UnitingCare websites
We welcome volunteers from a wide variety of backgrounds and experience. Our volunteers are anywhere between 16 and 85 years old and include students, retirees, job seekers and professionals.
Join our wonderful community of volunteers and develop new skills while helping others and making a difference in your community!
Volunteer opportunities
Our volunteers assist in many ways, depending on their skills and choices, and the services available at their local centre. You could make a difference to someone’s day by:
Sharing skills and interests
Our residential aged care and respite centres welcome people who wish to share their knowledge and skills, whether it be a craft activity, sport, music or IT, or are interested in helping support others with their favourite interests.
Life Stories
Volunteers visit regularly to help in compiling a person’s Life Story as a gift to leave their family for the future. In a residential or respite centre, a shorter version can be developed to provide cues for staff supporting the person with care requirements. This is a lovely way to have a chat and encourage someone to tell their story, which involves active listening, prompting, encouraging, writing and a bit of detective work!
Pastoral care
A listening ear is a beautiful gift to give another person – our Pastoral Care volunteers visit clients and residents to do this, easing loneliness and providing support. They may pray with people and read the Scriptures as requested. Some assist our Chaplains in leading worship and other services. These activities can be a wonderful connection point with people.
Social visits
Interests and hobbies are always better shared with another like-minded person. A social visit involves regularly visiting a person at their home or in one of our services to share a chat over a cuppa, reading or, other activities of interest to you both.
Assisting with transport
Using their own vehicle or a BlueCare pool vehicle, volunteers in some services take a person shopping, to medical appointments or on other outings.
Shopping support
Volunteers can accompany a person and assist them with their shopping of any kind.
Outings
Volunteers help with organised group or individual recreational outings. Our Respite Centres run a program of interesting outings that our volunteers attend to enhance each person’s experience and assist staff.
Bus hosts
Volunteers assist on respite centre buses, greeting people and helping to ensure the safety and wellbeing of everyone going to and from our centres and their homes.
Administration support
This involves supporting our staff with basic administration such as filing, photocopying and data entry.
Gardening
Calling all green thumbs! We need your help to maintain the gardens at some of our residential and respite centres. You could also assist a person with their home garden doing things like helping them water the garden, repot their plants and minor tidying while having a chat and sharing the joy of gardening.
Services assistance
Our residential and respite services welcome help with recreational, social and craft activities run on-site. Some have coffee shops, canteens or libraries, which really appreciate volunteer support.
If any of these sound like you – please get in touch!
Becoming a volunteer
We will work with you to find a role to suit your lifestyle, interests and skills. No prior experience is necessary. You’ll meet with one of our volunteer team members so you can volunteer in a way which makes the most of your time and strengths.
All volunteers require a police check, Yellow Card and two reference checks. We will assist you to apply for these and, there are no costs associated with these for our volunteers.
Volunteer training and support
Our volunteer program connects each volunteer with a staff supervisor for ongoing support, advice and essential, mandatory training to ensure their experience is positive and worthwhile. This is completed at your local service and usually takes around half a day to complete.
If you would like to help others live life their way, connect with people in our community and contribute to the wellbeing of those around you, please get in touch today.
Frequently asked questions about volunteering
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Who do I talk to if I am unable to attend on my nominated day or time
All BlueCare volunteers have a nominated Volunteer Coordinator or Supervisor they can contact if they can’t make it, or have any questions or concerns.
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What if I need time away for holidays, illness or casual work?
That’s fine! We completely understand our volunteers have other commitments and interests. If you can, please let your local Volunteer Coordinator or Supervisor know in advance, giving as much notice as you can, particularly for longer periods of leave.
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How many hours do I need to volunteer?
We don’t have any set minimum time commitments. We are open to finding a role to suit the time people can give, depending on your lifestyle and wellbeing. For instance, someone working fulltime might be able to give two hours per fortnight, which would significantly improve the life of an older person who is lonely. A person who is retired may be able to fit in a day or two of volunteering around their other interests. Please be mindful of your own wellbeing – we encourage people to volunteer for a maximum of 16 hours a week. We are very flexible and value any regular time commitment you can manage.
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Can I change my volunteer role?
Sure! BlueCare is a part UnitingCare, one of the largest health and community services providers in Queensland. As such, our volunteers can transfer between our other services, as well as within BlueCare. Some roles do require additional specific training but there are many roles across the organisation where skills are easily transferable. If you are interested in exploring these options, explore more volunteer activities on the UnitingCare Volunteering Portal.
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How old do you have to be to volunteer with BlueCare?
The minimum age to volunteer with BlueCare is 16. Full time students under 18 must have the written consent of their parent or guardian.
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Why do I need to have a National Criminal History Check and Yellow Card to volunteer?
These checks are a legislative requirement for all volunteers and staff. This ensures our clients and residents feel safe and confident in the support they receive.
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Why is BlueCare volunteer training mandatory?
Training is mandatory for all our volunteers to protect the wellbeing and safety of themselves, fellow volunteers, staff and clients.
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Will I be covered by insurance when I volunteer?
Yes. Volunteers are covered by UnitingCare Volunteer Personal Accident Insurance. This insurance covers our volunteers from age 16-75, with reductions in available cover after 75, ceasing completely at 95. Please note any damage which occurs to a volunteer’s personal vehicle is to be covered by their own car or vehicle insurance policy.
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Will I get a paid role with BlueCare if I volunteer?
Volunteering for UnitingCare is not a transitional period into employment. We will never ask potential employees to volunteer first, and volunteers do not become paid staff. While you are volunteering with us, you are encouraged to apply for any paid roles that arise if you are looking to change to a paid position within the organisation.
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Do I definitely need two personal or professional referees?
Yes, two referees are required for each and every volunteer. They cannot be related to you. If you are unsure about who to list, or don’t think you will be able to supply two referees, please give us a call on 07 3253 4000.
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While volunteering, will I be reimbursed for any expenses I incur?
If we ask you to use your own car for your volunteer role, you will be reimbursed for the distance you drive with clients. Unfortunately, we currently are not able to reimburse our volunteers for their expenses beyond this. From time to time we apply for grants for certain projects and this can fund expenses associated with that particular project.
To become a volunteer, visit our Volunteering Portal
Simply follow our three-step sign-up:
- Search and select a volunteer activity.
- Fill in an application by creating an account.
- Scroll down and click Sign Up in the schedule.
If there are no current activities or opportunities that interest you, please sign up to a waiting list or select “Volunteer My Way” to register your interest.
Sign up today