"I started volunteering with the House of Welcome because I was very distressed about the Australian government’s stance on refugees and asylum seekers… For the first time in my life, I was ashamed of my government. I may not be able to change the government’s refugee policy, but volunteering is one small thing I can do to make a difference.

I get a huge amount of joy and satisfaction out of doing this volunteer work with the House of Welcome. The clients I meet are amazing, resilient, strong and brave people."

- Dani Fullagar, volunteer

The House of Welcome wants to connect with your skills, time and energy through volunteering to enable us to do the work we do.

If you are interested in volunteering please see any current opportunities or register your interest on the Volunteer Opportunities page.

FAQS

What are the commitments I need to make?

We ask all our volunteers to commit to a minimum of 4 Months in their work with HoW. This requirement ensures that our clients have continuity in their support. It also means that our training and investment in you as a volunteer is more sustainable and productive.

How often would I be volunteering?

Depending on your role volunteering can be done on a weekly, fortnightly, monthly or on-call basis.

What requirements are there for me to volunteer?

Different roles will require different skills. There are some basic requirements however that everyone needs to have:

  • Respectful manner towards everyone they work with
  • Good communication skills (including a good level of spoken English)
  • Flexibility – to respond to the ever-changing nature of the work that we do !
  • Commitment to uphold the rights and dignity of people seeking asylum and refugees
  • A valid Working with Children Check is required for most roles.

Some of the volunteers require specialist experience, so talk to our Volunteer Coordinator to find out more.

What can I get out of volunteering with HoW?

Community – Volunteering with HoW gives you an opportunity to work directly in support of people seeking asylum and refugees in your community. You can be part of a team that creates significant positive change in people’s lives by helping people find work, sustainable housing, regain their self-confidence and learn new skills.

Training – All volunteers are required to complete induction training as well as project specific training. Contact HoW Volunteer Coordinator for more information about training

 

Can I volunteer in more than one role?

Yes! Many of our volunteers work across programs or they are generalist volunteers for HoW.

Does HoW accept student placements?

1. We are only a small organisation so we can only take 1 or 2 placements at any one time.

2. We can only take Social Work students who can access external supervision as at this stage we cannot provide qualified social workers on-site at HoW.

We are only a small organisation so we can only take 1 or 2 placements at any one time.