Is volunteering one of your New Year’s Resolutions? If the answer is yes, now is a great time to get on top of your admin and make sure you have all the right credentials to tackle your next volunteering role.

With 86% of the volunteer opportunities listed on SEEK Volunteer requiring a credential, it can really pay off to obtain the right credentials in advance so you are volunteer ready.

What are credentials?

A credential is a qualification, achievement or aspect of a person’s background that helps to indicate their suitability for a role or task. In a volunteer setting, you may be required to pass certain checks or possess certain credentials that demonstrate you can work safely or skilfully around others.

Some examples of credentials or checks that could be required by a volunteer organisation include:

• Working with Children Check: this certifies that it is safe for you to work with people under the age of 18.
• Driver’s License: a full driver’s license could be required for a variety of roles that involve driving.
• National Police Certificate: also known as a police check, this is an official document that lists criminal records that an applicant may have.
• COVID vaccination: when working in close proximity with others, you might be required to demonstrate you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

What types of volunteer roles require certifications?

Volunteer roles that involve working with vulnerable people will typically require some sort of certification. For example, any role that involves working with children under the age of 18 will require you to possess a Working with Children Check. If your volunteering role has you interacting with elderly or ill people, you may need to prove you are fully vaccinated against COVID. For many other roles that involve working with vulnerable people, you may be required to get a National Police Certificate or Working with Vulnerable People Check.

Even in more casual volunteering settings it’s still important to have the right qualifications or relevant training, examples of this include manual handling or food safety training.

Get ahead with the right credentials

It’s really helpful to have the right credentials when applying for a role. This sends a signal to the organisation that you are committed and ready to volunteer, saving them time and a delay in placing you in a role.

Every SEEK Volunteer listing notes any required credentials in the right-hand corner of the page with the detailed description of the volunteer role. If you have the required credentials, make sure to highlight this in your application. You can do this on SEEK Volunteer in the free text section titled ‘Interest, skills and qualification’ in the application form.

Don’t have the right credentials? Don’t fret – now is the time to apply for them. Some may have a small fee attached (this varies by State) but some will offer a reduced fee for volunteers compared to employee applications.

Helpful tip

If you have a SEEK Profile, consider using Certsy to verify and securely store your credentials. You can then share your SEEK Profile with your credentials as part of your SEEK Volunteer application. This will show organisations the skills, experience and credentials they need to see, so you can start volunteering sooner.

In the meantime, start your search for volunteer opportunities here.