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Holbrook, Australia

Volunteer at a Wildlife Shelter

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Trip Highlights

Incredible opportunity to volunteer for the native animals at a local wildlife shelter, taking care of the injured and orphaned animals
Get your hands dirty while feeding the animals, cleaning & maintenance, and enrichment work at the Shelter
Meet new friends from around the world and create an enriching experience for yourself
Gain first-hand work experience while working with local shelter owners and volunteers

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Overview Program Requirements Volunteer Roles & Responsibilities Volunteer Work Schedule Living Costs Dates Reviews

Overview

Volunteer as a caregiver in a Wildlife Rescue Shelter in Australia with Volunteering Solutions to get a chance to work alongside beautiful Australian animals and get involved in animal feeding, cleaning, maintenance and other activities. The Project is located in a small town near Holbrook, NSW and is 95 km northeast of Albury and 507km southwest of Sydney.

For decades, the project has rescued and rehabilitated sick, injured and orphaned native Australian wildlife and nurtured them back to health to be returned to the natural environment.

While the number of native animals needing help is increasing, resources are not high enough. Your contribution is enormous as the feeding schedule of the animals, especially the nursery is a busy one and the shelter needs surrogate mums to provide food for the babies and care for them.

Volunteers who come to this project are given a unique opportunity to work alongside beautiful Australian animals and are involved in animal feeding, cleaning, maintenance and enrichment.

Since it receives no recurrent funding from governments, the shelter relies on the contribution of volunteers and donations from the public to keep it running. It has no paid staff and by volunteering at the project, you make a major contribution to the welfare of Australian wildlife. On a personal level, you have the satisfaction of helping to make a positive difference to the lives of these animals, and in the process, you may gain new skills and knowledge.

The objectives of the project are as follows :–

To raise and care for injured and orphaned wildlife.
Rehabilitate and release native animals back into their natural environment.
Training carers & volunteers in the appropriate care of native Australian wildlife.
Ensuring that we maintain the best standards of care.
Raising public awareness of wildlife issues.
Ensuring that the donations we receive are put to their most effective use in the rescue, rehabilitation and release of native Australian wildlife.
Maintaining a 24 hr/day, 7 days/week phone service to receive reports on sick, injured or orphaned native Australian animals.

If you're an animal lover, then this would surely be a delightful choice for you! Not only will you get to work for a noble cause, but it'll be a great chance for you to meet people from different parts of the world and explore Australia like never before! This program would be the best choice for high school/ college students, backpackers and gap year travelers who are looking for some meaningful work abroad.

Program Requirements

Volunteers must be 18 years or older at the time of joining the project. You need to have an open mind and a flexible attitude for working in a new and different environment. The volunteer should bring energy and enthusiasm to make a difference. Participants must be fit and healthy at the time of joining the program. Every volunteer is required to show proof of Tetanus vaccination prior to joining the program. The program is suitable for those with a keen interest in animal and wildlife conservation. However, the program is open to all and you do not need the necessary qualifications to join the program. Participants should be prepared to work outdoors and should be fit and healthy.

Volunteer Roles & Responsibilities

Volunteers play a key role in wildlife rescue and care. Not only will you be learning new skills and helping animals in need, you meet new
friends from around the world and create an enriching experience for yourself.

Volunteers must have enthusiasm, compassion for animals, be able to take directions and have a team spirit. No animal experience is
necessary, although representatives from relevant fields are more than welcome to contribute to the team.

Volunteer Duties & Daily Schedule generally include the following activities :-

Bottle feeding all young animals
Toileting young animals after feeds (please see the shelter owner if you are uncomfortable with this task as it must be done properly)
Exercising young animals
Assisting in rescue calls
Assisting in emergency medical treatment
Cleaning animal enclosures
Building / repairing animal enclosures/fences
Keeping the grounds clean and tidy

Volunteer Work Schedule

Care for the animals is required 365 days a year and the project operates a flexible seven day working week.

Each volunteer works at their own pace and has their own strengths and weaknesses. Volunteers are kindly asked to respect that not

everyone has the same abilities as you and may work at a different tempo to yourself. Everyone is at the project to help the animals and make

their contribution in their own way. Participants are welcome to speak to the project incharge if you feel you have been given too much or not enough work for your personal abilities.

Living

Arrival Information

Volunteers need to fly into Sydney to reach Albury in NSW. You can take a flight from Sydney to Albury Airport (code ABX) where you will be picked up by the project staff. Alternatively you can take a bus to Albury or Wagga Wagga from Sydney or Melbourne and will be picked up by the team.

Orientation

Volunteers are picked up by a staff member at Albury and transferred to the project. Once you arrive, you are shown to your room and given a brief induction regarding first aid, safety, toilets, showers, laundry, generator power and work duties. You are given instructions on how to behave around the wild animals that wander around the shelter. Depending upon when you arrive and how busy the shelter is at the time, you may have some time to settle in, relax and acclimatise or you may be thrust into work straight away. Make yourself at home and it becomes familiar very quickly.

Please note : Do not handle the animals unless you are asked to and shown how to.

The first week involves lots of on the job training as each volunteer learns the different tasks involved in caring for the animals and the different jobs that need to be carried out to support the animals and the maintenance of the project. There is always something to do so feel free to use your initiative and suggest a new project you are interested in. You are briefed by the carers however other volunteers can assist and you quickly learn the routine. As the carers work other jobs, you may be left to care for the animals during the day unsupervised. This is an opportunity to utilise and strengthen your leadership skills.

Accommodation

Accommodation is a homestay in the carer’s house. There are two rooms, so depending upon how many volunteers are there at a time, you may find yourself with your own room. There is plenty of space for your personal belongings and your bags. Please ensure that your cameras and phones are charged overnight so you have them available to take some snaps during the day while you are working.

There is a toilet and shower on site. The water comes from a rainwater tank, however due to continuous drought seasons in Australia,
rainwater is a scarce commodity, and you may not be able to shower every day. When showering, volunteers are asked to keep
showers short.

Meals

Volunteers are provided three meals a day, morning tea, drinking water, tea, coffee and sugar. Volunteers are responsible for buying any additional items they would like to purchase from the local town. The cooking is usually shared. Everyone welcomes a new chef !

Volunteers are asked to assist with the shopping and take part in the meal planning and/or preparation to ensure that their dietary needs are catered for.

Domestic duties are shared by all the volunteers including meal preparation, washing and tidying up.

During Free Time

During free time volunteers get inolved in popular pas times such as taking photographs, reading, blogging and spending time with the animals. Volunteers are not always given an opportunity to visit the local town, however, there are outings and sightseeing opportunities scheduled only if the shelter is quiet. Please note that not all volunteers get the opportunity to go on outings and the expectation is that they will work a 7 day work week.

Dates

2024

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Past Date

Available

Unavailable

Filling Fast

Costs

2 Weeks $1150

3 Weeks $1550

4 Weeks $1950

5 Weeks $2350

6 Weeks $2750

7 Weeks $3185

8 Weeks $3620

Extra Week $495

Please Note: -An application fee of $229 is charged over and above the program fee as an application payment. (A 5% international banking fee is charged at the time of payment)

What are you Paying for?

Pre-departure support
Project Information Pack
Transfers from airport/bus station/train station to the project
On the job training
Accommodation
Meals
In Country Support

Certificate Of Completion (Upon Request)

What's NOT included?

Flights
Return transfers to airport
Travel Insurance
Personal Spending
Visas

Reviews

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Frequently asked questions

: As we have limited spots available in our programs and we facilitate on ‘first come first serve’ basis, it is recommended that potential volunteers book their programs well in advance to get confirmed placements. You can book your slot by filling out the application form online and pay the application fee of $250 + bank charges. You can pay your program fee later and also, in installments, however, the complete payment should be made 45 days prior to the starting date of the program. If you are volunteering in a group, you can also fill a group application form.
: After you complete your application, your personalized ‘My Account’ will be activated. You will need to upload your CV/Resume along with your photo in the same. Our backend team and the placement site takes around 10-12 days to review your application. After we review your CV and documents, your booking is confirmed and booking confirmation is updated in your ‘My Account’. Some projects need a mandatory criminal background check and the same is mentioned in the project info of your program. Approval of your application depends on your qualification and eligibility criteria for each project.
: Are there any necessary requirements to participate in the Australian volunteer programs?
Below are the necessary requirements to participate in the Australian volunteer projects :
– The minimum age requirement for the volunteers is 18 years and above.
– Need to have an open mind and flexible attitude for working in a new and different environment.
– The volunteer should bring energy and enthusiasm to make a difference.
– Participant must be in good health.
: We encourage our participants to volunteer in a group. We take special care in providing you a placement and also customize your itinerary to make sure you get exactly what you are looking for. Also, we can design special group programs for groups of 5 or more. Our programs are designed to be safe, affordable and offer a great group volunteering experience to the volunteers.
In our experience of more than 12+ years, we have enabled and facilitated volunteer program placements for student groups- college groups, university groups, high school groups, group of families, group of couples as well as a group of colleagues.

Visit Group Volunteering page for more information.
: Volunteering Solutions provides placement to volunteers in different cities of Australia. The preference of the city should be specified in the application form. The available program locations are:

Cairns

Rural Gladstone

Yackandandah
: Yes – many volunteers choose to make bookings from two or more starting locations. If you choose this option, you’ll need to arrange and pay for your own travel between starting locations. You should either leave a week in between your bookings, or arrange to rejoin at your new starting location on Monday morning as we cannot accommodate volunteers arriving on weekends.
: The amount of contact volunteers have with the animals is dependent upon the project. Some are very hands on and others have limited contact.
: All volunteers are required to arrive at the nearest airports at their preferred location in Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Canberra, Darwin, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney. The Australian programs are located near Melbourne, Sydney, Gladstone and Cairns Airports.
: If you are planning to come for multiple programs in your trip, you will have to pay the application fees just once. Your application fees is valid for a year's time (from the date of application). You will not have to pay the application fees again if you come within the mentioned time frame. If you decide to volunteer in separate programs in multiple countries, you will need to fill separate applications.
: Yes, we will provide you with the Certificate after successful completion of your program. The certificate is provided on request.
: Volunteers traveling to Australia need to have a valid visa. We provide with the necessary supporting documents for your VISA application processing.
More information shall be provided after you become a Volunteering Solutions enrolled participant.
: All the major cities in Australia have connectivity with all major airlines around the world. The recommended airlines are :
QANTAS Airways
British Airways
Thai Airways
Emirates
Malaysian Airlines
Singapore Airlines
Air Asia
: Australia is a tourist friendly destination. The country welcomes you with open arms. However, you have to use your prudence to stay out of the harm’s way. For example, stay in a group or with the fellow volunteers, especially when you want to hit the bar or go grab a drink. Inform your coordinator if you have plans to explore the city alone, keep your emergency contact details always with you. Your pre-departure booklet is a good source of information for you and you must read that diligently.
: We recommend you consult your physician or travel doctor before travelling to Australia.
Generally the following vaccinations are recommended for travellers going to Australia :
– Yellow Fever (Required if travelling from a YFV infected country)
– Hepatitis A and B
– Typhoid
: Yes, for all participants it is mandatory to have a travel medical insurance.Volunteers have the option to purchase Travel and Medical Insurance at a nominal extra cost from Volunteering Solutions. To provide the best option to our participants, we offer comprehensive insurance coverage in collaboration with a leading insurance provider.
: We encourage volunteers to get in touch with former Volunteering Solutions Australia program participants and also other program participants joining our projects. You are recommended to join the Volunteering Solutions Facebook Page or Facebook Group to connect with other participants.

To read alumni interviews from past participants, visit the Meet a Volunteer section on our website.
: Accommodation will vary according to each project location. Typical accommodation includes volunteer houses, caravans, hostels, and bunkhouses. Volunteers are allotted accommodation on a sharing basis.
: Yes, however you must inform us in advance and also mention about any dietary requirement in your application form.
: Your program fee covers your Accommodation, Food and In country Support. You will need to cover your personal expenses, such as local transport, telephone, internet, shopping, weekend trips etc.
However, you should carry around $70-80 per week for your basic personal expenses. This amount can vary and you would need a higher amount if you go on weekend sightseeing tours.
: Plenty of money exchange counters and ATMs are available in Australia. at the airport as well in most Australian cities.
: Volunteers work for 3 to 8 hours a day depending on their program. However, volunteers need to be flexible, open-minded and understand that work requirements can change as well on certain occasions.