NSW Ambulance volunteers play a vital role in communities across the state. Discover volunteer role types at NSW Ambulance, and how to get involved.
Clinical volunteers
NSW Ambulance operates a number of clinical volunteer responder models across metropolitan, regional, rural and remote NSW.
Clinical volunteer opportunities are not necessarily available in every location across the state and are only in areas of identified need. Over 350 clinical volunteers provide first response clinical care to our patients in approximately 60 locations.
These programs are an important part of building the resilience of small communities and minimising the time between calling for help, and receiving initial care from clinically skilled responders, until paramedics arrive. This leads to improved patient outcomes.
Becoming a clinical volunteer for NSW Ambulance is a comprehensive process that involves a suitability assessment, personal health assessment, completion of a range of mandatory vaccinations, Police checks, Working with Children checks and referee checks. If you are not an Australian citizen or permanent resident, you would also need to demonstrate a visa category that entitles you to work in Australia. These are all mandatory requirements set by either NSW Health or the NSW and Commonwealth governments.
Once those processes are completed, a clinical volunteer is required to undertake nationally accredited induction training of eight days. These courses are scheduled on an as-needs basis.
To maintain certification, NSW Ambulance clinical volunteers must achieve 100 CDP points each calendar year (1 January – 31 December) through the annual Maintenance of Skills (MOS) program. Compliance with the annual MOS program requirements will result in the renewal of clinical certification for the following year.
The monthly maintenance of skills program requirements are:
- Complete a minimum of eight (8) out of the ten (10) MOS program modules (both online and face-to-face training) to achieve a minimum of 80 VCFR MOS CPD points.
- Complete the mandatory annual CPR recertification and skills assessment (inclusive of online and face-to-face session) with an Ambulance Educator, to achieve a further 20 CPD points.
Clinical volunteers are required to make themselves available to respond when required in their location. Each unit organises themselves and shares the response duties equally.
For general enquiries or to confirm if there are volunteer positions in your location, please email us, or call 02 4827 0410.
Clinical volunteer unit locations
Clinical volunteer units are only established in those locations where NSW Ambulance has identified a definite need for a response capability – they are not established randomly nor facilitated on an ad hoc basis.
Chaplain volunteers
NSW Ambulance chaplains are part of a multidisciplinary support team that provides non-judgmental support to Ambulance staff and their families as well as support to bystanders at traumatic incidents. As a member of the Chaplaincy Team, you will assist with the provision of 24/7 post-incident support and pastoral care. This may occur at the scene of an incident, a workplace, a home or a hospital. Chaplains also provide spiritual guidance or help to access other faith based care or welfare services and may be requested for a baptism, wedding, funeral or other ceremony.
The role of a NSW Ambulance volunteer chaplain is voluntary and therefore without remuneration
NSW Ambulance is seeking volunteer chaplains in the following locations:
Regional NSW
- Central West - Orange/Mudgee/Gulgong
- Far West - Lightning Ridge to Bourke
- Mid North Coast - Port Macquarie
- New England - Armidale to Tenterfield
- North Coast- Byron Bay to Tweed Region
- Northwest – Moree/Narrabri
- Northwest - Tamworth
- Riverina - Wagga Wagga
- South Coast - Batemans Bay to Bermagui
- Southern Tablelands - Queanbeyan to Jindabyne
Sydney, Central Coast & Hunter
- Central Coast - Gosford
- Hunter Region - Newcastle
- Hunter Region - Port Stephens to Gloucester
- Macarthur Region - Campbelltown/Camden/Picton
- Western Sydney – Badgerys Creek/Green Valley/Erskine Park
- Eastern Sydney – Mascot to Randwick
- North Sydney – Forestville to Manly
View the role description to apply or view further information about becoming a volunteer chaplain.
Volunteers operate under standard NSW Ambulance operating policies and procedures, health guidelines and legislation.
We thank all volunteers for their invaluable contribution to NSW Ambulance, and to the wider community.
Consumer Representatives
NSW Ambulance participates in the Health Consumers NSW Program which represents the interests of patients, carers and their families in NSW. Health Consumers NSW is a membership-based, independent not-for-profit organisation which works with a group of volunteer Consumer Representatives to ensure health consumers are involved in the design and delivery of health care in NSW.
Fay Rhodes is NSW Ambulance’s first health consumer representative. You can read more about her experience and how she became involved in the program in A word with Fay Rhodes and Paul Wildin.
If you would like to be involved and help influence health policy and health services in NSW you can become a member of Health Consumers NSW.
Band volunteers
The Ambulance Band was commissioned in 1985. The Band has performed for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at the opening of Parramatta Stadium, graduation ceremonies, St John investitures at Government House, NSW Ministry of Health functions and special events in metropolitan Sydney and rural NSW.
Join the NSW Ambulance band
Make an enquiry about volunteering with the NSW Ambulance Band.