Volunteering at the City of Victor Harbor
Volunteers connect closely with our local community to help build vibrant places to live, work and play. Many Council programs and services would not be provided without the support of our amazing volunteers.
We are very fortunate to have around 500 volunteers who come from all walks of life - retirees, business people, community leaders and students. Whether you want to help others, gain valuable experience, share your own skills or make new friends we may have just the right thing for you.
There's a huge variety of volunteering roles which can be flexible according to your availability, skills and interests.
Current Vacancies
Driving The Future - Volunteer Mentor
Caring Neighbourhood Program - Van Driver Volunteer
Caring Neigbourhood Program - Individual Support Volunteer
Southern Communities Transport Scheme - Office Volunteer
Southern Communities Transport Scheme - Volunteer Cleaner
Southern Communities Transport Scheme - Driver Volunteer
Visitor Services - Regional Ambassador Volunteer
Fleurieu Families - Fleurieu Families Volunteer
And more! Council staff can work with you to find a volunteer role that is the perfect fit based on your availability, skills and interests.
Volunteer Resources
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, you can read the below resources and complete the application and acceptance forms. If you would like to discuss anything further or get more information, you can contact the City of Victor Harbor on 8551 0500 or localgov@victor.sa.gov.au.
Volunteer Acceptance Form
Volunteer Induction Book
Volunteer Policy
Volunteer Week Small Grants
To acknowledge the efforts of volunteers that support the Victor Harbor community, the City of Victor Harbor provides a range of small grants during National Volunteer Week. These grants aim to encourage and assist community groups to celebrate and recognise the contribution of their volunteers. National Volunteer Week is generally held in May each year.
Southern Volunteering (SA)
Southern Volunteering can help to connect local volunteers with not-for-profit organisations. The Southern Volunteering website provides information on volunteering opportunities and roles available in the southern suburbs of Adelaide, the Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island.
For more information about volunteer vacancies, contact Southern Volunteering at 8552 7858 or visit Unit 144 Torrens St, Victor Harbor (opposite the Ambulance station). The Southern Volunteering office is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am - 1pm.
Current Volunteering Programs at Council
Volunteers in our Caring Neighbourhood Program offer companionship and friendship opportunities to older people in our community.
Areas of volunteering include:
- Van/bus drivers for bus trips and lunch groups
- Van/bus assistant to assist people on and off the vehicles
- Support to facilitate our art group & movie afternoons,
- Support and transport to our exercise programs,
- Assist with our home delivery library service,
- Office administration support
- Individual support activities (one on one social activities - e.g. a drive to the beach or coffee together).
If you are interested in volunteering for the Caring Neighbourhood Program, please call 08 8551 0500.
Council works collaboratively with the community to improve the natural environment. Whether you would like to volunteer as an individual, or join a local environmental group, there are many opportunities across the Victor Harbor region help improve our local environment.
Volunteering among our natural environment has many benefits, including connecting with like-minded people, gaining experience and learning new skills, finding out more about our local flora and fauna, and having a great sense of contributing to the enhancement of our local biodiversity.
Opportunities exist among some of our natural bushland reserves, our beautiful river environments, and Victor Harbor’s stunning coastline.
Some of the tasks you may be able to assist with include:
- Stabilising sand dunes by establishing local plants along the coastline,
- Increasing native vegetation by planting local plant species,
- Watering young plants through the summer months,
- Improving habitat for local fauna by removing weedy plants,
- Providing input to signage, and
- Participating in group activities such as nature walks.
Contact Council's Environmental Project Officer on 08 8551 0500 or at localgov@victor.sa.gov.au for more information.
The City of Victor Harbor often requires volunteers for specific events held throughout the year. This could include the Rock n Roll Festival, New Year's Eve, WhaleFest, and the Tour Down Under.
Contact Council's Festivals and Events Officer on 08 8551 0500 to express your interest in volunteering.
The City of Victor Harbor's Fleurieu Families program often requires volunteers to assist with events and initiatives. Volunteer tasks may include supporting parents, helping with administrative tasks, and supporting events. Volunteers can also share their own experiences of parenting and grand parenting.
Contact the Fleurieu Families team to find out more about volunteering opportunities by calling 08 8551 0500.
As a volunteer at the Library, you may assist with shelving books, shelf management, processing material and covering books, IT help, and helping with youth programs.
If you are interested in volunteering in the Library, call 08 8551 0500.
The Southern Communities Transport Scheme provides transport services for Transport Disadvantaged people of all ages. Some of the different types of volunteers needed include:
- Volunteer Drivers – Locally and metro
- Volunteer Drivers – Shopping bus
- Volunteer Drivers – Aquatic Bus
- Volunteer Shopping Bus Attendants
- Volunteer Office Administration Support
Contact the Southern Communities Transport Scheme on 08 8551 0500 to find out more about volunteering opportunities.
Council's Youth Development Program requires volunteers for a range of purposes, including:
- Mentoring students and young people
- Creating opportunities and organising events as part of a committee
- Provide input at meetings as a young person
- Attending Youth forums and events
Contact Council's Youth Development Officer on 08 8551 0500 to find out more.
As a volunteer at our Visitor Information Centre, some of your tasks may include:
- Meeting and greeting visitors to the centre
- Providing customer service and information about the region
- Assisting visitors with bookings for their stay in Victor Harbor and region
- Providing assistance in the Visitor Information Centre Retail Store.
Contact the Visitor Information Centre on 08 8551 0500 to find out more about volunteering opportunities.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have a specific area that you would like to volunteer with then please call the relevant area for an informal chat. You may then organise a suitable time to meet with that volunteer coordinator and fill in the application above. Alternatively you can fill in the application form above and email to localgov@victor.sa.gov.au and one of our volunteer coordinators will discuss any vacancies as they arise. Be sure to fill out which Council program interests you.
This depends on the the area that you are volunteering in. Every role will go through an induction process. If relevant, you may have to wait until you have undergone relevant training or police clearance. Your coordinator will induct you in the role and the area you are working in.
No!
Some our volunteer roles are designed for people who are over 18 years old. However, we do have opportunities for younger people to get involved too. We are always happy to discuss opportunities for young people to volunteer.
This depends on where you are volunteering and the type of role. Some volunteers may have set days and times that they volunteer whilst others may be a more flexible commitment. Centrelink may also request a certain amount of volunteering hours per fortnight. In most cases you will decide how many hours you are willing to commit. The hours are determined by the nature of the volunteer role and the amount of work to be done.
As a regular volunteer, we acknowledge holidays are important and we encourage you to take them. We ask that you advise your coordinator in advance of holiday plans to help planning for programs. With many programs, we do have volunteers that are away for periods while travelling in winter times and this is fine as long as we have advance warning.
We ask that you commit to the volunteer role for a number of months due to the time spent inducting and training volunteers and to ensure continuity of roles.
Yes we are happy to provide a reference. Please discuss this with your volunteer coordinator so they are prepared when they receive the request for the reference.
The City of Victor Harbor will reimburse any agreed out of pocket expenses which are incurred whilst performing volunteer duties. The process differs depending on the program. Your volunteer coordinator will discuss this in more detail during your induction.
Please contact our HR manager if you would like to discuss placement opportunities.
It depends on the nature of the volunteering work you are performing. This will be discussed between you and your volunteer coordinator as you will need to provide consent and identity information for the check. Any expenses for this will be covered by the City of Victor Harbor.
You are covered by insurance whilst performing your approved duties as a volunteer of the City of Victor Harbor. Regular record keeping of approved involvement is required. With any insurance policy there are limitations and exclusions. Please see the Volunteer Induction Booklet for further information and /or discuss with your volunteer coordinator.
The Volunteers Protection Act ensures that a volunteer incurs no personal civil liability for an act done in good faith and without recklessness in the course of carrying out community work for a community organisation.