What to expect from your aged care provider
Volunteers are assisted with training and support from Volunteer Managers or coordinators.
When you become an aged care volunteer, you should receive:
- appropriate volunteer insurance cover
- induction and training in line with your role
- on-site supervision and access to a Volunteer Manager
- respect for your involvement
- the ability to provide feedback
- a warm welcome and encouragement.
Training
To ensure the safety, dignity and respect of older people volunteers are encouraged to undertake the following training topics, as this will help you feel confident in undertaking your role:
- Elder Abuse and Advocacy
- Dementia Care Training for Volunteers
- the Code of Conduct for Aged Care
- the Serious Incident Response Scheme
- the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission’s complaints handling process
- Privacy and Confidentiality
- 14 Aged Care Topics.
You can also access a collection of free, publicly available training resources that you can use for volunteer training. Use of these resources is entirely optional.
Broad topics include:
- looking after yourself
- knowing aged care
- knowing older people – including diversity and inclusion
- looking out for older people
- volunteer behaviours
Pathways into a career
You may be considering a transition from volunteering to a career in the aged care sector. Learn more about careers in aged care, formal qualifications and available training programs on our workforce page.
You may also find the following links useful:
- Fee-Free TAFE and vocational educational places include aged care courses. Learn more about course eligibility and opportunities in your state or territory at YourCareer. If you are looking for a short introduction to see if further study is right for you, the Entry into Care Roles Skill Set course could be useful.
- The Home Care Workforce Support Program funds organisations to help train and retain new personal care workers in home care. Part of this involves facilitating access to training subsidies and supporting work placement opportunities. Contact the organisation responsible for your state or territory for more information.
- You can also find general information on training and jobs pathways on your state or territory jobs site:
- The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations Jobs Hub
- New South Wales
- Australian Capital Territory
- Victoria, including their Earn and Learn program
- Tasmania
- South Australia
- Western Australia, including their Ageing and Disability Job Ready program
- Northern Territory
- Queensland.
Contact
