tekFoundation Membership

Charities anywhere in Australia can join, and we’ve worked with charities and volunteers in every state and territory. Some membership benefits, like our events, training, awards night and retreat, are based in Sydney for now, so NSW organisations will get the most out of membership today. We plan to open hubs in other cities.

Yes, that’s your choice. You can ask for a volunteer close enough to meet in person, which is great for building trust and lets the volunteer see your work first-hand. It does narrow the pool, so if you’re comfortable working remotely, we can also match you with a skilled volunteer in another Australian city. We only operate in Australia, so every volunteer is based here.

We get to know every volunteer before we introduce them to a charity. We review their professional background and online presence, including LinkedIn, and we either speak with them by phone or video, know them personally, or have worked with them before.

Every volunteer also agrees to tekFoundation’s volunteer agreement. In it they confirm they’re 18 or older, that the information they’ve given us about their skills and experience is true and accurate, that they’ll keep confidential information confidential, that they hold any qualifications or permits needed for the work they offer (including staying within their visa conditions), and that volunteering won’t breach their employment contract or other obligations.

No. Every charity’s needs are different, so we leave those checks to each organisation. Our membership agreement makes clear that you onboard each volunteer yourself, including any checks your work requires, such as a National Police Check or WWCC.

Treat a skilled volunteer the way you’d treat any new team member:

• Run your normal onboarding, including any checks your work requires.

• Have the volunteer sign your own volunteer and confidentiality agreement before they access your information.

• Give them their own logins, only to the systems the project needs, and remove access when the project ends.

• Check that your insurance covers volunteers, and give them a proper induction.

If you don’t have a volunteer onboarding process yet, we can point you to templates and resources to set one up.

Yes. We have a volunteer management community of practice for members, with templates, guides and peers who’ve done this before.

Membership doesn’t have to come out of your operating budget:

• Find a sponsor. Ask a local business, corporate partner or community supporter to cover the cost. It’s a practical, visible way for them to back your work.

• Build it into a grant. If you’re applying for funding for a digital or technology project, include tekFoundation membership as a project cost. It’s how you’ll get the skilled support to deliver it.