Interested in becoming a volunteer? Here are 3 steps in getting started.

1 THINK about…

• your interests / skills / experiences and which of these you would like to use in your volunteering work?
• the kind of roles would you like to do?
• the commitment that you are willing to make?
• areas within the not-for-profit / community sector or types of projects you would like to be involved in?

 
2 RESEARCH by…

• Visiting and studying websites on volunteering; We have some organisations listed on our website.
• Talking to others about volunteering
• Contacting your local volunteer resource centre
• Reading our Volunteer Guide
  

At this point, you need to learn about what volunteering really means; the definition of a volunteer; your rights and responsibilities; the different requirements and procedures that organisations have when recruiting volunteers, etc.

It is highly recommended that you start your search locally, in and around the area where you live. This way, the volunteer roles that you will find will tend to be located within easy or reasonable access from your home and would avoid transport and other accessibility issues.

You can start by checking if there is a Volunteer Resource Centre or support and information hub around near you. You may also want to check out information from your council / shire, library, neighbourhood house, sport and recreation centre or any other places in your suburb that work with volunteers.

Contacts
Volunteering Victoria: www.volunteeringvictoria.org.au; Volunteer Information Service at 8327 8510

www.govolunteer.com.au – Website advertising volunteer roles

Victorian Volunteer Resource Centres / Volunteer Resource Services
Albury Wodonga VRC: 02 6021-0990; www.vrb.org.au

Ballarat VRC: 5331-8654; www.volunteerconnections.org.au

Bendigo VRC: 5441-1404; www.bgvolunteers.org.au

Booroondara VRC: 9882-5860; www.bvrc.org.au

Eastern Volunteers: 9870-7822; www.easternvolunteers.org.au

Frankston Volunteer: 9770-6492; www.frankstonvolunteer.org.au

Knox Community Volunteers: 9729 9499; http://home.vicnet.net.au/~knoxvols/

Monash VRC: 9562-0414; www.mvrcvolunteer.org.au

Mornington Peninsula VRS: 5950-1223; www.mornpen.vic.gov.au–Your Community-Volunteering

The Centre Wangaratta: 5762-4311; http://www.nevictoria.skillsbank.com.au/

Volunteers of Banyule: 9458-3777; www.volunteersofbanyule.org.au

Volunteering Geelong: 5221-1377; www.volunteeringgeelong.org.au

Volunteering Glen Eira: 9571-7644; http://www.cige.org.au/879/

Volunteers@Warrnambool: 5559-4915; www.warrnambool.vic.gov.au

Volunteer West: 9687-7661; www.volunteerwest.org.au

Wimmera Volunteers: 5382-5607; www.wimmvol.com.au

Whittlesea: 9401-6666; www.whittleseacommunityconnections.org.au

3 INQUIRE about and APPLY directly for the volunteer role/s that you would like to pursue with the not-for-profit / community organisation that advertised it. You do not need to be referred to these organisations. Simply get in touch with the contact person specified in their advertisement and follow their specified process for applying.

TIP: Volunteering is within your reach and by investing a little time on doing some background work, you could be well on your way to your ideal volunteer role!