What is volunteering?
Volunteering is when you donate your time to help an organisation that supports people in need, or a cause that you care about. Volunteers do not receive a financial gain although costs such as transport can sometimes be recovered so that you are not out of pocket. Volunteering is a great way to build your skills and become job ready.
Benefits of volunteering
There are many benefits to volunteering while studying as an international student in Australia.
Make new friends
Volunteering helps you to feel part of a community. You will meet new people and improve your communication and interpersonal skills.
You never know where these relationships could take you. You may end up meeting your new best friend or a future employer!
Advance your career
Volunteering can give you valuable work experience that will be a great addition to your resume. In Australia, many employers value the skills and experiences that come from volunteering. Volunteering programs may offer training that is also a useful addition to your skills and resume.
Grow your skills
Volunteering can help you to develop valuable skills. The exact skills you’ll learn will depend on the roles, but you can be sure they’ll come in handy. Some examples of the skills you may gain include customer service, communication, problem-solving, marketing, adaptability and much more.
Volunteering allows you to engage with, and learn from, a diverse group of professionals who can help you gain valuable hands-on experience.
Improve your mental and physical wellbeing
Research has found that people who volunteer have better mental wellness. One study found that those who volunteer report higher levels of satisfaction with their lives and health. According to Head to Health, volunteering can also reduce anxiety and depression.
Help those in need
Most importantly, volunteering is an amazing way to give back to the community. This is not only fulfilling for you, it also helps others who are less fortunate.
Where to find volunteer opportunities
A good place to start your search for a volunteer opportunity is govolunteer.com.au.
Your education provider will usually offer a range of volunteer opportunities, including on and off campus.
For volunteer opportunities in each state and territory visit:
- Australian Capital Territory (Canberra, ACT) - Volunteering and Contact ACT
- New South Wales (NSW) - The Centre for Volunteering NSW
- South Australia (SA) and Northern Territory (NT) - Volunteering SA & NT
- Queensland (QLD) - Volunteering Queensland
- Tasmania (TAS) - Volunteering Tasmania
- Victoria (VIC) - Volunteering Victoria
- Western Australia (WA) - Volunteering WA.
