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Volunteering is a hugely rewarding experience. When you give your time and effort to help others, you’re making a difference to your community. One little thing can make a big change.
Volunteering can also help with your career or future study.
What you can get out of volunteering
When you volunteer, you can:
- learn new skills, gain experience and sometimes even qualifications
- have a real and valuable positive effect on people
- meet different kinds of people and make new friends
- feel part of something outside your friends and family
- try something new, see it completed and feel a real sense of achievement
- find out what career you want to do.
Other perks include:
- it's good for your wellbeing
- free training
- possible credits towards your South Australian Certification of Education (SACE) or Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) – talk to your teacher or principal.
Check out Volunteering SA&NTs student volunteering video to hear from students and teachers about the benefits of being a student volunteer.
Student volunteering - video
Student volunteering video - transcript
So when we first started looking at whether we were going to delve deeper into volunteering at our school, we actually had a day where Volunteering SA & NT came up and interviewed a range of different students. One group in particular that really surprised us was a group of kids that perhaps don't have the opportunities to volunteer within their own social situations. So, they weren't a part of the local netball club or the football club. They were the students that were the most passionate about coming forward and giving these amazing ideas about how they could actually give back to their community. Organising soup drives and working within Food Bank. They're becoming such connected young people with opportunities to give back outside of the classroom environment.
We are donating clothes for Serbia. We asked for donations in assembly and everybody brings in old clothes. We get to sort all the clothes in the different baskets and I get to type all the things like if there's two shirts. And also, I've been doing it about since I was five to now, so a very long time.
Not one organisation has said no to having a student within their organisation.
And it's just another way for our students to engage with the community and feel connected.
You can get to really, you get to explore more opportunities that are out in the community. I certainly do like to meet a lot of people outside the school.
They're beautiful children, they're so lovely. They've been so patient with us and I like them around. They're lovely.
We were really surprised at the enthusiasm of the students.
They are really interested in the environment and they're really interested in a continuation of nature into the future for them as well. Our volunteers are, at this stage, some of 'em are getting fairly old! It's great to involve younger people and to be able to interact with older people as well. Any opportunity for young and old to work together would be really great.
Well to the community I suppose, especially with schools, they get to see the children out and about, and for them to be able to see that we're actually making a difference within the community is something really important. Especially with the floods that we had, it's important that school children especially are out in the community trying to improve the community and it's important that the community sees that.
I think it's important to help other people and the kids get more opportunities to meet people. I think it's important for kids to do volunteering 'cause it makes other people really happy. And you always feel good that you're doing something good without needing anything back, apart from the satisfaction of doing it.
It's been so fundamental to my growth as a person 'cause it really does convert to life skills that will help you in the workforce and get further in life.
We absolutely know that attendance is improved when young people know that they're going to be out volunteering and connecting to community. We're seeing some really great opportunities for work experience, some great opportunities for employment. We know that young people feel a greater sense of connection to the school, a greater sense of connection to community, that they feel happier being at school. And this has all improved since we've adopted volunteering within our school site.
Volunteering for me is mostly just about helping my community out. 'Cause if I can better my community, then it's a nicer place to be and it's a nice place for everyone.
End transcript.
How to start
Talk to your teacher or your family. They can help you plan and think about what you can do.
Ask your teacher to see if there’s a student volunteer program at your school.
What to think about
Before you approach a volunteer organisation, ask yourself:
- What sorts of things do they do?
- Is it something you’re passionate about?
- Will they need your help?
- Is there a reason they might not be able to use a student volunteer?
Types of volunteering
When you look for a volunteer organisation, think about the change you want to see in the world. For example, you might want to help:
- end homelessness
- protect the environment
- with a sports or fundraising event
- at a museum or art gallery
- with an emergency response.
If you’re under 18
Plenty of young people volunteer, but not every organisation can take on a younger person. Contact Volunteering SA&NT who might be able to help you find a role.
Kids can volunteer too
You could volunteer with your class or your family and friends.
If you love animals you could help care for dogs, cats, bunnies and other animals at your local animal shelter.
If you like being with people you could help at a local nursing home.
If you like nature you could count wildlife or plants to help the planet.
