Volunteer with us

Whether you’re giving your skills, experience or time, volunteering in one of our services, schools or programs is a rewarding way to help children and young people in need achieve their best.

See volunteering opportunities

Volunteers are integral to the success of Youth Off The Streets. They also show children and young people that there are people out in the community who care about them.

Make a real difference

Bring your strengths. Change a young person’s story.

Every young person has potential. When you volunteer with Youth Off The Streets, your time, skills and support help it grow.

Why give your time

Your strengths are exactly what our young people need.

When you volunteer with Youth Off The Streets, you join people who see the strength and potential in every young person. You bring your skills – and you’ll build new ones along the way.

Apply for volunteering opportunities

A Youth Off The Streets staff member and a young person looking at documents.

Benefits of volunteering with Youth Off The Streets

Create real opportunity

Your commitment helps young people build their futures.

Grow your strengths

Build skills in connection, leadership and empathy.

Be part of something bigger

Join a community that believes in what’s possible when we show up.

Build your professional profile

Gain recognised experience and a reference to support your career.

Fit it around your life

Give your time in a way that works with your schedule.

Step in fully prepared

Get the training and support you need to start with confidence.

Your volunteering roadmap

Step 1

Browse opportunities

Explore current roles on our volunteer portal and find the one that fits your strengths and availability.

Step 2

Submit application

Complete your online application through our volunteer portal. It takes around 10 minutes.

Step 3

Meet the team lead

We’ll have a friendly chat to learn about you, share more about the role and answer any questions.

Step 4

Background checks

Depending on your role, you’ll complete a WWCC and/or National Police Check – because the safety of our young people always comes first.

Step 5

Online induction module

A short online induction introduces you to Youth Off The Streets, our values, safeguarding practices and your specific role.

Step 6

Ready to volunteer

You’re in! Start booking shifts through your volunteer portal and making a difference from day one. The team will complete a program and site induction with you on your first shift.

Become a volunteer mentor

Youth Off The Streets mentors help support young people to overcome personal hardship, develop new skills and turn their lives around.

Mentoring opportunities

Youth Off The Streets is currently operating three mentoring schemes:

General program

Matches young people engaged with Youth Off The Streets services with supportive mentors who provide guidance, encouragement and positive role modelling.

iDrive program

Connects young people with volunteer supervising drivers who help build confidence and support them in completing the 120 supervised driving hours needed for their provisional licence.

National Scholarship Program

Pairs scholarship recipients with mentors who offer professional guidance and personal support throughout their educational journey, either in person or online.

A Youth Off The Streets mentor sits with their mentee young person.

General program mentors

The general program matches a young person currently engaged with a Youth Off The Streets service – including our independent high schools, Dunlea Alcohol and Other Drugs Youth Service or Aftercare program – with a mentor. Mentors provide their mentees with positive, non-judgmental guidance and support to enable them to develop their talents, life skills and achieve their goals. Mentors empower and encourage the young person to develop support networks and make safe choices.

Apply now

iDrive program mentors

The iDrive program connects young people with supervising drivers who can enhance their self-confidence and help them to obtain the 120 hours of experience required to sit for a provisional driver license. Mentors should be patient, encouraging and hold a current driver license. They will receive training and support from Youth Off The Streets before commencing the program, as well as access to a program car, petrol and insurance.

iDrive operates mainly in the Merrylands and Marrickville areas, but expands to Redfern, Maroubra and Blacktown when there is demand from the young people we support.

Apply now

National Scholarship Program mentors

National Scholarship Award recipients are paired with mentors who supply professional wisdom and emotional support throughout the scholarship journey. As students from across Australia are enrolled in the program, regular meetings between mentor and mentee can take place in person or virtually.

Depending on the program, mentors are expected to make a one to two-hour commitment per fortnight for one to two years. All potential mentors will be screened through an interview process, are required to undertake training and must possess a National Police Certificate and Working with Children Check.

For more information about our mentoring programs, please email: mentoring@youthoffthestreets.com.au.

Apply now

Your strengths are needed here

Take the first step – browse our current volunteering opportunities

Apply for volunteering opportunities

Meet Betty

“I met one of my closest friends while volunteering at one of the Youth Off The Streets schools making lunches for the kids. We both find it so satisfying spending time with the kids and being part of their journey towards becoming empowered young leaders of their community.”

Read Betty’s story here.