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Community volunteering

Information about volunteering to help others in your community.

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Community volunteering is about giving your time to help others in your local community. There are many ways to get involved and volunteering can be formal or informal. Community volunteering could be helping at a foodbank or simply lending a helping hand to a friend or relative.

Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme

The Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme is a program supported by the Australian government. It helps volunteers visit older people who live in aged care or who get support at home. The aim is to help older people feel less lonely. Volunteers spend time with them during the visits and join in social activities.

Learn more about The Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme on the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website.

Community food relief

Everyone living in Victoria has the right to nutritious food to thrive.

There are many ways to volunteer in food relief. You could help by volunteering in a kitchen, assisting with food distribution or handling administrative tasks.

Learn more about community food relief on the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing Service Providers website.

Community visitors

Community visitors protect the rights and wellbeing of people living with a disability. They visit places where people with a disability or mental illness live. Community visitors look at and report on the services provided. They talk to residents and patients to find out if they are being treated with dignity and respect.

Learn more about community visitors on the Office of the Public Advocate website.

Helping friends or neighbours

Gather My Crew is an app that helps people going through tough times to gather a ‘support crew’ of family and friends. The app provides a way for people get the right help at the right time.

Anyone can start a crew for themselves or for someone they’re helping. Health and community sector professionals can become referral partners. The app is free to use. Any information put into it is secure and visible only to people who are in that crew.

Learn more about Gather My Crew.

Independent Third Persons

Independent third persons (ITP) help people with living with cognitive disabilities or mental illness with police matters. An ITP can attend police interviews and help the person and police communicate. They make sure the person living with a disability understands their rights and police processes. Independent third persons provide their services to adults and young people.

Learn more about Independent Third Persons on the Office of the Public Advocate website.

Men’s sheds

Men’s sheds are a community-based space for men to connect and work on projects. They open doors to new friendships, skills and a supportive community.

Local volunteers help to run men’s sheds.

To find out about volunteering in a men’s shed, visit the Victorian Men’s Shed Association website.

Neighbourhood Houses

Neighbourhood houses bring people together to connect, learn and help their community.

Volunteers in neighbourhood houses can help run classes, events and community programs.

Find out how you can get involved on the Neighbourhood Houses Victoria website.

Ways to volunteer

Information about different ways you can volunteer.

Communities

Updated 30 September 2025

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