Volunteer with us
Volunteering is a great way to take action towards sustainability and contribute positively to the University community.
Our volunteer opportunities offer students the chance to learn about waste education, promote sustainable habits, make friends, and engage with people across the university on topics around sustainability.
Why become a Sustainability Volunteer?
- Your volunteered hours can count towards the LICA (Leaders in Communities Award)
- Score a reference for your resume (if you really impress us with your dedication and enthusiasm)
- Become an advocate for sustainability while you’re on campus
- Gain skills in promotion, education and engagement
- Learn more about sustainability topics including waste and biodiversity
- Meet like-minded staff and students on campus
- Make a real difference by directly influencing staff and students to make more sustainable choices
Volunteer with Green Impact
Become a Project Assistant in our flagship volunteer program to receive training, connect with other students, and work with sustainably-minded staff from across the University.
Other positions
Please be aware that the following positions are not currently available due to COVID-19 restrictions on students coming to campus.
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Be a waste educator
Learn about the different waste streams on campus and share your knowledge to reduce bin contamination. We're looking for volunteers who are passionate about waste education and want to become experts.
Your role
You will be stationed at busy bins on campus at the beginning of each semester and at major events throughout the year, helping people to choose the right bin when disposing of waste. You will engage with staff and students, educating them on the different waste streams and debunking any common waste myths.
Volunteers in this role will be trained on correct waste disposal, so don't worry if you're not sure how to 'bin it right' just yet!
Shift dates
We are not currently recruiting volunteers for this role.
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Promote reusables at Union House
Promote waste-free lunches with the Choose to Reuse Plate Program at Union House.
The Choose to Reuse Plate Program is a reusable dish service offered at Union House that allows customers to purchase food and drink without the disposable packaging. The service offers plates, bowls, mugs and cutlery for anyone to order their meals in. We need enthusiastic volunteers to engage with staff and students, explaining how the service works and what the benefits are.
Your role
Your role will be to encourage use of the service, as well as educating people about correct waste, recycling and organics disposal, particularly new students.
You will be stationed at Union House, Parkville campus, engaging with students, giving away prizes and encouraging individual commitments to waste reduction.
For this role you will need to feel comfortable approaching other students you may not know and engaging in conversation.
Shifts are between one and three hours long, depending on your availability, and will be available every weekday over the first few weeks of the semester, as well as at special university events including Open Day. All students can apply.
Shift dates
We are not currently recruiting volunteers for this role.
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Guide tours on campus
Become an expert by educating staff and students about the sustainability features of Parkville campus.
We need some engaging volunteers to guide one of our regular sustainability tours around campus. guiding staff and students around campus teaching them about how the University is focusing on either sustainability or biodiversity issues.
Your role
You will be guiding staff and students on a one hour tour, stopping to talk about features that make Parkville a sustainable campus. Tours run once a month and are a fantastic opportunity to not only learn about initiatives on campus but to share this knowledge with the University community.
This role is perfect for students looking to improve their communication and networking skills.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we are not currently recruiting volunteers for this role.
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Distribute sustainability posters
Spread awareness about sustainability by helping us to distribute posters promoting sustainable habits.
Take a guess where people do some of their best thinking. You got it—sitting on the toilet! We need volunteers to help us distribute posters with sustainability messaging on the backs of toilet doors around Parkville campus.
Each semester we will be rolling out a new sustainability-focused campaign to catch people’s captive attention in toilet blocks.
Your role
Carrying around posters to different buildings on Parkville campus and slotting them into frames on the backs of toilet doors. You will be working in pairs and will only be required to enter the toilet blocks you feel comfortable to (male/female/accessible).
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we are not currently recruiting volunteers for this role.
Want more?
If you have an idea for a sustainability project or task you’d like to volunteer your time for, contact the Sustainability team via email, detailing how your idea would benefit the student experience on campus.