1300 665 232    admin@aussiehelpers.org.au

Our Team

Aussie Helpers are a small, yet passionate team dedicated to helping Aussie farmers and their families.

Meet Tash

Growing up in a farming family, Tash has a deep, personal understanding of the challenges that Aussie farmers, their families and rural communities face—from mental health challenges, financial hardship, devastating natural disasters, and the difficulties that isolation brings. Before she joined Aussie Helpers to support her parents and Aussie Helpers’ founders—Brian and Nerida Egan—Tash managed thriving small businesses in regional Australia.

Tash Kocks, CEO

I want every farmer and rural community to know that we are here for them—and I want to be able to front up and support in any way they need. As CEO, I’m uncompromising on my focus to grow Aussie Helpers so that we can support more farmers, farming families and communities.
 
I’m energised for what’s ahead in 2023 as Aussie Helpers strengthens our services and extends our engagement to support even more farmers in need. And, I’m more determined than ever to champion and celebrate Aussie farmers to drive a deeper awareness and appreciation among the broader community. I’m particularly excited about our plans to extend our support for farming kids in response to the education inequality 100,000s of country kids experience.

Meet our team

Our work is incredibly fulfilling. Our small but mighty, highly engaged, and purpose driven team provides outstanding support to farmers and rural communities every day.

Because we provide essential counselling services to farmers in need, all Aussie Helpers’ team members are certified Mental Health First Aiders. In the eyes of many farmers and their families, our team members are heroes.

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Latest news and real farmer stories

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Latest news and real farmer stories

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AH Modal Newsletter
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Charleville

Charleville Depot

4 Kurrajong Street
Charleville QLD 4470

Charleville Thrift Shop

54 Edward Street
Charleville QLD 4470

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Gladstone

Gladstone Office

37 Goondoon Street
Gladstone Central QLD 4680

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Dubbo

Dubbo Depot

2/7 McGuinn Crescent
Dubbo NSW 2830

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Volunteer FAQ’s

  • Do I have to have a Working With Children Check (or Blue Card)?

    In all states right across Australia you must have a Working With Children Card for the state you wish to be a volunteer in:

    QLD: Blue Card
    NSW: Working With Children Check
    VIC: Working With Children Check
    NT: Working With Children Check
    WA: Working With Children Check
    TAS: Working With Children Check

    You should click on the relevant state links and research what is involved for the state you wish to volunteer in. Make sure you meet their criteria, and if they have forms to complete, we encourage you to do so asap.

  • Do I need a Working With Children for the whole of Australia?

    No. Volunteers only need child-work clearance for the States they intend to take placements.

  • What if the Blue Card (or Working With Child forms) need an AHVISE signature?

    Some of the Working With Children Checks and Blue Cards require the charity/organisation you intend to volunteer with, to sign it.

    What we need you to do is to download the forms from the official websites (or the Blue Card forms are downloadable below).

    If you have a form, and you need a signature from one of our admin staff, please fill out as much of the forms as you can, get your ID documents verified, and send the original documents PLUS one copy (of all of the documents) to:

    PO Box 405
    Charleville, QLD 4470

    Because we are a registered charity, there is no cost to you for the application.

  • How do I enter my Blue Card into the system?

    When you register with the AHVISE Registration Form on this website there will be instructions for you to upload a copy of your Blue Card (or relevant Working with Children check) and Drivers Licence.

  • Does my partner need a Working With Children check?

    Yes. If your partner is helping you in the school room or maybe sports and anything involved with the children they must have a Blue Card too.

  • Do I have to write the curriculum for my student while I am on the placement?

    No. Please do not change the child’s curriculum because when you leave, families have to go back to what they know. Distance Education schools or home schooling (or whatever program the family are enrolled in) send out assignments and your job is to supervise these and help child/children catch up and do extra if needed. Always discuss progress in the schoolroom with parents. Farming parents are very busy. They appreciate honest feedback and open and honest communication about how their child/children are progressing in their schoolwork.

  • What about travel costs & reimbursements?

    Normally all Volunteers are responsible for their own accommodation to and from Placements.

    However, Volunteers can claim up to $1,500 per Placement (in total for both Volunteer and their partner/spouse) and all and any reimbursement claims MUST come with copies of the receipts the Volunteer is seeking to have reimbursed. This is to keep the system fair.

    When Volunteers join, they will have access to our Volunteers Financial Hub which has a simple form to complete and upload your receipts (in JPEG, PNG or PDF format) and request the travel refund. Refunds can take up to 3wks, but we do aim for 2wks or less.

    Our FULL TRAVEL REFUND FORM can be downloaded HERE.

  • Our FULL TRAVEL REFUND FORM can be downloaded HERE

    DOWNLOAD our Travel Refund Info Form HERE…
    Simply click below, and you can view and download our travel reimbursement guidelines.

    Our FULL TRAVEL REFUND FORM can be downloaded HERE.

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Sponsorship Enquiry

If your business or organisation is interested in sponsoring or partnering an Aussie Helpers initiative to help Aussie farmers, farming families and communities, please register your interest below.

Sponsorship Enquiry

Contact Details

Organisation Details (if applicable):

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Volunteer Enquiry

If your business or organisation is interested in sponsoring or partnering an Aussie Helpers initiative to help Aussie farmers, farming families and communities, please register your interest below.

Volunteer Enquiry

Details

Availability

There are many ways you can volunteer and help Aussie farmers in need with us, including at events and at our depots.

Skills

We have a high demand for volunteers with trade licenses or experience in teaching who are able to travel to support farmers, farming families and communities in need.

Do you hold any trade licenses or skills that would help support farmers or farming communities?

Confirmation

Correct
Close

Volunteer FAQ’s

  • Do I have to have a Working With Children Check (or Blue Card)?

    In all states right across Australia you must have a Working With Children Card for the state you wish to be a volunteer in:

    QLD: Blue Card
    NSW: Working With Children Check
    VIC: Working With Children Check
    NT: Working With Children Check
    WA: Working With Children Check
    TAS: Working With Children Check

    You should click on the relevant state links and research what is involved for the state you wish to volunteer in. Make sure you meet their criteria, and if they have forms to complete, we encourage you to do so asap.

  • Do I need a Working With Children for the whole of Australia?

    No. Volunteers only need child-work clearance for the States they intend to take placements.

  • What if the Blue Card (or Working With Child forms) need an AHVISE signature?

    Some of the Working With Children Checks and Blue Cards require the charity/organisation you intend to volunteer with, to sign it.

    What we need you to do is to download the forms from the official websites (or the Blue Card forms are downloadable below).

    If you have a form, and you need a signature from one of our admin staff, please fill out as much of the forms as you can, get your ID documents verified, and send the original documents PLUS one copy (of all of the documents) to:

    PO Box 405
    Charleville, QLD 4470

    Because we are a registered charity, there is no cost to you for the application.

  • How do I enter my Blue Card into the system?

    When you register with the AHVISE Registration Form on this website there will be instructions for you to upload a copy of your Blue Card (or relevant Working with Children check) and Drivers Licence.

  • Does my partner need a Working With Children check?

    Yes. If your partner is helping you in the school room or maybe sports and anything involved with the children they must have a Blue Card too.

  • Do I have to write the curriculum for my student while I am on the placement?

    No. Please do not change the child’s curriculum because when you leave, families have to go back to what they know. Distance Education schools or home schooling (or whatever program the family are enrolled in) send out assignments and your job is to supervise these and help child/children catch up and do extra if needed. Always discuss progress in the schoolroom with parents. Farming parents are very busy. They appreciate honest feedback and open and honest communication about how their child/children are progressing in their schoolwork.

  • What about travel costs & reimbursements?

    Normally all Volunteers are responsible for their own accommodation to and from Placements.

    However, Volunteers can claim up to $1,500 per Placement (in total for both Volunteer and their partner/spouse) and all and any reimbursement claims MUST come with copies of the receipts the Volunteer is seeking to have reimbursed. This is to keep the system fair.

    When Volunteers join, they will have access to our Volunteers Financial Hub which has a simple form to complete and upload your receipts (in JPEG, PNG or PDF format) and request the travel refund. Refunds can take up to 3wks, but we do aim for 2wks or less.

    Our FULL TRAVEL REFUND FORM can be downloaded HERE.

  • Our FULL TRAVEL REFUND FORM can be downloaded HERE

    DOWNLOAD our Travel Refund Info Form HERE…
    Simply click below, and you can view and download our travel reimbursement guidelines.

    Our FULL TRAVEL REFUND FORM can be downloaded HERE.

Close

AHVISE Families FAQ’s

  • Do I have to have a Working With Children Check (or Blue Card)?

    In all states right across Australia you must have a Working With Children Card for the state you wish to be a volunteer in:

    QLD: Blue Card
    NSW: Working With Children Check
    VIC: Working With Children Check
    NT: Working With Children Check
    WA: Working With Children Check
    TAS: Working With Children Check

    To ensure the wellbeing of our families and students all volunteers are required to meet the safety standards set for the state they wish to volunteer in.

  • Do I need a Working With Children for the whole of Australia?

    No. Volunteers only need child-work clearance for the States they intend to take placements.

  • How long do I stay at one placement?

    There is no time limit. Should a family require help to have someone for one full school term, this is okay and worked out with the Coordinator and the family. it is advised that no placement will be under 6 weeks, the reason being one unit/assignment of school work is 2 weeks, that means you are helping that student do 3 units.

  • What about travel costs & reimbursements?

    Volunteers are generally responsible for their own accommodation to and from placements, however, they can claim up to $1,500 per placement (in total for both volunteer and their partner/spouse) and all and any reimbursement claims MUST come with copies of the receipts the Volunteer is seeking to have reimbursed. This is to keep the system fair.

    When Volunteers join, they will have access to our Volunteers Financial Hub which has a simple form to complete and upload your receipts (in JPEG, PNG or PDF format) and request the travel refund. Refunds can take up to 3wks, but we do aim for 2wks or less. Our FULL TRAVEL REFUND FORM can be downloaded HERE.

  • Can I choose when I do a placement?

    You can choose when you wish to help families in the outback, by providing your preferred dates when you type in your preferences for dates/time of the year you wish to volunteer, on the registration forms on this website.

  • Does my partner need a Working With Children check?

    Yes. If your partner is helping you in the school room, with sports or anything involved with children they must have a Blue Card too.

Close
Volunteer Enquiry

If your business or organisation is interested in sponsoring or partnering an Aussie Helpers initiative to help Aussie farmers, farming families and communities, please register your interest below.

Volunteer Enquiry

Details

Availability

There are many ways you can volunteer and help Aussie farmers in need with us, including at events and at our depots.

Skills

We have a high demand for volunteers with trade licenses or experience in teaching who are able to travel to support farmers, farming families and communities in need.

Do you hold any trade licenses or skills that would help support farmers or farming communities?

Confirmation

Correct
Close
School Enquiry

If your school could benefit from our support please register your interest below.

School Enquiry

Contact Details

School Details

Address
Address
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Volunteer Refund Request

If your business or organisation is interested in sponsoring or partnering an Aussie Helpers initiative to help Aussie farmers, farming families and communities, please register your interest below.

AHVISE Volunteer Refund

Volunteer Details

Refund Details

$
Is this the first refund request?

Maximum file size: 10MB

Bank Details

Confirmation

Correct
  • My receipts do not exceed the acceptable travel km’s for the most direct route.
  • My refund request total is less than $1500.00.
  • Direct route distance (km’s) from departure to placement (from google maps)
Please note:
Your refund will be paid to your nominated bank account within 14 days.
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