Volunteer with Make-A-Wish

Join the #WishForce! Apply as a volunteer today to join our network of 850+ Australian volunteers and become part of the world's largest wish-granting organisation for sick children and families

Apply now

Why volunteer with us?

When you join the #WishForce, you become part of the world's largest wish-granting charity - with endless opportunities to make a difference in the lives of sick kids, their families and local communities.

★ Meet like-minded people and create lifelong friendships in the #WishForce
★ Develop new skills and gain valuable work-related experience
★ Build emotional resilience, well-being and self-esteem
★ As a way to give back and help others in the local community
★ And importantly, be inspired and have fun!

When you volunteer with Make-A-Wish, we'll take you on an unforgettable volunteering journey - whatever your reason, explore our opportunities and get involved today.

What volunteer roles are available?

Our volunteers can support Make-A-Wish in various ways including:

  • Branch volunteers - getting active in your local community, working with local wish families, and participating in awareness and fundraising activities.
  • Event volunteers - getting involved in more of an ad-hoc way, often for a single shift or day, during a local Make-A-Wish event (ie. fun run)*
  • Office volunteers.

Once you’re ready to apply, click the ‘Apply Now’ button on this page and follow the prompts (it’s quick and easy). If you’d like to learn more about our volunteer opportunities, see below!

Icon of a smiling and sparkling star in white

Explore volunteer opportunities

There are many different ways to lend your time and skills to help make wishes come true. Find out more about our volunteers and the types of roles available.

Who can be a Make-A-Wish Volunteer?

We are a vibrant, diverse, and inclusive organisation, and encourage volunteers of all backgrounds, skills and life experiences to get involved! A few requirements to consider when applying as a volunteer include:

  • Volunteers generally need to be 18 years or older, or 16 years for event helpers.
  • You'll need an email address and the ability to access our online Community platform for volunteer communications and training.
  • Our volunteer onboarding process includes an interview and background checks, including a Police Check and Working With Children Check, to ensure all volunteers share our commitment to child safety. Make-A-Wish Australia is proud to be a child-safe organisation and we value community, integrity, innovation, impact and most importantly, we put wish children first.

Watch to find out who's on our inspirational team!

Volunteer stories

Meet our volunteers

Curious about what it’s like being a volunteer for Make-A-Wish Australia?

We have some incredible volunteers who give their time, passion and skills to make wishes come true around Australia.

Learn more about their stories below!

Lyn & Paul

Branch Volunteers (and superheroes)

After tragically losing both their children to a rare childhood disease, husband and wife team Paul and Lyn wanted to help other families experience the life-changing power of a wish.

Lyn & Paul's story

Make A Wish Australia Children's Charity - Volunteer Michelle wearing a Make A Wish t-shirt and hat

Michelle

Branch Volunteer and Fundraiser

Being part of our #WishForce is one of many hats Michelle wears. Find out how she has an impact on her own children and helps sick Australian children with every step she takes!

Michelle's story

Make A Wish Australia Children's Charity - Event volunteer at a fundraising event

Roland

Event Helper

If you want something done, ask a busy person! Roland found a way to get involved and give back that fits his busy lifestyle. He shares some of his experiences with us.

Roland's story

Make A Wish Australia Children's Charity - Office volunteer Courtney sitting at a desk

Courtney

Office Volunteer

Courtney's career took off, after she completed an 18-month stint with our Brand & Comms team during her studies. Before heading off, Courtney shared the inside word on her experience as an office volunteer.

Courtney's story

Volunteering FAQs

We are a vibrant, diverse and inclusive organisation, and encourage volunteers of all backgrounds, skills and life experiences to get involved!

  • Volunteers generally need to be 18 years or older
  • The minimum age for event helpers is 16 years*
  • The minimum age for work experience students is 15 years*

You'll also need an email address and ability to access our online Community platform for volunteer communications and training.

Make-A-Wish Australia is proud to be a child-safe organisation and we value community, integrity, innovation, impact and most importantly, we put wish children first. Our volunteer onboarding process includes background checks to ensure all volunteers share our commitment to child safety.

*Please note due to COVID-19, the event helper and student volunteer programs are currently not available.

Our volunteers can support Make-A-Wish in various ways including:

  • Branch volunteers - getting active in your local community, working with local wish families, and participating in awareness and fundraising activities
  • Event volunteers - getting involved in more of an ad-hoc way, often for a single shift or day, during a local Make-A-Wish event (ie. fun run)*
  • Corporate volunteering - our program for businesses looking to inspire teams and give back, as part of their CSR agenda
  • Office volunteers, work experience students and more*

See Volunteering Opportunities for more info about these roles and other ways you can get involved.

*Please note due to COVID-19, the event helper and student volunteer programs are currently not available.

No - there's no special skills required for most volunteer roles. All we ask is that you have a genuine commitment to making a difference, and empathy for wish children and their families.

You'll also need an email address and ability to access our online Community platform for volunteer communications and training.

Any prior administrative, event management, fundraising, PR or project management skills are a bonus - and you'll pick up lots of new skills along the way.

For volunteers involved with wish granting, it's important that you enjoy and can communicate well with children, young people and their families. Make-A-Wish provides training and support to help you do this.

The time you commit to volunteer with us is entirely up to you! Most of our volunteers balance their Make-A-Wish role around family, work and social commitments.

To get an idea of the effort involved with different volunteer role types, please check out our Volunteer stories.

Please note, we ask branch volunteers to commit for a minimum of 12 months and attend their monthly branch meetings, where possible. Any extra time you give through the year will depend on your individual interests, the branch fundraising calendar and local wish family requirements.

Whatever way you choose to help - we are grateful for your commitment and support in making wishes come true.

It's quick and easy to apply - from this page, simply hit 'Apply now' and complete the online Expression of Interest form. Let us know who you are and the types of volunteering opportunities you're interested in!

Our Volunteer Programmes team will be in touch to advise next steps for the type of opportunity you've expressed interest in.

Please note, for non-branch volunteers, it can take some time before an opportunity comes up that matches your profile.

Yes - as a charity committed to children's safety and wellbeing, we follow a rigorous recruitment process, ensuring we place the right people in the right roles.

For example, successful Branch volunteer applications can expect the following as part of our onboarding process:

  • An interview (or conversation) with us
  • Reference checks with two referees
  • A National Police Check
  • A state-based Working with Children Check

In short, yes! All new volunteers participate in local orientation activities, with additional online training and mentoring for branch volunteers as you get 'wish-ready'.

All branch volunteers have access to the Community, a dedicated online platform where you can find the latest news, training and support, and connect with other #WishForce volunteers around Australia.

Leadership training and face-to-face workshops are also offered annually for branch volunteersin key leadership positions (for example, Branch Presidents and Wish Granting Coordinators).

At Make-A-Wish, the large majority of our volunteers (around one thousand of them!) come on board as a branch volunteer.

Branch volunteers get together monthly to plan local fundraising campaigns and coordinate wishes for local families:

  • Capturing a child’s unique wish and bringing it to life through all stages of the Wish Journey.
  • Supporting local fundraising and events, from fun runs and sausage sizzles to gala balls and bake-offs.
  • Raising awareness and support in the local community, helping drive our reach and impact to achieve our mission.

Each branch also has a range of elected leadership roles (for example, President and Vice President, Wish Granting Coordinator, Fundraising Coordinator and Volunteer Care Coordinator).

ACT

  • Canberra

NSW

  • Sydney (multiple branches)
  • Coffs Harbour
  • Central Coast
  • Dubbo
  • Newcastle-Hunter
  • Port Macquarie
  • Wagga Wagga & Surrounds
  • Wollongong

NT

  • Alice Springs
  • Darwin

QLD

  • Brisbane (multiple branches)
  • Bundaberg
  • Cairns
  • Fraser Coast
  • Ipswich
  • Rockhampton & Gladstone
  • Gold Coast
  • Logan & Redland
  • Mackay
  • Sunshine Coast
  • Toowoomba
  • Townsville

SA

  • Adelaide
  • Barossa Valley
  • Port Pirie
  • Riverland
  • Yorke Peninsula

TAS

  • Burnie
  • Devonport
  • Hobart
  • Launceston

VIC

  • Albury-Wodonga
  • Ballarat
  • Bayside
  • Bendigo
  • Cardinia-Casey
  • Gippsland (multiple branches)
  • Geelong
  • Goulburn Valley
  • Melbourne (multiple branches)
  • Mildura
  • Mornington Peninsula
  • Wangaratta

WA

  • Albany
  • Perth
  • Peel & South West

National

  • Virtual Wish Team

Thank you #WishForce

We would like to recognise the time, passion and heart you volunteer so generously to Make-A-Wish, the families we support and the lives you change, one wish at a time.

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