Friends of STARTTS is a volunteer organisation based in Sydney, Australia. If you would like to get involved with raising awareness on refugee issues, support grassroots programs at STARTTS, and have some fun doing it please consider volunteering.

There are a range of ways to volunteer with Friends of STARTTS, depending on your skills and interests. STARTTS training is provided to volunteers. 

Some of the things volunteers can do with Friends of STARTTS include;

Fundraising and promotion

We always need Friends to help us come up with and implement fundraising ideas. It might mean helping organise a fundraising event, approaching businesses for sponsorship or writing a funding submission for a particular project, such as a soccer clinic for young men. You may also like to get involved with promoting STARTTS and refugee issues such as helping get stories in the media, organising awareness raising events and giving talks at open days.

At the moment Friends of STARTTS are organising a refugee art exhibition and awards evening for Australian Refugee Week. If you would like to help out with these activities please contact Gary Taylor on 0433 355 588 or Rebecca Hinchey on 9794 1966.

English teachers

We are seeking qualified English Teachers to help teach English to refugees who would like to become more familiar with the language. Many of our students have completed basic English lessons but would like to improve their language skills.

Our classes are often a bridge between federally funded English lessons under the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) and more advanced courses offered at TAFE and other institutions. Classes are held in Auburn in normal business hours. Our classes are designed specifically to help people with learning difficulties such as concentration and memory problems resulting from their traumatic life experiences.

If you would be interested in offering some of your time and teaching skills and are able to travel to South West Sydney please call Felix Ryan on 9794 1922.

Youth Camps

STARTTS hold camps for refugee children and young people every school holidays. Between 20 and 50 children attend each camp which run for four days.

The camps are held at special residential centres or adventure parks for children and young people in Sydney and its surrounds. Large and small group games and activities as well as outdoor adventures such as rock climbing are held throughout the camp.

Volunteers often help out at the camps. We generally prefer they have some experience working or volunteering with children and young people. If you are interested in volunteering at one of our camps please contact youth workers Lina Ishu or Mohamed Baaruud on 9794 1900. Training is provided to volunteers.

Bus drivers

STARTTS needs people with a bus licence to take refugee groups on outings in and around Sydney. We need people during the week and on weekends.

If you have an LR licence or above please contact Felix Ryan on 9794 1922 for more information. If you are able to help us teach others to drive a bus we would love your help.

Reports

We provide reports to some of the organisations which help fund our volunteer activities.

Click on the Scully Fund report to read about our English classes, Tamil Volunteer mentoring project, FOS/ALIV partnership and other volunteer activities.

Friends of STARTTS Management Committee

If you have a commitment to refugee issues and would be interested in joining the Friends of STARTTS Management Committee please contact Rebecca Hinchey, or send an expression of interest to Friends. The Committee meets monthly in Sydney. Click here to find out more about the Friends of STARTTS Management Committee

If you would like more information about volunteering at Friends of STARTTS please contact Rebecca Hinchey 

Click here for a Friends of STARTTS volunteer application form