National Student Volunteer Week is a time to celebrate the incredible contributions of student volunteers across Australia. This year’s theme, #PoweredbyPurpose, highlights the values and motivations that drive young people to give their time and skills to support others.
At Court Network, we’re fortunate to have dedicated student volunteers as part of the wider team who provide vital support to court users navigating often complex and stressful legal systems. Volunteering with us is not a typical student placement or casual commitment. It requires significant training, strong interpersonal skills, and a long-term time commitment. It’s not for everyone, but for those who are able, it can be an incredibly meaningful and transformative experience.
We asked a few of our student volunteers to share what drives them to give back, and how volunteering with Court Network compliments their studies.
Hosanna is studying a Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, and chose this field because of her strong passion for social justice and supporting vulnerable people. She has translated this passion into volunteering at Court Network, supporting court users at Specialist Domestic Family Violence Courts in QLD to access court services. Hosanna believes that volunteering at Court Network compliments her studies, as it provides practical, real-world experience of court systems.
“I find that the practical experience from volunteering actually enhances my academic learning, keeping me motivated and focused.”
Kyra is studying a similar degree and says that better understanding “why people do what they do” through her studies helps her then support complex people in a court setting.
Emily, Emmanuel and Cass are studying law degrees, which they enrolled in because of their commitment to social justice. The students reflected on how volunteering has provided them with firsthand knowledge of how the legal and court systems operate, supporting their studies. Emmanuel told us,
“The privilege of being welcomed into so many court user’s experiences has provided me with significant insight into the very real impact of court processes on the humans who have to navigate them. The study of law can be a very ‘matter of fact’ process of factual analysis; our day-to-day interactions at Court Network is client-centric.”
Cass also referenced the soft skills like communication and teamwork she gets from the role, and Kyra praised the “real world experience” she is gaining.
A common thread that each student volunteer highlighted was the importance of time management and planning, especially when balancing study and volunteering. At Court Network, our volunteers commit to one shift per week for a minimum of 12 months. The role requires comprehensive training and a high level of emotional resilience, as Volunteers often support people during incredibly difficult moments in their lives.
“It has been essential for me to be able to tap into the human-centric part of Court Network and be realistic about decompressing after challenging shifts,” Emmanuel explained.
For more information on volunteering at Court Network please visit our website, and for other volunteering opportunities in QLD and Victoria, see www.govolunteer.com.au
