Volunteer placements

A range of organisations can help you find a volunteer opportunity.

Volunteering SA&NT

Volunteering SA&NT has a volunteer referral service and a large database of available positions to choose from across South Australia and the Northern Territory.

Volunteering SA&NT
Level 1, 300 Flinders Street
Adelaide SA 5000
Phone: 8221 7177 or 1300 135 545 for country callers
Email: reception@vsant.org.au

Local government

Most councils in South Australia have their own volunteer programs to provide services to local people. There are over 11,000 volunteers across the state.

These roles can vary substantially between councils but common roles include:

• assisting in libraries, transport and the environment
• providing aged care and youth activities
• being involved in events and providing community advice
• assisting the socially isolated or people with disability
• helping culturally and linguistically diverse residents.

Find your local council on the Local Government Association (LGA) website.

State government

Volunteers also undertake a vital role in state government - see Volunteering with the South Australian Government.

International organisations

Register for opportunities to volunteer for international organisations on the United Nations website.

Emergency services

You can find out more about becoming a Country Fire Service or State Emergency Service volunteer by visiting the South Australian Fire and Emergency Services Commission website.

Visit the SA Ambulance Service website, for more information about becoming an ambulance volunteer,

If you'd like to volunteer to help the community in post-emergency recovery operations, visit the Volunteering SA&NT website. A phone number and an online registration is activated in the event of an emergency.

If you want to volunteer overseas, there are plenty of international volunteer and exchange programs to choose from. Register for opportunities to volunteer for international organisations on the United Nations website.

Police checks for Australian volunteers abroad

If you're planning to do volunteer work overseas, get a national police check from the Australian Federal Police before you leave Australia.

If you're an overseas visitor and would like to volunteer in Australia, contact the Department of Home Affairs to make sure your visa allows it.

You may be able to work as a volunteer while on a tourist visa if:

• your main purpose in visiting Australia is tourism
• the work would not otherwise be paid if done by an Australian resident
• the work is genuinely voluntary and you receive no pay.

You can receive meals, accommodation, and reimbursement for out-of-pocket living expenses in return for voluntary work under the conditions of a tourist visa.

Police checks for volunteers from overseas

There's no way to get a police check for volunteers from outside Australia. If you want to volunteer while in Australia, please plan ahead and get a police check from your country of origin.

Search for available positions in your area:

• Volunteering SA&NT has a large database of volunteering opportunities to choose from in SA and NT
• GoVolunteer - a national database of Australia-wide opportunities
• Do Something Near You - a national website inviting individuals to get involved with community groups and initiatives in their local area - organisations looking for volunteers can also list themselves.
• SEEK Volunteer - a non-profit initiative designed to make volunteering easier, bringing volunteers and volunteer organisations together.