Volunteering

Volunteering is undertaking a role within an organisation without being paid an income. Such roles can benefit both the volunteer and the wider community. Volunteering can be a step on the pathway toward paid employment. It can be a satisfying way of being part of your community and also provide you with a meaningful and valued role.

Which peer members can be supported into such roles?

Volunteers are found everywhere and come from all parts of the community. Volunteering is a legitimate way to get involved in the community, and many community groups are operated solely by volunteers. Each state provides a peak body to support volunteers and volunteer organisations. In most cases, volunteers must have a current police clearance to ensure they are safe to work with the vulnerable people or children such organisations support.

What are some examples of volunteers in your community?

Why Volunteer?

There are many different reasons people choose to volunteer, including:

  • Acquire new skills
  • Gain experience
  • Share life skills
  • Meet new people
  • Make friends and network
  • Turn interests and passions into work
  • Help people
  • Give something back to the community
  • A sense of belonging to a team or group
  • Decreased social isolation
  • Allows people with disability the opportunity to slowly build stamina whilst dealing with fatigue levels caused by some disabilities
  • A feeling of wellbeing
  • Provides people with disability the opportunity to share their journey and educate others in the community about their disability and management strategies
  • Confidence and self-esteem can be boosted, physical and mental health improves

What are Volunteers Rights?

A volunteer has the same rights as a person in paid employment. This includes:

  • To be given a meaningful position within the organisation
  • To be given suitable training and support in the position
  • To be reimbursed for out of pocket expenses
  • Appropriate equipment supplied to do the role
  • Occupational Health and Safety
  • Safe working environment
  • Suitable insurance
  • Treated as a valuable member of a team
  • Be consulted, valued and made to feel welcome
  • Match role with skills, interests and availability

Have you ever been volunteering and your rights not been protected and embraced?

What could you do if you feel you are not being supported in your volunteer role?

What are the risks of volunteering?

Sometimes, despite best efforts, volunteering roles do not work out. Some ways in which things may not be successful:

  • Not getting on with a particular person
  • Not enough support and resources
  • Not wanting to be there
  • Not a suitable environment
  • Not a substitute for paid work
  • Don’t want to get the jobs no one else wants to do
  • Not happy with the position
  • Not enough hours available

If you feel that your role isn’t working, who can you talk to about this?

What are some ways in which you can plan ahead so as to limit the risk of your volunteering role(s) not being successful?

Volunteering Role Ideas:

There are many opportunities to gain meaningful and valued roles in the community as a volunteer. You can also search for roles available on various online sites including:

  • State institutions: Museums, Art Gallery, State Library, Archives.
  • Church groups: Wesley Mission, CentaCare, Mission SA, Anglicare, Salvation Army, St Vincent De Paul.
  • Council groups: local councils often offer roles in heritage centres, Local history groups, graffiti removal, community centres, community gardens and local libraries.
  • Animal shelters: Animal Welfare League, RSPCA, local wildlife rescue organisations.
  • Not for profit organisations: Red Cross, Meals on Wheels, State Ambulance Service, Royal Society for Blind, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Guides / Scouts, Life saving / Sea Rescue/ SES, Hospitals and other such groups.
  • Education: many volunteering roles often exist in local schools and Kindergartens for reading and learning assistance, craft and art classes, excursions and alike.

What are some ideas you are interested in for volunteering in the future?

What are some steps you could follow to move toward gaining such a role in the future?

A peer support network is a great place for people with a disability to come together to share their volunteering experiences, plans and goals. Volunteering can be of great value in preparing people for the workplace and changing career pathways. It can also help you to create links and connections within your own community. Evidence shows that volunteering contributes to better health and can improve your family and close relationships as you gain a greater sense of belonging. As such, this is an important topic to discuss within peer support networks.

Useful links and resources:

  • Volunteering Australia is the national peak body (https://www.volunteeringaustralia.org/) and provides information on National Volunteer Week, volunteering, volunteering facts and information sheets and information to support organisations who manage volunteers.
  •  SEEK Volunteer is a non-profit initiative designed to make volunteering easier. SEEK Volunteer brings volunteers & volunteering organisations together to assist in the matching process: https://www.volunteer.com.au
  •  GoVolunteer is another non-profit initiative designed to make volunteering easier by matching available roles with interested volunteers: https://govolunteer.com.au/

Co-authored by Families4Families

F4F.png

“It Gave Me Back A Sense Of Self”, Gillian on Peer Support and Volunteering after an ABI from JFA Purple Orange on Vimeo.

In this video, members of Families4Families discuss the benefits of volunteering.

Volunteering in Families4Families from JFA Purple Orange on Vimeo.

The information on this page is also available as a downloadable Quick Guide, by clicking below. There are.pdf and word versions.