Volunteering at a charitable organisation is one of the most rewarding and impactful activities you can take part in. Donating your free time to a not-for-profit organisation like The Fred Hollows Foundation is not only extremely generous – it’s also one of the most practical ways to positively impact the lives of those most in need. Whether it’s volunteering at a fundraising event, or helping in the Sydney office with our industry-leading marketing and fundraising program, you can be assured that you will be making a real difference, contributing to a global movement started by Fred and Gabi Hollows. Plus, on a personal level, you will make new friends, develop valuable professional skills, and gain an insight into the work we do. Learn about the volunteer opportunities within The Foundation, and get in touch if you have any questions. Cover photo: Penny Bradfield (2012)
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WHY VOLUNTEER WITH US? WHY DO WE NEED VOLUNTEERS? WHAT ARE THE VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES AT THE FRED HOLLOWS FOUNDATION? WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS TO BECOME A VOLUNTEER? ARE YOU INTERESTED IN PAID EMPLOYMENT?
You’ve read about why volunteering will be great for you, but why is it so great for us? The Fred Hollows Foundation is one of Australia’s most well known and loved development agencies. Working in more than 25 countries for over 25 years, we’ve managed to achieve more than Fred, Gabi and their friends ever thought possible when they started The Foundation. We’ve helped train and empower local eye doctors, nurses and health workers throughout the world. In 2017 alone, we delivered more than 1.1 million eye surgeries and treatments, treated 18.4 million people with trachoma medication, and trained over 100,000 health professionals. But with 36 million people in the world who are needlessly blind, our work is far from complete. Whether it’s volunteering in the office by opening mail, becoming a parking marshall at one of our fundraising events, or writing thank you notes to our supporters, volunteering for The Foundation will ensure that we meet these ambitious goals. Over the last five years, our fantastic volunteers have helped contribute nearly 40,000 hours to assist us in our ambitious goals in the international development space.
Volunteering opportunities are usually based in the Sydney office, or at one of our fundraising events.
Volunteer in the Sydney office
Volunteering in our Sydney office, the hub of our organisation, is a great way to build on your existing skills in a fun and supportive office environment. Our volunteers help achieve our goals in a number of ways:
The Foundation is flexible with how much time you choose to volunteer! Typically, volunteers come into the office in the morning for a few hours to assist. However, we appreciate any time you can spare and can arrange a situation which best suits your interests and schedule, whether that be volunteering once or on a regular basis. If you have any questions about volunteering in the office or would like to register your interest, please email [email protected].
Register your interest to volunteer with us
If you aren’t able to come into our office or simply just prefer the great outdoors, you can volunteer at one of our fundraising events. As a volunteer, you’ll be a valued member of the team, assisting The Foundation in running events smoothly to raise vital funds to end avoidable blindness. We have a variety of roles across Australia which will assist both The Foundation but also our event participants who are raising funds for us. Volunteering roles include: team leader, marshall, medal presenter or even a massage therapist (if qualified). You can volunteer for as little as four hours or for the entire event. Find out about volunteering at one of our fundraising events
The Eureka Stair Climb is a community challenge and fundraising event for The Fred Hollows Foundation at Australia’s tallest residential building, the Eureka Tower in Southbank, Melbourne. Participants climb 1,642 stairs to level 88 – Eureka Skydeck. There are many opportunities from marshalling, registrations, set up/pack down, information and more. You will be able to indicate the area that you are most interested in the application form. As a volunteer you will receive the following benefits:
Register to volunteer at Eureka Stair Climb
You’ll need to be at least 18 years old to volunteer for The Foundation, and you will need to organise your own transport to and from the volunteer site, whether that’s to an event or the Sydney office. There is no specific time commitment needed within the Sydney office. However, with events such as Coastrek and Eureka, volunteering is organised in four-hour shifts with the option of doing more than one shift if desired.
We have career opportunities all over Australia and globally. Check out our Current Vacancies or get in touch if you have any questions.
If you have any questions about volunteering with The Foundation, call 1800 352 352 or contact us via our online form and we’ll respond as soon as possible.
Watch this video to learn about the impact we had in 2018 and check out our YouTube channel for more videos about the work we do around the world.