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Volunteer - Questions and Answers

Why volunteer with City of Marion?

Volunteers are integral to the City of Marion community. As a volunteer with us, you are helping your community across a variety of services that engage an even larger variety of people.

We have a variety of roles on offer and are always looking to involve volunteers in our goal of serving the community in the best way possible. Our volunteer managers are a dedicated and passionate group, and will always seek the best fit for you in your volunteering endeavours now and in the future.

At the City of Marion, we value our volunteers highly; their passion for community and their willingness to give is second to none. We also like to give back to our volunteers with thank you events, skills acquisition and comradery. Everyone wins!

What is volunteering?

Volunteering is lending your time and energy for a particular cause. It is:

  • Undertaken of your own free will
  • For no monetary reward, and
  • Does not take the place of paid workers, but complements the services that they provide.
Who can volunteer with City of Marion?

We welcome everyone who is keen to give their skills and experience to the benefit of the community. If you are stuck for which role is best for you, please don’t let this put you off as we are here to help you as best as possible to match you to the most appropriate volunteer role. All you need is a desire to be a part of the team.

For those under the age of 16, there will need to be a parent or guardian present at all times. This person must also be registered as a volunteer with us.

What kind of work can volunteers do?

We have a variety of roles on offer, and the breadth of roles is vast and vacancies change frequently. Our website lists our current vacancies. We are also pioneering volunteering opportunities outside the traditional roles made available.

Our SkillsMatch Volunteering encourages Marion residents to think outside the box of what skills and experiences they have that might be of interest or add value to our community. Current examples are a gentleman with a vision impairment acting as a footpath safety auditor and a Masters in Nutrition student consulting on food choices available at the Marion Outdoor Pool. So have a think of what you can do to add value to our community and let us know!

It is important to add that we are not always in a position to take on new volunteers. We aim to manage our volunteers personally so you can provide the best service possible whilst having the best time possible. We would love to say yes to everyone, but that is not practical and we will strive to refer you to a suitable program where you can flourish as a volunteer should we feel unable to accommodate you.

What type of commitment is expected?

Volunteering is a two way street; you are free to come and go as you please. It is, however, an important consideration when choosing a role to be mindful to find one that suits your availability.

That said, some roles do rely on the build-up of trust and companionship between the volunteer and client, so certain roles will ask for a commitment relevant to the role and its inherent goals.

We would suggest that a person volunteers no more than 12-16 hours a week.

Are there short-term volunteer roles?

We do offer occasional roles that are one-off commitments, and the frequency of these does vary throughout the year. Most roles of a short-term nature are event volunteers, and these will be advertised through our website.

What is the application process - will I need to be interviewed?

The process of volunteer recruitment all starts with an online expression of interest. Once this information is received, the relevant program manager will get in touch to talk to you a little more about the role, and to discover if it is the right fit for you and for us.

If satisfied, we will arrange for an informal interview, and we do this for a few reasons. Firstly, it gives you the chance to meet us! We want it to be the right choice for you – the happier you are the more effective you will be for community. Secondly, it provides us with a chance to further assess your suitability to the role.

We will then carry out a referee check whilst performing relevant background checks. Once that has all been completed, you are ready to be inducted and then you are fully registered.

The process may seem long and onerous, yet it is for the right reasons: we have a commitment to best practice in all we do. Our residents and clients expect the best service possible, and we want to provide them with it.

What background checks will I need to undergo?

As a volunteer with City of Marion, you could at any stage be in a position of trust whilst engaging with young, elderly, disabled and vulnerable residents. We must therefore ensure that DHS clearances are in place. Your participation in screening is both a City of Marion policy and a condition of volunteering with us.

The process is free and all that is required is for you to enter personal details and address history in to the SA Department of Human Services website. If you have recently arrived in SA, you will be required to sign a statutory declaration stating you have no convictions or criminal history that would otherwise preclude you from volunteering with us.

What if I have a criminal record?

Do not let this deter you from applying. We examine each application and any records on a case by case approach in tandem with the volunteer applicant.

Of course, the best interests of the community is paramount but we will use the principles of fairness and justice in all decisions we make in relation to our Volunteer Program.

How will I be supported as a volunteer with City of Marion?

We have a dedicated team of volunteer managers always ready to look after you and put your interests first. All relevant training is provided and you will be suitably inducted to life as a volunteer with us. As a City of Marion volunteer, you also have access to the staff Employee Wellbeing Programme. Furthermore, whilst acting as a volunteer undertaking duties in good faith as per your role description and/or directions from staff, you are fully covered by insurance.

We want your experience with us to be as rewarding as possible, and we are not only always here for you, but ready to listen to suggestions of what we can do better.

I do not see any opportunities relevant to me, what can I do?

If you do not see anything of interest or relevance to you, there are many more community volunteering programmes in the Marion area. Some of these can be found at the below sites:

https://govolunteer.com.au/

http://www.svsa.org.au/

https://www.volunteeringsa-nt.org.au/