Volunteering provides people with the opportunity to assist a not for profit organisation within their community.

Volunteers bring a wide range of life experiences, education and professional training to an organisation.

Volunteering can benefit the volunteer, the organisation and the community.

People choose to volunteer for a variety of reasons. These reasons can include:
• an interest or serious commitment to an organisation or project;
• wanting to be part of the process in changing our society;
• a desire to contribute time and unique skills, talents and knowledge;
• looking for opportunities to meet new people and to have a good time;
• having time available
• needing to further develop current skills
• wanting to develop new skills

Volunteer Rights (Source: Volunteering Australia)

Unlike paid staff, volunteers are not covered by awards or work-place agreements.
Volunteers however do have rights, some which are enshrined in legislation and some which could be considered the moral obligations of an organisation involving volunteers. Volunteering Australia promotes the following as the basic rights of a volunteer.
As a volunteer you have the right:
• to work in a healthy and safe environment (refer various Occupational Health and Safety Act[s]);
• to be interviewed and employed in accordance with equal opportunity and anti- discrimination legislation;
• to be adequately covered by insurance;
• to be given accurate and truthful information about the organisation for which you are working;
• to be reimbursed for out of pocket expenses;
• to be given a copy of the organisations volunteer policy and any other policy that affects your work;
• not to fill a position previously held by a paid worker;
• not to do the work of paid staff during industrial disputes;
• to have a job description and agreed working hours;
• to have access to a grievance procedure;
• to be provided with orientation to the organisation;
• to have your confidential and personal information dealt with in accordance with the principles of the Privacy Act 1988; and
• to be provided with sufficient training to do your job.

For more volunteer information and resources at BINC, click here