For Young People

Taking Part:

Become a volunteer

Volunteering is doing anything where you freely give your time and energy to benefit another person, group or the community. Young people have told us they volunteer because they want to do something that is fun, meaningful, will benefit the community and will improve their personal and professional skills.

Young volunteers in Victoria

Young people in Victoria volunteer in lots of different ways. Some volunteer regularly, while others volunteer at one off events. They are volunteering as:

  • coaches for local sporting groups;
  • event organisers, e.g. for FReeZA committees;
  • leaders in their schools, and
  • activists for charities, campaign and social action groups.

Learn why these young women decided to volunteer:

Things to think about

Before you start looking for a volunteer opportunity, ask yourself a few questions. 

What do you want to do? Think about:

  • the things you are good at and enjoy doing
  • the skills you would like to learn or develop
  • the areas you would like get work experience,
  • the causes you are passionate about. 

How much time do you have? Think about:

  • when are you free to volunteer?
  • do you have other commitments, such as school, sport and family that you need to work around?
  • do you have a preferred day?
  • are you looking for something regular? 

Where do you want to volunteer? Think about:

  • Do you want to volunteer somewhere near where you live or where you go to school?
  • How will you get to the place where you might volunteer? 
Finding an Opportunity

There are lots of different ways to find a volunteer opportunity. Here are some ideas to get you started:

What happens next?

Found a volunteer opportunity and wondering what happens next? Well, there are no hard and fast rules, but here are some of the things you might be asked to do:

  • complete an application form
  • provide the contact details of a referee
  • attend an interview
  • provide a resume.

To make sure the volunteering opportunity is right for you - you might want to ask:

  • How does the role fit into the bigger picture?

What exactly will you be doing? How will it fit into the wider aims of the organisation?

  • How much time is expected?

How often and for how long would the organisation like you to volunteer?

  • Will you need to spend your own money?

Or will you be reimbursed for any money you spend on travel or food?

  • Who will your key contact person will be?

Who will be supervising and supporting you as a volunteer? It could be good to meet them before you officially start volunteering.

  • Do they have insurance for volunteers?

Not all organisations have insurance for volunteers. This means that if you have an accident while you are volunteering, you (or your parents/guardians) will have to pay for any expenses. This is important to find out before you start, and to talk about with your parents/guardians.

Jarrod volunteered for YDAS (Youth Disability Advocacy Service) – learn what skills and experience he gained:

What you can do now

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