Put your flare for fashion and desire to give back into good use and help to transform the lives of those in need. Through the sale of clothing, accessories, bric-a-brac, and other assorted items in these stores, Vinnies is able to cloth, feed, shelter and support those in need. Your volunteering experience will be varied, with a range of different tasks regularly being carried out in store. Meet new people, develop new skills, build friendships and have fun as part of our volunteering family.

The St Vincent de Paul Society WA - fondly known as “Vinnies” – has been providing a “hand up” to people in need since 1865. They are a not-for-profit organisation aspiring for an Australia transformed by compassion and built on justice. They advocate on several pressing social justice issues such as homelessness, poverty and asylum seekers.

It is through your contributions as a volunteer that these charitable works are possible. This is because revenue raised through our Retail shops is the driving force behind these works in the community- without them we simply couldn’t operate as we do now. As such, they are absolutely pivotal, and therefore volunteering in this area is a very rewarding experience.

Your experience as a Vinnies volunteer will always be varied and interesting, with the opportunity every shift to meet and engage with new people.

Some of the key responsibilities of this role are: • Greet and provide friendly service and assistance to visitors to the Shop. • Assist in sorting, pricing and ticketing donated items. • Create visual displays. • Assist with general housekeeping. • Operate Point of Sale.

These responsibilities might change or be allocated based on the Shop Manager’s direction.

As a Vinnies volunteer you should possess some key personal qualities, such as: • A respectful and non-judgemental nature. • The ability to demonstrate empathy. • Being a team player. • Having a happy, enthusiastic and helpful demeanour. • Professional personal presentation.

There are no essential requirements for this role, as you will be provided with all of the necessary training and support required to carry out your position. However, some skills that might come in handy throughout your volunteering experience are: • Organisation. • Creativity. • Good communication. • Experience in a retail environment.

Each volunteering shift is a minimum of 4 hours in length, however the frequency on which you donate this time is very flexible, and Shop Managers will be happy to work with you on establishing a routine that suits your personal needs.

As a result of your involvement as a Vinnies volunteer, you can expect to: • Make friends. • Learn new skills. • Have fun. • Always be appreciated and valued. • Be invited to several team functions throughout the year. • In-directly contribute to clothing, feeding and sheltering community members experiencing hardship. • Experience greater health and happiness, as well as a range of other positive benefits proven to be associated with volunteering.