Volunteering can be a deeply fulfilling experience. Donating your spare or leisure time to a charitable organisation like RACS is not only an act of generosity, but it is also an impactful way to contribute to a worthy cause.

With a 35-year history and a strong track record, RACS is an independent public voice for the rights of displaced and stateless people, refugees and people seeking asylum. The team at RACS helps them to navigate Australia’s complicated legal system as they search for safety and security.

We provide free legal support to people who have been forced to flee their homes, assisting people of all nationalities, religions, sexual orientations and gender identities.

HERE ARE A FEW THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT VOLUNTEERING:

1. WHAT IS VOLUNTEERING?

Volunteering is when you donate your time and skills and perform tasks or provide a service without being paid. Often people volunteer to provide support to causes they care about, whether it’s to organisations that work to address issues facing refugee communities, First Nations issues, food shortages, poverty, equal access to education, health and work opportunities or those addressing homelessness.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, three in 10 people are volunteers. This means that more than a third of Australians aged 15 or over take part in unpaid voluntary work.

As reported by Pro Bono Australia, a University of Adelaide study found that the monetary value of volunteering is over $200 million dollars.

2. WHY SHOULD YOU VOLUNTEER?

As well as playing an important role doing life-changing work, there are many benefits to becoming a volunteer. Learn the reasons why you’ll love being a volunteer.

If you believe that everyone deserves to live a life of dignity and feel that refugees and people seeking asylum aren’t treated fairly as a result of unjust government policies, or you’d like to be a part of ensuring their access to justice, then you will find volunteering at RACS a purposeful experience.

3. WHY DOES RACS NEED VOLUNTEERS?

RACS is a not-for-profit organisation, which means our supporters, donors and volunteers are essential to the work that we do. This year alone, we’ve had more than a hundred volunteers lend us their support.

RACS is only able to do what is does with donations from generous supporters who care about people seeking asylum. We have a limited budget and we have to ensure that every little bit counts towards making a difference, which is why we are so grateful to our community of volunteers who make our work possible.

RACS is essential for people seeking safety and our services continue to be in demand, which is why we are always looking to boost our volunteering capacity to ensure that RACS can assist people needing our help.

4. WHAT ARE THE VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES AT RACS?

As a community legal centre, many people are aware of the opportunities to complete their practical legal training or other legal internships with RACS. However, there are lots of opportunities at all skill levels from general office support, answering phones and data entry, to more specialised roles, including IT support, graphic design, and social media marketing. Discover current volunteering opportunities now.

5. HOW CAN I VOLUNTEER AT RACS?

You can choose to volunteer during a specific window or commit to a few hours every week for a few months. Many of our volunteers choose to donate their time for six months to a year, or even more.

There is flexibility in how long or how often you volunteer, depending on the type of volunteering you are interested in.

If you are interested in volunteering at RACS, you can submit your CV and a cover letter outlining why you’d like to volunteer and in what capacity.

Express your interest to volunteer with RACS