Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do teachers get to see full volunteer resumes in advance of meeting them?
Teachers see short profiles of employee volunteers which the volunteers have filled in themselves. We take it on trust that individuals have been honest about their skills and experience. There are also legal terms and conditions that you must agree to before registration.
Can an individual sign up without employer backing?
Yes, about half of Inspiring the Future volunteers have signed up as individual as opposed to going through an employer of professional body scheme.
How old are volunteers?
They are aged 18 right up to retirement age, and we want people of all ages, levels and backgrounds. People in their 20’s are close in age to secondary school/college students who will be able to relate to them, but people with experience can also be invaluable to young people’s decision making.
You don’t need to be a confident public speaker as career insights and the other activities on Inspiring the Future are informal and you will have the support and presence of a teacher who knows the students. They involve talking about what you do every day, so it is
Is a statutory child protection check needed?
Child protection is paramount.
Volunteering requirements vary with each state and in some cases they vary between public and non-government schools.
Regardless of whether a particular school does not require visiting guest speakers to have a current working with children clearance certificate, ITF Australia recommends that all its volunteers obtain one and keep it up to date in case a school does require it. Teachers may be more willing to invite volunteers who have a current volunteer working with children certificate.
A Volunteer WWCC is free in most states.
In all cases, visitors and volunteers should allow 15 minutes before the scheduled activity to comply with the school’s visitor requirements.
For more information please see the following links to each state’s child protection authority:
NSW |
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VIC |
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QLD |
https://www.bluecard.qld.gov.au/faqs/Do-I-need-a-bluecard/Guest-speakers.html |
SA |
https://screening.sa.gov.au/types-of-check/working-with-children-check |
ACT |
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NT |
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WA |
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TAS |
A company called Cited in WA provides a reasonably
If you’re new to Australia or have spent more than six months abroad, Australia Post can provide an international police check if required. Visit their website at https://auspost.com.au/police-checks/international
Will it replace existing face-to-face careers advice?
No, that is not the objective. Inspiring
Do you cover primary schools?
Inspiring
Will school alumni networks be involved?
When creating their individual profiles, volunteers can select their old school/college from a search list if they are interested in being approached about going back there to undertake an Inspiring the Future activity. Teachers will be able to search and invite volunteers
How will we reach all regions? Especially rural areas where there are few employers?
We will use local and regional media and create a bank of local spokespeople over time. We can also use our stakeholder networks and large employers with branches, outlets or offices in regional areas.
We have also started asking volunteers if they want to be "Virtual Visitors" which allows rural area's Teachers to invite the volunteers to a "Virtual Visit" Via Skype or another video conferencing method.
How are you engaging SMEs in working with schools?
We do this through specific national campaigns and through our strong links with organisations such as work experience program providers, Group Training Organisations and representative peak bodies including Industry Skills Councils, Business Enterprise Centres, Chambers of Commerce and professional associations.
Why has something like this not been done before?
School volunteering programs,
Does anyone vet what employee volunteers say in their profile?
We take it on
Why don’t you vet people?
The Inspiring the Future system works by giving teachers access to a wide list of volunteers from different professions and the teacher chooses who they think is most appropriate to invite into the school/college. If a teacher has concerns about volunteer they have invited into their school, they should notify the Inspiring the Future Australia team who will remove them from the system.
Will a student ever contact me?
No, only teachers or staff within a school/college
When should I expect to receive an invitation from a school/college?
As the program is in its initial stages in Australia, we can’t guarantee immediate matches for schools and volunteers. Once underway, we still can’t guarantee a specific timeline as it depends when schools/colleges need volunteers which can happen at any point during the academic year. In the UK, over 55,000 messages have been sent to date, and thousands of messages are being sent every week through the system with expected increases. Inspiring
How quickly would the school expect me to respond?
There’s not a specified response time, we do ask that volunteers and teachers respond to messages as quickly as possible. We would hope that a response would be made within a few days/a week.
What if I don’t hear anything from a school after a few months?
Unfortunately, sometimes a few volunteers won’t be contacted or will receive very few invitations. In this
I would like to give a talk at my child’s school/college. Can I check if the school/college is registered to the Inspiring the Future system?
Volunteers can’t see through the system what schools/college are signed up. However, in your individual profile, you could select your child’s school from a search list if you are interested in being approached about going back there to undertake an Inspiring the Future activity.
Who is most likely to volunteer with Inspiring the Future?
Anyone with experience of work can volunteer and thousands will. Teachers can search through lists of volunteers to find people with the right profiles for their students.
Will schools always want me to do day time events?
Requests will mostly be for careers fairs, assemblies and classroom sessions during the school day (9.00am to 3.30pm) but some schools and colleges also have early evening events. It is entirely up to volunteers to decide what time slots and dates they want to do.
Will people try to sell me goods and services?
This is not allowed under the terms and conditions that employee volunteers must agree to on registration. Anyone trying to sell anything will immediately be removed from the system or asked to stop.
Can I register on a tablet or mobile device
While we
If you do however encounter any problems using your mobile device, please contact us here and we will
How is Inspiring the Future Australia funded?
The Schools Industry Partnership (SIP) is a small charity
based in Western