Volunteering FAQs

• The first step is to do some research.
• You need to consider if Inclusion Melbourne is the right organization for you. Additionally, you need to determine whether you have the motivation and time available to make the commitment required to volunteer with Inclusion Melbourne, which includes weekly or fortnightly contact with your match (dependent on the role), completing training and providing feedback.
• If you think volunteering is right for you and you would like to volunteer with Inclusion Melbourne, then complete the application form at the end of the Volunteer online information session.
• You will be contacted by a Community Support Coordinator who will discuss current opportunities with you
• There are a number of forms to be completed and you will need to participate in an interview, either face to face or over the phone and provide the names and phone numbers of two professional referees.
• Forms you need to read and complete, and other tasks required include:
  • Application and personal details
  • Read and sign a position description
  • Read and sign a code of conduct
  • Complete safety screening – dependent on your role. Leisure Buddies – are required to complete an NDIS worker screening check. Aged Care Volunteer Visitors – are required to complete a police check.
• Upon completion of the recruitment process, your Community Support Coordinator will begin working on matching you to a recipient
• The matching process may take some time because a number of factors must be considered, including shared interests, cultural and linguistic diversity, community, locality and the number of recipients waiting for a volunteer at any one time.

2.1 Leisure Buddies

• As a Leisure Buddy volunteer, you are carefully matched with an adult with an intellectual disability – your buddy.
• Your role as the volunteer is to build a mutually rewarding and enduring friendship with your buddy through shared outings and activities in the community. Activities might include exercising together, eating out, visiting places of interest and enjoying music or film together. There are many other possibilities!
• As a Leisure Buddy volunteer, you will also support your buddy to achieve goals such as enhancing confidence and social skills, developing interests and communication, developing skills and independence and enjoying more social inclusion. There will also be lots of fun along the way!
• Therefore, buddies are matched taking into account where you both live and your shared interests.
• Buddies usually catch up regularly for a minimum of two hours weekly or fortnightly, mainly on the weekends.
• At present the municipalities where we target our recruitment for Leisure Buddy matches are Glen Eira, Stonnington, Port Phillip, Boroondara, Yarra, Bayside, Monash, Whitehorse, Kingston, City of Melbourne, Brim bank, Melton and Maribyrnong

 2.2 Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme (ACVVS) (for the elderly)

Aged Care Volunteer Visitors provide friendship to older people experiencing loneliness and social isolation. Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme (ACVVS) is an Australian government program that aims to reduce or prevent the impact of social isolation amongst older Australians.

Participants must be receiving a Commonwealth funded age care package and be referred to us by their aged care provider.

Inclusion Melbourne auspices this program and our role is to:

• Recruit, train and support Aged Care Volunteer Visitors;
• Match Aged Care Volunteer Visitors to participants; and
• Support the relationship between you and your participant

You are matched based on interests, needs and locality. Aged Care Volunteer Visitors spend approximately 2 hours a week with an older person, doing an enjoyable activity together, either at a participant’s home, in their local community or in a residential aged care facility.

If this role interests you, you must be willing to have an influenza injection and provide evidence of this at interview stage.

Some of the activities that you might engage in include:

• outings to cafes, galleries, or other places of interest;
• going for a walk;
• friendly in-home visits;
• friendly visits at an residential care residential facility; or
• A regular social chat on the phone or a video call.

2.3 Classroom tutors

Classroom tutors assist students with an intellectual disability who are studying for pre-accredited and nationally accredited qualifications

Training is conducted in classrooms located in East Malvern and Sunshine and learning programs are delivered by qualified trainers at Inclusion Melbourne’s Registered Training Organisation (RTO) Inclusion Training.

Volunteers work 1:1 with students, usually for one day a week during weekdays. The number of hours of tutoring can be negotiated, however a full day (approx. 5 hours) is the preferred option.

Volunteers may assist more than one student in the classroom during sessions to complete a range of learning programs such as literacy, numeracy, communication and basic computer skills.

2.4 Project volunteers

• From time to time Inclusion Melbourne may seek volunteer support to assist with projects, such as marketing, events and administration support
• Support may be requested by one of the departments at Inclusion Melbourne and the Community Support team will advertise for a suitably qualified volunteer

• The minimum commitment to connect with your matched recipient is for 12 months. However, it is always a preference that there will be a longer term commitment, with the potential to develop into a lasting and continuous relationship in the life of the recipient

As a volunteer there are a number of important responsibilities. They include:

• All volunteers once recruited, must complete an induction session. If you are a Aged Care Volunteer Visitor, then you will need to complete an online induction session specific to the aged care sector and your role. The Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme (ACVVS) online induction session is hosted by Multiple Sclerosis Limited and will take approximately 30 mins to complete
• For all other volunteers you are required to complete the NDIS New Worker induction module online session (This will take approx. 20 -45 mins to complete) and also attend Inclusion Melbourne’s induction session.
• Inclusion Melbourne’s induction session is usually a face to face session and is for staff and volunteers. During COVID restrictions it has been delivered via Zoom. Session times are scheduled during the year providing flexibilty. Volunteers are asked to attend within the first three months of volunteering.
• This will ensure that you have all the required information you need to help you get to know your match and best support them during your time volunteering. Also from time to time, there will be specialist training available that we encourage you to participate in
• Keep in regular touch with your community support coordinator. If you have any concerns, you must not hesitate to contact your support coordinator to get their advice and support.
• Report to your community support coordinator every month about your contact with your match; how many times you visited and a brief overview of what you did on your visit. This information is very important as we are required to report monthly statistics to our funding bodies.
• During your first three months, we require you to provide reporting after each contact visit. Once settled into your relationship,, a general update about your contact once per month is sufficient. We try to make it as easy as possible for you to provide an update. Currently we require you to send a simple email or text message to your support coordinator.

Here are some examples of current reporting using emails or text to keep us informed:

Hi Simone – An email to let you know I caught up with Ernie five times this month. Three catch ups were face to face and two were over the phone as restrictions were implemented. Ernie shared a lot about his career driving trucks which was great and we looked up truck photos on my phone. Then I read a Ned Kelly book to him. Will follow up with you again at the end of next month. Take care – Ron Email from FV

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Hi Ori – I phoned Mandy 3 times this month and I called her 2 times. She is doing well and so am I. Thanks – Jess Text from LB

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Hey Lorraine – I sent Marge a letter each week but no reply as she isn’t able to. I will be in contact with feedback next month – Sanjit Text

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Simone I’m loving my time with students and staff. Everyone is really supportive. This is my fourth week and I can’t wait to get back after the holidays. Look after yourself – Mia Text from Tutor.

• Aged Care Volunteer Visitors are required in most cases to have had the influenza vaccine and ensure that they have it every year. We required evidence of initial and annual vaccination.  Any issues will be discussed on a case by case basis.
• If you use your car for volunteering, then your car must be insured. It is strongly recommended that you have full comprehensive insurance.
• You will be required to completed a ‘Driver declaration form’ and provide evidence that your car is insured. It is recommended that you check with your insurance company whether there is any restriction related to using your car for work/volunteering purposes
• Being punctual and reliable is very important. Keep to your promises and always be on time for a planned catch up.

• Excellent communication and listening skills
• Being able to volunteer on a regular basis
• A genuine interest in helping others and making a difference
• Ability to empathise with another person
• Having a sense of responsibility and accountability
• Displays common sense and as practical approach

• How Inclusion Melbourne supports adults with an intellectual disability and socially isolated elderly people
• Best practice approaches to support inclusion, contribution and participation when working with adults with a cognitive disability
• Communication strategies that support inclusion and participation for adults with a cognitive disability
• What is expected of you and what you can expect from Inclusion Melbourne
• Your rights and responsibilities as a volunteer
• Dealing with incidents

• Yes. All volunteers except the Aged Care Volunteer Visitors must also complete the NDIS Commission – Introduction to the Worker Orientation Module accessible online.
• Community visitors must also complete Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme (ACVVS) online training developed by the Multiple Sclerosis Society. Your Community Support Coordinator will book you into the course and send you the link to complete online
• From time to time additional training will be offered on varied topics related to volunteering or specialist subjects such as autism, dementia etc.

• You will be assigned a Community Support Coordinator who will be your key contact. You can contact your Community Support Coordinator at any time during business hours if needed, noting that the Community Support Coordinators work part time.
• Routine monthly catch ups will be scheduled with your Community Support Coordinators to debrief
• You will be provided with relevant and confidential information pertaining to the person/s you are matched with
• You are covered by Inclusion Melbourne’s Public Liability and Personal Accident Insurance
• Inclusion Melbourne routinely seeks your feedback anonymously on opportunities for improvement and what is working well. This feedback is discussed at regular team meetings with the aim of making improvements where needed.
• We will keep you updated by email about news, events and activities related to volunteering that you may be interested in participating in. For example celebrating National Volunteer week

• It is well known the benefits for recipients in having volunteer support. Some of those same benefits apply to those who volunteer. There is a significant body of research that highlights the benefits of volunteering. See this Sydney University article that discusses some interesting research findings

• Your volunteering contact will be guided by the government rules published and in place at the time.
• For Stage 4 restrictions all contact is required to be remote, by phone, text, letter or digitally if that is possible
• Volunteers will need to check in with aged care providers, family or their Community Support Coordinator to seek guidance if required
• The same level of contact during non COVID restrictions is required, however we understand for some there will be barriers that will need to managed on a case by case basis