are nominated may be considered for a category other than the one they are nominated in at the discretion of the Evaluation Panel.
• Nominees, nominators or referees may be contacted for further information by Council staff.
• Council will notify all nominees of their nomination within 2 weeks of receiving a nomination. Nominees will be requested to confirm they are willing to accept the nomination. The nominee’s confirmation or acceptance of their nomination will be taken as an acceptance of these Terms and Conditions of Entry.
• Council may conduct a background check for all nominees, nominators or referees.
• Council may, at their discretion, disqualify any nominee where there has been a breach of these Terms and Conditions of Entry, the nominee’s background check is found to be unfavourable, or in instances of the nominee’s unlawful or improper misconduct.
• The decision and the selection process of the Council and the Evaluation Panel in relation to the awards is final and they are not, at any time, required to justify, defend or otherwise correspond regarding their decision-making process.
• Council may, at any time, at its discretion, modify these Terms and Conditions of Entry, including the Privacy Policy, with notice. Any such modification will be effective immediately upon the Council publishing revised versions of the Terms and Conditions of Entry and Privacy Policy on its website dated accordingly. Continued participation following any such modification constitutes your acceptance of the modified Terms and Conditions of Entry.

You can learn about the assessment criteria and the framework for management of the Volunteer Awards Program in Council's Volunteer Awards Program Policy(DOCX, 2MB).