Volunteer FAQs

If you have a skill that is not on this list but you would like to volunteer then get in touch with us and find out if what you can offer meets the needs of our clients

What’s it like to volunteer at the House of Welcome?

Here’s a flavour of the experiences from some past and present HoW Volunteers…

“I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started volunteering here, but I soon found out that the House of Welcome totally lives up to its name…I’ve had such fun playing with the children who need to be entertained while their parent is talking with one of the staff.  Often, it’s the only time these children get to play with other children, so they make the most of it.  I’ve also taught some English, and found to my surprise that it’s not as hard as I thought it would be, because the House of Welcome has good text books and CDs to help guide me. I’ve also talked to some clients in a psychological capacity, to see if I could help them find effective ways of relaxing, sleeping better, and dealing with the trauma and flashbacks that are a very real part of their refugee experience.

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

   I started at the House of Welcome in April 2011. At first it was as part of a work placement for a Diploma of Community services, but it quickly evolved into a time which I have felt has been immensely fulfilling, always challenging and infinitely interesting.
So what is a normal day like at HOW… there isn’t so much a normal day! Opening at 10 the drop-in centre quickly fills up with people speaking Arabic, Korean, English and a number of other languages. Kids run out the back to do craft and play with the toy cars as English classes go on out the back. As a volunteer you might have a cup of tea with a client and help them to make some phone calls to access legal aid, then keep some of the kids occupied with some games and to make some photocopies for another client. The afternoon picks up again and another volunteer takes a client to a medical appointment while another helps a client to look up job vacancies and to write up a resume.  Finally at 3 the drop-in centre shuts and for the first time all day things are quiet as we finish the jobs we started this morning, but didn’t get a chance to finish till now!

If you’re passionate about helping asylum seekers and not afraid to have a few assumptions shattered along the way joining the team at HOW is something you should consider! To read more about Lauren’s experience with HoW – Click Here

Lauren Porter (age 23)

“My husband, Phillip and I volunteered at the House of Welcome for 2 years and found it a most rewarding experience.

Our roles varied from front office administrative work, such as answering the phone, arranging appointments and carrying out any clerical or computer work asked of us, visiting clients in their homes and accompanying them to appointments. Sometimes we were needed to help fill out forms and applications, sometimes to speak on their behalf to other organisations or sometimes to just be a ‘listener’. Whatever the task, it was good to know we were in some small way helping ease the worries and concerns of men, women and families who had suffered so much just to get to Australia.

We were constantly amazed at how generous and positive people can be despite their terrible ordeals and it opened our eyes to a side of the story you don’t get from all the television and newspaper reporting.

We made new friends amongst the staff, other volunteers and clients and are very grateful for all that we saw and learnt in our time at the House of Welcome.”

Elizabeth and Phillip

“I started volunteering at HoW almost 2 years ago, starting with helping to pack food parcels for delivery to homes of families/individuals. I continued at HoW helping in stacking shelves with food and doing a variety of other chores, including housekeeping both in the office and storage container, data entry, housing inspections etc. Since I am a retiree, I feel I should be doing something meaningful in my spare time and I have enjoyed volunteering at HoW“

Tony Yan

“I became involved first by donating clothes and household items. One day I arrived with clothes and material scraps…..suggesting that women who sew might want to use the scraps for repairs or just to create something. Jo was looking at starting sewing classes as a response to some of the clients. I then asked a friend of mine who is good at sewing and making patterns if she would be interested in doing classes. As a result the sewing classes have been running since late 2011. It feels very satisfying to give people the opportunity to expand their abilities in many levels“

Theresa Jackson

What are the commitments I need to make?

We ask all our volunteers to commit to a minimum of 6 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.

Can I volunteer from home or on weekends?

Yes! There are research, writing and fundraising roles that can all be done from the comfort of your home. Almost all of our social activities are run on weekends so there are plenty of opportunities to be involved if you work Monday-Friday.

Is all the volunteering done out in Carramar, South-West Sydney?

A lot of our volunteer roles are based at our centre in Carramar but we have ‘Safe Place’ transitional houses all over Sydney, from Fairfield and Liverpool to Petersham and Surry Hills. Where you volunteer depends on which program you volunteer in.

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:

• Be over the age of 16 years
• 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 asylum seekers and refugees
• Commitment to the HoW Volunteer Code of Conduct

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

Do I need any qualifications?

No, not for most of the roles. We ask that any volunteers in our English teaching program have basic training and/or experience in ESL/TEFL/TESOL. *Volunteer Counsellors will need to have current registrations and be practicing as a counsellor or psychologist.

What can I get out of volunteering with HoW?

Community – Volunteering with HoW gives you an opportunity to work directly in support of asylum seekers 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 must take part in our three hour training and induction session which includes an overview of the Australian humanitarian and immigration system and training on cross-cultural communication, working with asylum seekers and working with those who have experienced trauma.

Twice a year all volunteers and staff meet together for an in-service training day. In the past this has included training from STARTTS on working with trauma, talks from local Imams about understanding Islam and workshops self-care and personal boundaries. Some of our staff training is opened up to volunteers, for example Accidental Counsellor training or information sessions on domestic violence.

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?

It is possible to take on a student if at the time of your application we have the work and supervision capacity to take on a student. We can only take Social Work students who are doing a community development placement as at this stage we cannot provide qualified social workers as supervisors.

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

We will not take any students for placements that are shorter than 5 months.

How do I apply?

Have a look at our current volunteer positions– are there any that interest you? Do your skills and availability match up? If so, then we’d love to hear from you! Contact Jo, our Volunteer Coordinator on (02) 9727 9290 or volunteercoordinator@houseofwelcome.com.au to arrange a time for an informal interview at the HoW Centre in Carramar.

You will then be provided with a volunteer application form which requires a Working With Children Check – Volunteers and two references.