Volunteer
Welcome to Mobilise! Together, with volunteers like you, we develop innovative ways to positively transform the lives of those facing homelessness across Australia.
We will connect you with our team, people experiencing homelessness and other like-minded volunteers!
Join us on a Mobilise Outreach. Either take to the streets in teams to hand out care packages, supplies and conversations, or volunteer in other ways to create a world where no-one has to sleep on the streets.
Sound good? If so, sign up to the right and we'll be in touch or join the Facebook Group to sign up to your next outreach.
Sounds good? If so, read our Volunteer documents and fill out our sign up form and we'll be in touch.
Get involved
Share your details below and we’ll be in touch about upcoming volunteering opportunities in your state.
Your information will be handled in accordance with our privacy policy and collections statement.
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We will soon launch our dedicated volunteer management platform. Stay tuned!
Jac Gray
The stories from our friends on the street are harrowing, eye opening and have helped facilitate a positive change.
At the core, I love being able to have conversations and simply listen to people who may feel abandoned or isolated from society because of factors outside their control, while giving them a safe place to feel heard.
Casey Ash
During my time volunteering so far, I have realised the importance of human interaction as well as being moved by the vulnerability of our friends experiencing homelessness. Their willingness to open up and talk freely has allowed me to grow in confidence, offering support to people in need beyond the outreaches.
Lucy Smith
I enjoy the light hearted nature of the conversations and it has given me the confidence to stop and chat with our friends on the street outside of the Mobilise outreaches.
Jake Borsato
Attending Mobilise Outreaches is the perfect platform to make a difference. I thoroughly enjoy educating myself and caring for others.
The perception of people experiencing homelessness is changing for the better, but there is a long way to go.
Contributing to this makes me feel like I am being the best person I can be.
Elle Tiganis
This weekend I finally put myself in the position to educate myself and take action, instead of sitting around wishing I could do something.
We all have the ability to brighten someone’s day even if we think we can’t help.
Maddy Bartlett
Darren’s enthusiasm was inspiring and his hopes for the future involved applying for jobs and getting back into his passion for cooking. After our chat, he was off to hand out extra meals he’d been given to his friends also doing it rough.
While every conversation we have during Outreaches doesn’t feature so many successes, being able to celebrate Darren’s achievements with him was a really special moment.
Cameron McFarlane
With the majority of the homeless people I’ve met on outreaches, it always feels like they’ve enjoyed having a conversation, it’s just like a conversation you’d have with a mate with lots of smiles, which is incredible attitudes considering their situations.
Aidan McColm
I attend these events because I want to give back to those less fortunate.
Although I was there to show these people experiencing homelessness that I care about them, I left with this incredible feeling of knowing I made someone’s day a little bit better.
Volunteer FAQs
What is an outreach?
The outreach itself is simple. You will head out on to the streets in small groups led by our Outreach Coordinators with pre-prepared care packages. When you find someone sleeping rough, ask if they would like a care package. If they say yes, take the opportunity to crouch or sit down (eye level with the person!) and start a conversation like you’re catching up with a friend. The care packages are just a method to break the ice, what we are truly offering is our time and attention.
We do this because we want to get to know the people we share our cities with and offer genuine connections to people experiencing homelessness. As we all know, sometimes it is the small moments, a good chat or smiles from someone that can lift our mood for the day.
What does an outreach involve?
Outreaches are made up of three things:
- Meeting up and pre-briefing – A chance for all volunteers to meet at a central point, introduce themselves to the team. The pre-briefing outlines what to expect from the Outreach and volunteers may ask any questions they may have about the experience.
- Walking the streets – The main portion of the Outreach, where we walk along the streets, stopping to have a chat with people we come across that may be experiencing homelessness.
- Meeting and debriefing – One of the most important parts of the Outreach, where all volunteers and team leaders are given a chance to reflect on their experiences and share stories with the team.
What can I expect on an outreach?
Speaking to someone who may be experiencing homelessness is no different from having a conversation with a friend at a party or bumping into someone at the shops. Initially, we were also apprehensive about what it may be like – the reality is, these people are just people like you and me.
Outreach is a great opportunity to:
- Humanise people sleeping rough & break down stigmas
- Give people a chance to share their story if they want to
- Acknowledge and validate experiences
- Gain insight into homelessness from those experiencing it
Outreach aims to be a safe environment. You’ll be with like-minded, caring people, part of a community committed to creating positive change.
You’ll never be expected to put yourself in a situation where you feel unsafe or at risk. You will be joined by more experienced volunteers, team leaders, and Outreach coordinators.
You won’t be expected to do anything more than show up with a smile and a positive attitude.
After our Outreaches, there’s always time for reflection on the conversations we’ve had. We discuss how we may use the lessons learned from our experiences and turn that into positive changes for the future.
While we can’t promise to fix the problems of the people we speak to because homelessness is so complex, we can help to connect people with services that can provide them with the support they need.