Volunteering opportunities
Our volunteers gain a great deal of satisfaction by providing a valuable service to their community.
*** NOW RECRUITING ***
Volunteering at CSF
Are you a good listener and communicator with a genuine interest in others? We are currently recruiting if you think you have the skills to become a volunteer, and are seeking mature adults with listening and communication skills who show a genuine concern for others. If you can commit to volunteering for at least half a day per week for a minimum of six months we encourage you to apply.
Community Support Frankston provides opportunities for many local residents to volunteer their time and skills. Volunteers commit to work one rostered shift either between 9:00am ― 12:30pm or 12:30pm ― 4:00pm on a weekday. Each shift has a trained receptionist and a number of community workers (interviewers).
Other volunteers present at these times may be performing administration tasks, training new volunteers, working on the agency’s information systems, maintaining computers, assisting with our meals program, or receiving / restocking goods for the pantry.
Community Support Frankston is independently managed by local residents through an annually elected Board of Management, and is staffed by trained volunteer community workers, including personnel with backgrounds in business, clerical work, teaching, nursing, social work, banking, sales, trades, engineering and management. Our volunteer workers gain a great deal of satisfaction by providing a valuable service to their community and working with people from all walks of life.
Why Volunteer?
- Experience new challenges, exercise your social conscience, and gain satisfaction from doing something that makes a difference to our community
- Have fun – meet new people – apart from making a positive contribution to society, volunteers form social networks and connections with like-minded people – good volunteers are good to be around!
- Personal and professional development – many people choose a volunteering activity that enhances or maintains working skills used in their paid employment
- Gain communication skills
- Gain experience to add to your CV
- Develop work related skills – volunteering may be a good opportunity for you to get back into an office environment and use new technology
What you can offer us:
- A fresh perspective and a new point of view
- New skills and abilities
- New ideas, energy and enthusiasm
- Ensure the future of volunteering within the Centre
Your responsibilities as a volunteer:
- Be reliable and punctual
- If you cannot meet your commitment, be courteous and inform the organisation
- Attend all pertinent training sessions
- Keep all information confidential
- Familiarise yourself with policies and procedures of the organisation
- Be responsible, as the organisation relies on you
Work Ethics
Development of workplace ethics is an important aspect of staff training at the agency, where the work environment is appropriate and there is an expectation that both volunteers and paid staff abide by the same work ethics.
Workplace ethics relate to understanding organisational structure, policies and standards of work. The difference between this agency and a business environment is that we provide a more nurturing atmosphere when assisting volunteers through their training or placement. Consequently, many volunteers are given more confidence to go on to employment or tertiary education.
Previous Experience
While it is an advantage to have previous experience in your preferred volunteering area, life experiences also assist volunteers in their role at Community Support Frankston.
Some popular misconceptions about volunteering
“Volunteers have nothing else to do with their time” – some of our best volunteers do many things and are so busy with their other activities it can be difficult to contact them.
“Volunteering attracts a certain type of person“ – more likely an event has happened in a person’s past that has made them want to become involved, and they may know what it is like to feel alone and unsupported.
For more information, including your responsibilities and what you can offer the agency as a volunteer, please see below position descriptions and details about different job roles performed by volunteers at CSF.
Our volunteer staff contribute tens of thousands of hours every year providing a high standard of service to the Frankston community, and in a constantly changing workplace environment, are required to assume many diverse and challenging roles. They provide the vital lifeblood that enables efficient function and operation of the agency’s services.
Many of these roles are demanding and require a number of interpersonal skills to deal with the complexities of each day. Each volunteer staff member at Community Support Frankston fulfils an important role by assisting the organisation’s paid staff, and provide the continuity and infrastructure required for this vital volunteer service.
JOB ROLES AT CSF
Reception
Our team of volunteer reception staff are the first contact for people telephoning or visiting the organisation
Community Support Frankston is currently recruiting volunteers to join our reception team. Multi-skilled and requiring good communication skills, they are the first contact for visitors and callers. Their role is varied and they need to be able to assist people to fill in forms, attend incoming telephone calls and manage the people waiting to be seen by an interviewer or counsellor.
Interviewers
Community Support Frankston is currently recruiting volunteers to join our interviewing team. Community workers (interviewers) at the agency deal with thousands of client enquires, and are selected because of their skills and interest in helping others and for their warm and caring personalities. Life experiences can also assist volunteers in their role within the organisation.
All community workers are provided with training to successfully carry out their tasks. An accredited Community Information Worker’s Certificate course must be completed if working in an interview situation with a client.
Many skills, including resilience, are required to be an effective interviewer, with training being the key component of a volunteer’s success in dealing with the many queries that they receive in any given day. Interviewers often extend themselves beyond their roster shift to ensure the best options are explored and offered to meet each individual’s circumstance.
Administration Team
The Administration team consists of – Information, Statistics & Data Entry and Information Technology staff
An organisation as large as Community Support Frankston requires an enormous amount of administration and is reliant on volunteers to support the paid staff. The combined efforts of the administration team ensure that everything the agency produces is presented in a professional manner.
Information Staff
The volunteer Information Officer and dedicated team have the huge task of maintaining the Centre’s information systems, re-stocking brochures and keeping details of local services up‑to‑date. As the organisation becomes more reliant on technology, these volunteers require more computer skills.
Information Technology
The organisation has a small group of qualified information technicians who are continually busy keeping computer systems maintained plus training people in the use of these systems.
Statistics & Database
During each shift, interviewers record statistical information regarding the nature of the enquiry and time taken to provide the service. Our statistical team collate and process this information into monthly reports for the Manager and Board of Management. Other workers update volunteer’s handwritten notes to form a user-friendly database.
Food Program & Bread Pick Up (Driver)
Throughout the week we receive a range of Perishable and Non-Perishable food donations, including canned goods, fruit, vegetables and bread which are collected, sorted and packed ready to be distributed to the less fortunate by our dedicated Food Team.
Marketing & Fundraising
Community Support Frankston is currently recruiting volunteers to join our marketing team. The agency utilises marketing and media volunteers who use their experience and skills to assist with branding and help raise awareness of our presence in Frankston.
Additional Job Roles
Community Support Frankston is fortunate to have people who also volunteer their time for additional important tasks such as roster coordination, advisory groups, maintenance work and group leadership. Many volunteers who demonstrate exceptional and varied skills are often approached to take on additional roles to provide support to fellow workers and students.
Download Position Descriptions:
How to apply…
Please download and read:
Print and complete the Volunteer Application Form:
Downloadable Application Form
Return by email to: csf@frankston.net OR Mail to:
Operations Coordinator
Community Support Frankston
35 Beach Street
Frankston Vic 3199
You can email any questions you may have to csf@frankston.net. Please allow several working days to receive a reply or invitation to attend an interview.
Child Safety Statement of Commitment
- Community Support Frankston (CSF) is committed to the health, safety and wellbeing of all children and to protecting them from child abuse.
- CSF does not tolerate child abuse and all allegations and safety concerns will be treated very seriously, reported and investigated.
- CSF will at all times listen to children respectfully and advocate for their right to feel safe, valued and protected.
- CSF will work in partnership with local organisations and services to protect children in our community from child abuse regardless of their age, gender, race, ability or their family’s religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or social background.
- CSF is committed to the ongoing training and education of volunteers and employees on child safety.
Please note: All volunteers are required to undergo a Police check.
Other Volunteering Opportunities
If volunteering at the agency does not appeal to you, please see the Impact Volunteering website or find other opportunities through Go Volunteer and Volunteer Victoria.
