Australian Volunteers Program
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Coffee, clothes and democracy: supporting Timor-Leste through Trade
How Australian volunteers are helping to boost Timor-Leste’s economy by supporting small businesses to grow and expand their markets.
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Making connections and friendships through the Australian Volunteers Program
Here is the story of their relationship, and how Michael’s volunteer experience also led to the development of the Tupaia.
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Australian Volunteers with the Australian Health Security Corps committed to people-centred public health in Cambodia
Stephanie Wheeler and Yasmin Lisson reflect upon their assignments in the Cambodian public health system.
Coffee, clothes and democracy: supporting Timor-Leste through Trade
Making connections and friendships through the Australian Volunteers Program
Australian Volunteers with the Australian Health Security Corps committed to people-centred public health in Cambodia
COVID-19
The highest priority of the Australian Volunteers Program is the safety and security of volunteers.
Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the Australian Volunteers Program has temporarily suspended mobilising participants overseas and is repatriating those currently overseas to Australia.
For further information, please refer to the Australian Volunteers Program
How we are helping
2019-20 Budget Estimate:
$40.0 million
The Australian Volunteers Program provides opportunities for skilled Australians to contribute to the Australian Government's development cooperation program.
In 2019–20, the Australian Volunteers Program will:
- support more than 1100 volunteers in 26 countries
- place at least 97 per cent of volunteers in the Indo-Pacific region with 40 per cent of assignments in the Pacific
- create space to innovate and pilot new approaches to volunteering through the Innovation Fund and strategic partnerships
- empower volunteers to tell their stories through a range of digital platforms, encouraging a broader group of Australians to volunteer and to raise awareness of the program.
In 2018-19, the Australian Volunteers Program supported 1017 volunteers assignments across 26 countries.
To continue to receive monthly updates and job alerts of current volunteer opportunities, please subscribe to the Australian Volunteers Program mailing list.
About the Australian Volunteers Program
The Australian Volunteers Program matches skilled Australians with organisations in developing countries to help these organisations to deliver on their own objectives. The program uses international volunteering as a people-centred approach to capacity development. The Australian Volunteers Program is part of the Australian Government's people-to-people program portfolio, connecting Australians to Australia's development cooperation program and the region.
The Australian Volunteers Program aims to:
- support partner organisations to achieve their own development objectives
- enable Australian volunteers gain professionally and personally
- demonstrate the value of volunteering to the public and governments in Australia and overseas.
Volunteering opportunities are currently available in Bhutan, Cambodia, Eswatini, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Indonesia, Laos, Lesotho, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Myanmar, Palau, Papua New Guinea, The Philippines, Nepal, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Vietnam.
Learn more about the Australian Volunteers Program and each country where volunteers are currently working: the Australian Volunteers Program at a glance
Are you interested in volunteering? Visit the Australian Volunteers Program website.
Follow the Australian Volunteers Program digital channels:
Becoming a volunteer
A wide range of professional skills are needed to contribute to development. Most volunteer assignments require qualifications and demonstrated professional experience.
The sectors most commonly requested by partner organisations include:
- Health
- Education and training
- Community and social development
- Communications and media
- Management, administration and human resources
- Business, marketing and tourism
- Finance and economics
- Disaster and emergency management
- Information technology
- Agriculture, forestry and fisheries
- Law and justice
- Engineering
- Skilled trades
Advice on responsible volunteering is available on Smartraveller.
Partner organisations
Volunteers are placed within partner organisations and work with counterparts and colleagues to contribute to building capacity within the organisation.
Australian volunteers work with a range of partner organisations including non-government organisations (NGOs), civil society and humanitarian organisations, government agencies, educational institutions, private sector enterprises and United Nations agencies.
More information about partner organisations
Australian partner organisations
To encourage greater community involvement, Australian-based organisations can participate in the Australian Volunteers Program by joining with partner organisations. This is a great way for Australian organisations to develop new relationships with organisations overseas, or to strengthen existing links, while contributing to international development. Australian partner organisations include government departments, educational institutions, NGOs and private sector enterprises.
More information about Australian partner organisations
Smart volunteering
If you are looking to volunteer through other programs, advice is available under Smart Volunteering on our website. Thoroughly research the organisation that you plan to work with, particularly when working with children.
Smart volunteering
If you are looking to volunteer through other programs, advice is available on smart volunteering. Thoroughly research the organisation that you plan to work with, particularly when working with children.
The Returned Australian Volunteer Network (RAVN) brings together all Australian Government-funded returned volunteers since the 1960s, providing networking, engagement and professional development opportunities.