Volunteer
Register your interest in becoming a volunteer!
Volunteer with Court Network
Court Network volunteers come from all walks of life. Whether you’re just starting out in your career, bringing experience from a professional background, or looking to give back in retirement, there’s a place for you here. Our volunteers, known as Networkers, bring a wide range of skills, life experiences, and perspectives—and what unites them is a shared commitment to supporting people through highly stressful and challenging times. Their efforts make a significant impact on the lives of people navigating the court system.
Our staff will provide professional training and upskilling, supervision, and support to ensure you are ready and prepared to help court users navigate the complexities of the justice system.
“For me, the Telephone Service has some advantages, like having potentially more time with the caller, not having the court distractions, the ability to discuss confidential areas, a safer environment, and more private conversation. I can assist callers to be more prepared and informed about the court process.”
“It only takes one genuine smile and ‘Thank you’ from someone as they leave court, particularly if they had been anxious and upset on arrival at the beginning of the day, to make the whole shift worthwhile.”
“Together with the amazing court staff, partner organisations and legal teams, we form a strong cohesive group of people who provide optimal support and guidance to court users as well as colleagues.”
Volunteer Roles and Opportunities
In-Court and Telephone Support Services
Locations:
Melbourne Metropolitan and Suburban Courts, Regional Victorian Courts, Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney Family Courts.
Duties:
Our Networkers are highly trained community members who provide free, non-legal support, information, and referral services. They are impartial and non-judgemental to all persons, including applicants, respondents, victims, witnesses, defendants, and their families and friends. Networkers can provide support before, during, and after court.
Many court users assisted by Court Network have no legal representation and may be attending court for the first time. They may be unfamiliar with court rules and processes, lack knowledge about what is expected of them, feel unsafe, and may not being able to understand or participate effectively in the court processes. Often, they are in need of someone to listen, provide support, and connect them to other support services.
As a Networker, your duties include:
Information:
- Provide non-legal information so that court users can know and understand their options at court and can feel empowered to make their own choices.
- Supply information about what happens at court and what other services are available.
- Assist court users from diverse backgrounds by offering information in alternative forms, such as languages other than English and/or facilitating interpreters.
Support:
- Provide a welcoming, kind, and supportive human connection to all court users (witnesses, victims, accused, and family and friends)
- Actively engage and empathise with court users in a way that promotes dignity and respects confidentiality
- Provide personal and practical support to court users in an unobtrusive manner to enable court users to feel more in control of the decisions they make
Referral:
- Assist court users to contact other services, both within and external to the court
- Recognise and respond to individual court user needs and concerns
Other:
- Promote court user safety
- Work independently as well as within a team
- Follow instructions and practice guidelines
- Have good digital literacy and confidence; record keeping, emailing, communication and information sharing
- Adhere to privacy policy requirements
Domestic and Family Violence Reception Desks
Locations:
Beenleigh, Brisbane, Cairns, Ipswich, and Southport Magistrates’ Courts
Duties:
Networkers in Queensland are trained community members who provide first point of contact support to court users in Specialist Domestic and Family Violence Courts.
As a Networker your duties include:
- Welcome and greet all court users (including aggrieved and respondents to the matter, police, and private lawyers, etc.) when they arrive at court
- Provide arrival triage and referral to duty lawyers
- Provide non-legal information to court users about court processes
- Update and maintain a live database list and accurate documentation of court attendance with court requirements
- Advocate for court users in relation to their need for safety planning, interpreters, and other priority requirements
Other:
- Promote service user safety
- Work independently as well as within a team
- Follow instructions and practice guidelines
- Have good digital literacy and confidence; record-keeping, emailing, communication and information sharing
- Adhere to privacy policy requirements
Volunteering with Court Network can be right if you:
Are seeking a challenging and rewarding voluntary role
Want to make a difference
Are committed to empowering court users
Are comfortable supporting vulnerable people
Can commit to a regular roster for at least 12 months (after completing the training program)
Have good communication skills
Are confident using technology
About You
Networkers have strong verbal and interpersonal communication skills. They have the ability to foster inclusivity and provide a person-centred approach to supporting all court users, impartially and non-judgementally.
Are You
Person-Centred?
Do you prioritise the individual needs of court users?
Inclusive?
Do you recognise the rights of others and are you committed to social justice and social inclusion?
Collaborative?
Culturally Aware?
Positive?
If you feel this describes you, we want to hear from you!
Volunteer Recruitment Process
Some of our services only recruit at certain times of year and not year-round, at these times our Expression of Interest form will be closed.
Step 1: Register Your Interest!
The first step to becoming a Networker is to complete an Expression of Interest form using Better Impact. Court Network recruits based on court vacancies and availability, so it may not be possible to progress all expressions of interest through to the next stage.
Step 2: Invitation To Apply!
If and when a vacancy that matches your preferences becomes available, Court Network will contact you and invite you to complete an application form. Unfortunately, due to vacancy limitations we cannot accept all expressions of interest.
Step 3: Training!
Court Network delivers a comprehensive, multifaceted training program to ensure our Networkers are well-prepared, informed, and ready to tackle the challenges and complexities of service provision. The program combines e-Learning and on-the-job practical learning. Networkers will graduate with a robust range of interpersonal skills, a thorough knowledge of court processes, and skills on how to meet the needs of court users.