Why does Sands rely on the support of volunteers? Expand Sands has always been a volunteer-led organisation, built upon the passion and commitment bereaved parents share to make a difference. We are a not for profit organisation that relies on the generosity of our community to support our important work in ensuring no bereaved parent feels alone after the death of a baby. Sands would not exist without the skills, knowledge, wisdom and experience that our volunteers bring to our organisation.
How will I be supported whilst volunteering with Sands Expand Our national volunteering team is dedicated to supporting our volunteers to ensure that you have a positive, rewarding and worthwhile volunteering experience. There is always someone experienced available for you to ask advice from, to debrief with, and to learn from. As a volunteer, you are the lifeblood of Sands and we are committed to keeping you informed and up-to-date with regular newsletters and opportunities to connect with staff and fellow volunteers across Australia
Will I receive any training? Expand All volunteers going into peer supporter roles undertake our national bereavement support training, delivered in person at locations across Australia or online where attendance at our office is not possible. The training is conducted by our National Bereavement Support Team and is designed to introduce you to various theories and experiences of grief, introduce Sands’ unique peer-to-peer model of support, and prepare you for what to expect when offering support to vulnerable people. Volunteers have the opportunity to refresh their training at various intervals throughout their period of service. For other volunteer roles, full training is provided in a variety of ways including training manuals, newsletters, online videos and online webinars. Our team will assist you to gain the knowledge you need to feel comfortable in your volunteering role.
Will I need to be interviewed? Expand After you submit an expression of interest, our volunteer recruitment process consists of a preliminary phone interview to determine your skills and experience and the roles available in your local area. Some roles also require a reference check, police check or Working with Children check, and depending on the type of role you are applying for, a short period of in-person or online training.
What are the benefits to volunteering with Sands Expand Volunteering with us connects you to a community of people with shared experience, helping combat the isolation of pregnancy and infant loss while enabling you to help others whose grief journeys are often just beginning. Many of our volunteers have made valuable friendships through the connections made as a volunteer with us. Our volunteer peer supporters tell us that helping other bereaved parents gives them a meaningful way to remember their baby.
Will I need a background check? Expand Some volunteer roles, particularly those where volunteers are interacting with vulnerable people (e.g. on our support services) will require a national police check. Any volunteers working with children will also require a relevant Working with Children Check. You will be advised during recruitment if a check is required.
I work full time – can I volunteer? Expand Yes, there are many volunteer opportunities that do not require you to be available during “normal” office hours. One of the best things about volunteering with us is that it can be done at a time that best fits with your lifestyle. As well as having ongoing opportunities, we also offer volunteering for one-off occasions.
Do I need experience or qualifications? Expand For our direct support roles there is no magic formula or qualification required – we're rather looking for a unique set of qualities (empathy, compassion) combined with lived experience of pregnancy, infant or child loss to ensure the families reaching out to us are always able to talk to someone who understands what they are going through. Many of our volunteers have interests or backgrounds in related areas – counselling, midwifery etc. but this is by no means a pre-requisite for the role. For more information about the specific requirements of each volunteer role see our volunteer position descriptions.
How much time do I need to give? Expand One of the great things about volunteering with us is our flexibility. Because our phone support services operate 24 hours a day, our volunteer peer supporters can sign on for wide range of shifts across the week – day or night - through our virtual volunteer roster. For support-based roles, we do ask a minimum commitment of one 8-hour shift per fortnight. We do offer other once-off or short-term roles that require no ongoing time commitment.
How long do I have to commit for? Expand It’s your choice. Your commitment to a particular volunteer position depends entirely upon your circumstances, interests, and the length of time your volunteer position is available for. For those going into support service roles, however, we do ask people to commit for a minimum of 12 months due to the level of training invested.
What kind of volunteering do you offer? Expand We offer both ongoing and on-time volunteering opportunities, and have roles available in each state and in a range of areas, including: Supporting parents as a Peer Supporter on our 24/7 Support Line Helping to plan local events and memorial activities such as our annual Walks to Remember Helping out at events and with fundraising activities such as Red Nose Day or Say Their Name Day Assisting with office administration and support Knitting, sewing, or crafting in our Treasured Babies Program Teams or corporate volunteering. To find out more about the types of roles available visit our volunteer information page.
Do I have to be a bereaved parent to volunteer? Expand Not everyone who volunteers with us has lost a baby or child, but all of our volunteers have a sensitivity towards and empathy for the experience of bereaved families. We have a range of non-support-based volunteer roles that anyone is welcome to apply for. You may be interested in becoming a Health Professional Liaison volunteer or an event volunteer. From time to time we also recruit volunteers with specific skills such as photography or journalism. Learn more about volunteering for Sands (and Red Nose)
Who can volunteer? Expand Anyone over the age of 18 who has lived experience of miscarriage, medical termination, stillbirth or newborn death can apply to become a volunteer peer supporter. Due to the emotional nature of these roles we ask that potential volunteers wait at least twelve months after their most recent loss to ensure they are in the best possible position to provide support to other parents. We welcome applications from men and women from a range of backgrounds and with a range of personal experiences of loss. As many of our support services operate by phone or online, you can become a volunteer parent supporter with us no matter where you live in Australia.