Our volunteers make up 70 per cent of our workforce and are the heart and soul of our organisation. They play an important role in helping us deliver vital services to people affected by cancer in our communities.
We are thankful for the support from people of all ages and diverse backgrounds who use their skills and time to bring us a step closer to a cancer free future.
Volunteer opportunities
We have a range of volunteer roles to suit different skill types, experience and commitment levels. These include:
- supporting clients in our programs and services
- contributing to iconic events and fundraising activities
- engaging with key community members to support our advocacy work
- office administration across many business areas.
Whatever your motivation, you can be sure that your efforts make a real contribution to the vital work of Cancer Council NSW.
View opportunitiesWhy volunteer with us
As Australia’s leading cancer charity, we work across every area of every cancer.
Our diverse work offers varied and exciting volunteer opportunities across the areas of information, support, research, prevention, advocacy and fundraising.
In addition, you may choose to volunteer with us to give back to your local community, utilise your skills or meet others with similar interests. You can be sure that you are making a positive impact on people impacted by cancer.
Cancer Council NSW is an inclusive place to volunteer and work. We embrace diversity, celebrate our differences and inspire each person to be their authentic self at work. As we strive to represent the communities serve, we welcome and actively encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, culturally and linguistically diverse people, people living with a disability, the LGBTQI community, people with neurological differences, mature age workers, as well as parents and carers returning to the workforce. You are valued and respected at Cancer Council NSW. As such, if you require any adjustments to submit your application, please get in touch with us at volunteervacancies@nswcc.org.au.
Cancer Connect volunteering
Have you recovered physically and emotionally from your own cancer experience and treatment?
Would you like to support other people newly diagnosed with cancer?
Cancer Connect is one to one telephone peer support for people experiencing a newly diagnosed cancer, undertaking treatment or encountering survivorship issues.
Become a Cancer Connect peer support volunteer
Corporate volunteering
Are you looking for an organisation where your staff can contribute their time and make a difference?
Big or small, the size of your organisation doesn’t matter. We always welcome any business that would like to support our vision of a cancer free future.
There are a range of opportunities available for your staff to contribute their time to Cancer Council NSW in a purposeful, meaningful and rewarding way.
Become a corporate volunteer partner
Event Day Volunteering
Cancer Council’s calendar of fundraising events is full of exciting volunteer opportunities across NSW.
We are looking for individuals and/or groups to lend a hand, for a few hours or the whole day, to support our events. You’ll meet great people, learn new skills and raise funds for our vision of a cancer free future.
There are roles available to suit different skills, interests and time commitment including set up, pack down and supporting on the day with participant registrations.
Frequently Asked Questions
People from all walks of life volunteer with us and for different reasons. Students and young people volunteer to gain experience and skills they need to help them get a job. Similarly other people volunteer after they have had a break from the job market and are looking to refresh experience.
Some volunteers are in full-time work but suitable opportunities enable them to volunteer on evenings and weekends or have the support of their employer to be involved in corporate volunteering. While other volunteers have a bit of spare time on their hands, looking to put their experience to good use.
Cancer Council NSW has a range of volunteer roles requiring different amounts of time from full-time placements (internships), 1-2 days per week, or one-off activities such as an event day role. To keep within Volunteering Australia’s national standards, volunteer roles generally do not exceed 16 hours per week.
Many of our volunteer roles do not require you to have any experience or specialist skills. For example, if you would like to work on one of our events or try your hand at fundraising, we will provide all the training and information you need to take on these roles. Most office based administrative support roles require you to have good computer, telephone and customer service skills.
We develop position descriptions for all of our volunteer roles and the skills and experience required are always clearly outlined in our position advertisements, so please review the selection criteria to determine whether you have the required skills for the role.
We provide consistent training for new starters, and role specific training for all volunteers who join our organisation. We also offer additional learning and development opportunities throughout the year.
All volunteers at Cancer Council NSW have a staff member who they can go to for help and support. In many roles, more experienced volunteers will also be on hand to offer advice to new members of the team.
You could volunteer in one of our offices or on-site for one of our registered fundraising events held in most major regional towns throughout NSW. Use our Cancer Council NSW office locator, to find your nearest point of contact.
We have a number of volunteer roles available at local offices. Have a look at our latest opportunities to see if there are office-based roles available near you. There may also be some projects or activities that can be undertaken externally from work or home.
From time to time people come forward willing to offer their professional skills or expertise to our cause. In the past we have benefited from the pro bono help of web writers, lawyers, journalists, business analysts, dietitians, video producers, accountants, trainers and facilitators to name but a few. Typically volunteer jobs are based on a pre-identified need and we will advertise the position, however you can send an expression of interest to volunteervacancies@nswcc.org.au and we can consult internally to see if there is a future need for your specialism.
Cancer Council NSW is an inclusive place to volunteer and work. We embrace diversity, celebrate our differences and inspire each person to be their authentic self at work. As such, if you require any adjustments to submit your volunteer application, please get in touch with us at volunteervacancies@nswcc.org.au and we will do our best to accommodate your request.
If you are deaf, or have a hearing or speech impairment, you may contact us through the National Relay Service. Alternatively, please contact us through volunteervacancies@nswcc.org.au to let us know how best to reach you, or to discuss anything further. We are here to help throughout this process.
For all volunteer roles there is an application and selection process. You should hear back within 7-14 days of the closing date specified in the advertisement.
If you have been shortlisted for a role, you can expect to hear from Cancer Council to arrange a phone screen and/or informal interview, depending on the number of shortlisted candidates. If you have not been shortlisted for a volunteer role on this occasion, you will be notified via email.
You can also check the status of any applications made by logging back into the Cancer Council Volunteer Portal and checking ‘My Applications.’