ABOUT OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
Community First Development volunteers are invited by communities to walk alongside them to support the community goals they set. With flexible, project-based opportunities, volunteers can contribute in person, remotely, or both - using their skills to support community-led, community-determined initiatives.
Keep reading to explore our volunteer program and how your skills can help drive community-led change.
Become a Volunteer
As a volunteer, you’ll work alongside our team to support community-led projects across Australia. Bring your skills, learn something new, and be part of something bigger.
Express your interest today by completing our application form below, and a Volunteer Coordinator will be in touch soon.
-
Volunteer opportunities are determined by the priorities and needs of our community partners. Our communities tell us what they want to achieve, and we support by finding volunteers with the right skills and experience. Our community partners are empowered to lead each step of the way, including selecting which volunteer is best suited to the project.
Volunteers contribute their skills on an individual, project basis either online, in person or as a combination of both. This provides flexibility for our volunteers to contribute in a way which suits their lifestyle.
You can learn more about some of the community projects our volunteers have supported and their impact here.
-
Due to both the community-led and skills-based nature of our work we are unable to accommodate for traditional workplace volunteering arrangements where a short-term time commitment is offered. However, we do strongly encourage workplaces, especially those with specialised skills, to consider other meaningful ways their employees can utilise volunteer leave and contributes. Our volunteer team is available to discuss these options further.
We also encourage other ways of corporate engagement through our workplace giving program. You can learn more about workplace giving opportunities here.
-
Australian citizens or permanent residents between the ages of 18 and 79 are eligible to volunteer. As a national organisation, working with urban, regional and remote communities around Australia, we encourage volunteers from all over the country to apply.
All prospective volunteers are required to complete our screening which is designed to protect the safety of our community partners, staff and volunteers, and to ensure our volunteers feel prepared and ready to volunteer.
Our screening process includes an informal interview, national police check, medical check and Working with Children/Vulnerable people checks. The screening process also incorporates a comprehensive online and in-person induction which equips our volunteers with the tools and knowledge to work respectfully alongside First Nations’ communities in a way which aligns with our frameworks and values.
Further information about our screening processes and eligibility to volunteer can be found here.
Meet our Volunteer Coordinators
Our Volunteer Coordinators identify and recruit skilled volunteers, keeping them connected, informed, and engaged.
Aimee Bacchetto
“As part of my role, I connect with the most wonderful people, our dedicated volunteers. I love getting to know our volunteers and learning about their skills, strengths, and interests. I am constantly inspired by the work of our volunteers. One of my favourite parts of my role is watching the relationships between volunteer and community grow throughout each project and seeing the incredible outcomes communities achieve in partnership with our volunteers.”
Ellen Kimball
“I really enjoy getting to know all our volunteers and the unique and important skills they bring to the communities we support. It takes a special kind of person to make the commitment these volunteers make. Our volunteers absolutely ‘get it’ in terms of supporting communities towards self determination. It’s a real privilege to be part of an organisation that not only talks the talk, but walks the walk of strengths based community development and supporting First Nations communities.”
FIND OUT MORE
Visit our FAQ page to learn more about our volunteering program, or get in touch by emailing our Volunteer Coordinators.
If volunteering isn’t the right fit for you, there are other ways to support our work.
Make a donation today and you’ll be making an immediate difference to the lives of Aboriginal communities and organisations across urban, rural, regional and remote Australia.
