How to volunteer

Volunteering is a rewarding way to give back to your community. There are many ways to volunteer.

Whether you prefer something more structured or casual, there’s an opportunity to fit your lifestyle.

Types of volunteering

Formal volunteering is usually organised through not-for-profit community organisations. These are also known as ‘volunteer involving organisations.’ Applying for a formal volunteering position is a bit like applying for a job.

Volunteering involving organisations often have a process to find people who best match their needs. If you want to apply for a formal volunteer position, it's important to find out as much as you can about the organisation and the kind of work involved. This will help you decide if it's something you want to do.

Informal volunteering is just as valuable and usually happens in your everyday life.

No matter how big or small, every act creates a positive impact in the community.

To learn more about formal and informal volunteering, go to the About volunteering page.

Getting started

The first step of getting ready to volunteer is to think about:

• the type of volunteering work you would like to do
• your interests and passions, and the types of organisations you'd like to work with
• what you hope to get from the volunteer experience
• how much time you have to give
• how regularly you want to volunteer, for example one-off, weekly or monthly.

Additional requirements

Organisations may require young adults to get parental consent before they can volunteer. Adults may have to provide a National Police Check or a Working with Children Check.

You may need to do an interview or a training course for some volunteer roles. These can provide valuable skills and experience.

Finding volunteer involving organisations

There are many ways to find a community organisation and a volunteering role that’s right for you.

Some options include:

• Volunteering Victoria provides information and search tools to help you find a volunteer role
• visit Ask Izzy to see a directory of local organisations providing a range of community services
• check out the community noticeboard at your local library
• local council websites often have a community directory, and many also run a range of volunteering programs
• job recruitment sites may also list volunteering opportunities.
• ask your friends and family what they do.

You can also read the ways to volunteer page to find volunteer information about different sectors in Victoria.