Published: October 2020
Last updated: January 2022

Volunteer

Volunteer with us to make a difference.

Share your skills and time

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with us here at Tenants Victoria.  

Our current volunteer availabilities are listed below. To support us in other ways, please see: Get Involved

Expression of interest: our Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group

We are seeking 2 First Nations renter-focussed community members or workers to join the Tenants Victoria Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group in 2024.

What this will involve

  • Face to face meeting in the Melbourne CBD 4 times a year with a small group of Tenants Victoria staff and a member of our Board. (Likely to be 5.15pm-7.15pm in March, June, September and November.)
  • Reviewing papers and presentations on our reconciliation activities prior to the meetings.
  • Payment of $400 per meeting attended (to cover travel, attendance and preparation time) paid via voucher (or invoice if you have an ABN).

About you

  • You are a First Nations person living in Victoria who is a renter or rooming house or caravan park resident and have a strong interest in renter rights and experiences OR you are a worker in a community organisation with those interests and experiences.
  • You have experience supporting organisations to implement Reconciliation Action Plans or similar activities to improve cultural awareness and solidarity with First Nations communities and organisations.

About us

  • Tenants Victoria is the peak body for the state’s renters. Our vision is for a safe, secure and affordable home for Victorian renters in a fair housing system. Services to renters include information and self-help resources on our website, legal advice and representation, financial counselling, and outreach services.
  • We also advise community workers who assist renters and increase their skills through training. We work in partnership with other community legal centres and housing sector organisations, and strategically with government to inform policy development and enhance service delivery. We advocate for practices and attitudes that respect renting and for policies and laws that support the rights of renters.
  • Reconciliation Australia has recently approved our first Reconciliation Action Plan – in which we will undertake a range of activities to reflect on our current environment and improve our cultural awareness, respect and relationships. The plan is here.

If you are interested, please send a short email explaining why you would like to join our working group to: carman.parsons@tenantsvic.org.au

This is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Identified Position, classified under ‘special measures’ of section 12 of the Equal Opportunity Act 2010. Only Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are eligible to apply.

Law student placements

  • Multiple volunteer positions available – 1-2 days a week
  • Office in Melbourne’s CBD

About this role

The Tenants Victoria legal service assists renters living in private rental, public and community housing, and rooming houses and caravan park residents to maintain fair, secure, and dignified housing. We provide a rental law phone advice line, negotiation assistance, representation, and advocacy.

We currently have some law student placement vacancies. These are volunteer positions, available 1 to 2 days a week for a minimum of 12 months, with the opportunity for extension.

The main purpose of the role is to provide high-quality paralegal and administrative support to the legal services team, including providing casework support, drafting legal documents and letters, corresponding with clients, making referrals, preparing summaries, attending VCAT hearings, and more. In return, Tenants Victoria will provide you with real world training that allows you to put your legal knowledge into practice.

Our office is in Melbourne’s CBD, and we require all volunteers to work onsite during their placement.

About you

You are undertaking your law degree, and looking for practical experience within the community legal sector, where you can make a real difference to people’s lives. You are a driven, motivated self-starter who can work collaboratively, and autonomously, as needed. You have high attention to detail, are well-organised, and can prioritise tasks.

Key to your success are your:

  • Sound interpersonal skills and a demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with a range of people, including those experiencing hardship or disadvantage
  • The ability to work autonomously when required, and to complete tasks efficiently, on time and with attention to detail
  • Demonstrated capacity to balance multiple, and at times competing, priorities in a high-pressure environment
  • Commitment to social justice, and an understanding of the legal issues faced by renters
  • Ability to work collaboratively with others and to foster a co-operative and supportive team environment
  • Strong skills in the use of Microsoft Office software relevant to a legal practice (particularly MS Word, Excel and Outlook), and the capacity to quickly acquire competency in the use of our client database.

Required qualifications and experience

  • You are studying for your law degree, or studies in a relevant field
  • You must be willing to undertake a Police Check and a Working with Children Check prior to your placement with us

How to apply

Please submit your resume, statement of results, and a covering letter of no more than 2 pages responding to the following:

  • Why you have chosen to apply for this role
  • How you satisfy the key selection criteria

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, so please submit your application via email as soon as possible. Please direct applications and any queries to Georga Wootton, Renter Support Service Manager, via email to recruitment@tenantsvic.org.au.

Practical Legal Training Paralegals

  • Multiple volunteer positions available – 2 days a week
  • Practical Legal Training (PLT) within the community law sector
  • Office in Melbourne’s CBD

About this role

The Tenants Victoria legal service assists renters living in private rental, public and community housing, and rooming houses and caravan park residents to maintain fair, secure, and dignified housing. We provide a rental law phone advice line, negotiation assistance, representation, and advocacy.

We currently have a number of PLT Paralegal vacancies open. These are volunteer positions, available 2 days a week for a minimum of 6 months (24 weeks), with the opportunity for extension.

The main purpose of the role is to provide high-quality paralegal and administrative support to the legal services team, including providing casework support, drafting legal documents and letters, corresponding with clients, making referrals, preparing summaries, attending VCAT hearings, and more. In return, Tenants Victoria will provide you with real world training that allows you to put your legal knowledge into practice.

Our office is in Melbourne’s CBD, and we require all volunteers to work onsite during their placement.

About you

You have completed your law degree and are looking for practical experience within the community legal sector, where you can make a real difference to people’s lives. You are a driven, motivated self-starter who can work collaboratively, and autonomously, as needed. You have high attention to detail, are well-organised, and can prioritise tasks.

Key to your success is your:

  • Sound interpersonal skills and a demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with team members, external stakeholders and renters seeking legal assistance
  • Ability to work autonomously when required, and to complete tasks efficiently, on time and with attention to detail
  • Demonstrated capacity to balance multiple and at times competing priorities in a high-pressure environment
  • Commitment to social justice, and an understanding of the legal issues faced by renters in Victoria
  • Basic knowledge of the law and court and VCAT procedure with a focus on tenancy law.
  • Ability to work collaboratively with others and to foster a co-operative and supportive team environment.
  • Strong skills in the use of Microsoft Office software relevant to a legal practice (particularly MS Word, Excel and Outlook), and the capacity to quickly acquire competency in the use of our client database.

Required qualifications and experience

  • You must have completed a law degree
  • You must be currently completing, or enrolled in, professional legal education to gain admission to practice (i.e., through College of Law or Leo Cussen)
  • You must not be currently admitted as a lawyer. Lawyers will not be considered
  • You must be willing to undertake a Police Check and a Working with Children Check prior to your placement with us

How to apply

Please submit your resume, and a covering letter of no more than 2 pages responding to the following:

  • Why you have chosen to apply for this role
  • How you satisfy the key selection criteria

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, so please submit your application via email as soon as possible. A full position description is available below. Please direct applications and any queries to Georga Wootton, Renter Support Service Manager, via email to recruitment@tenantsvic.org.au.

Position description
Was this page helpful?

Cookies and Privacy:This site uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.

Find out more Accept