Volunteering with Friends of STARTTS and STARTTS

By volunteering with STARTTS, you’re helping refugees and asylum seekers build new lives in Australia.

There are a variety of ways you can get involved.

You can:

While we value volunteers at STARTTS, we are also a small organisation and are not always able to accommodate everyone who wants to volunteer. This might be because there is not a staff member to support you or because we need people with particular skills. When this happens, we’ll put you in touch with another organisation that could use your help.

All our volunteers need to join Friends of STARTTS (FOS). This is so they are covered by our insurance. To join FOS please fill out the attached form and post it back to us. It would be also good to email us (see below).

Depending on the volunteer activities you are involved in you may have to undergo a criminal record and/or Working With Children Check.

You may want to call and speak with us, telephone 02 9794 1900 or email startts@sswahs.nsw.gov.au on 02 9794 1922 or Gary Taylor on 0433 355 588 about volunteer opportunities before you join FOS.

Events, fundraising and awareness raising

A group called Friends of STARTTS (FOS) organises awareness and fundraising activities for STARTTS.

At the moment FOS is:

• Organising a cultural festival including a refugee art exhibition and humanitarian awards evening

• Organising a fundraising ball

If you would like to get involved in any of these activities email Gary Taylor or telephone 0433 355 588.

You can also find out more about Friends of STARTTS by visiting their website.

Back to top

STARTTS has established Enterprise Facilitation a small business mentoring/social enterprise program for people whom other business support programs are not suitable, particularly refugees and migrants.

A broad range of people are needed to support this innovative program.

If you would like to get involved please email Felix Ryan or call him on 02 9794 1900.

To find out more about this program visit our Enterprise Facilitation/Small Business Mentoring page.

Back to top


Write about refugee issues

Twice a year STARTTS produces a magazine called Refugee Transitions. Transitions which covers a wide range of issues from international conflicts to personal stories.

Our clients (individuals and groups) also sometimes need help with writing tasks or we may need help with general public relations and communications tasks.

If you would like to write for Transitions or get involved in this way please contact our Public Affairs Coordinator, Rebecca Hinchey on 02 9794 1966. Experience in journalism and/or public relations is preferred.

Back to top

Mentor speakers for a refugee conference and other conference activities

STARTTS is helping to organise a conference for refugee community members entitled Sharing our Stories, Sharing our Strengths.

Some of the speakers at the conference may never have spoken at a public forum and will need help with speech writing, powerpoint etc.

There may be other rolls supporting attendees, speakers and organisers of the conference. If you would like to get involved contact Jasmina Bajraktarevic Hayward on 02 9794 1900. 

Back to top

Assist groups with particular activities

We organise groups of refugees with similar backgrounds to come together on a regular basis to socialise, learn new skills and information and talk over problems they might be facing.

Often the members of the group get involved in activities that volunteers with specialist skills and experience may be able to help with.

Examples include swimming teachers, belly and other dance instructors, art teachers, computer teachers, physiotherapists or exercise therapists.

If you have skills that might help one of our groups please call 02 9794 1900 or email Jasmina Bajraktarevic Hayward.

Back to top

Bring particular skills and ideas to STARTTS

Sometimes people have their own ideas or special skills that might help refugees and asylum seekers.

This can range from people with legal backgrounds to choreographers with community development skills to people with particular language and/or cultural skills.

If you have your own ideas please call 02 9794 1900.

Back to top