Volunteering helps Indian migrant Shaleena Shaik meet people and understand more about Australia.

The former lawyer says she also find satisfaction in helping newly arrived people learn English and settle into a new community.

“I started volunteering a year ago and it has helped me meet people and better understand how things work in Australia,” Shaleena said.

“I’ve been helping out in English conversation classes for new arrivals. I’ve also helped out with Mother’s Day and Christmas events.

“I really enjoy volunteering. It is rewarding to be able to help people start new lives in Australia. But I have benefitted also in meeting new people and getting a better understanding how things work and the social and professional environment.

“It’s a great opportunity to learn about Australia.”

Shaleena volunteers for migrant and refugee settlement agency AMES Australia in Werribee and Footscray.

“For me it is also an opportunity to gain some Australian workplace experience,” she said.

Shaleena came to Australia when her husband was transferred here with his banking job.

“Volunteering gives me the opportunity to get out and meet people and do something worthwhile,” she said.

“It makes me happy to support people who maybe don’t have any relations or many friends here.

“When I first arrived in this country, I went through the same experience of isolation and with no family here,” Shaleena said.

Volunteering to help individuals can build skills and knowledge, enhance employment opportunities, provide new and challenging experiences as well as deliver feelings of personal satisfaction through contributing, a new survey has found.

It also delivers measurable benefits to those being supported; including help in finding work and acquiring skills as well intangible and benefits such as friendship and building connections within communities, the survey found.

To mark National Volunteer Week 2026, the survey was commissioned by migrant and refugee settlement agency AMES Australia. It canvased the attitudes of 85 of the organisation’s volunteers working mostly one-on-one with newly arrived refugees and migrants.

It found that overwhelmingly, volunteers believed they, themselves, benefitted directly through helping others.

Asked whether they benefitted from their volunteering work, 32 per cent of volunteers said they benefitted ‘significantly’ and 78 per cent said they benefitted ‘somewhat’.

Among the top benefits listed were ‘a feeling of satisfaction through contributing’ (96 per cent), ‘learning about new cultures (77 per cent), ‘building social and professional networks’ (59 per cent), ‘improving personal and communication (soft) skills’ and ‘enhancing employment opportunities’ (39 per cent).