Volunteering is a way to support the community by doing unpaid work. This can be at a not-for-profit or a community organisation. Volunteering allows you to take action on issues you care about in a practical way. More than six million Australians volunteer every year, so what are you waiting for?!

Why Volunteer?

Volunteering has many benefits for you and your community. Volunteering strengthens communities, making it possible to provide services that might not be available otherwise. 

It will also benefit you! It will expose you to a whole range of new experiences and improve your well-being! Through volunteering you can develop new skills, meet new people, connect with your community and develop new interests and hobbies (not to mention the warm fuzzy feeling you get from helping others!). 

Volunteering is a great way to boost your chances of getting paid work, through the new skills and experiences you’ll have, and it looks great on your resume. 

Take a look at the Youth Central’s page on volunteering for more info.

What could being a volunteer look like? 

Many teens and young people volunteer in their own community, such as at community centres, aged care facilities, and local sports clubs.

You could also check out homework clubs, it is a great way to help out primary school kids with their learning or high school-aged young people with their studies!  

So you want to start volunteering, but where to start?

First of all, you should check with your school to see if they have any volunteering programs or connections with local organisations that may be looking for help.

If you are passionate about a particular cause look up organisations in your area that work on that issue. Contact them to see if they are looking for volunteers. Try getting in touch with your local council or neighbourhood house, they know of organisations looking for volunteers.

You can also search for volunteer opportunities on websites like 

• Go Volunteering 
• Do Something Near You
• You can also check out Volunteering Australia for more information on all aspects of volunteering.