Work for the Soul is committed to projects and services that help those most at risk and in need.

Our aim is to Support, Inform, Educate & Inspire!

 

Ongoing Projects

Food For Thought - Food Relief Service

This is our most in demand service with parcels packed and distributed weekly.  Tasks include, phone and face to face enquiries for orders and information regarding the service. Picker packing of food for readiness for food parcels, assistance to distribute parcels, complete online orders. Learn and improve your customer service, data entry and computer knowledge and skills.  Work as part of our Food For Thought team in this much needed service.

 


 

Past Projects

Work Experience Programs

Work For The Soul was established in 2015 with the aim to give people a different and more positive experience of work for the dole.

Working in partnership with Employment Service Providers through the current Job Active contract.  Our aim is to provide opportunities for Job Seekers to gain meaningful work and life experience through knowledge gained through particpation and engagement in the wide variety of Community Services and Social Enterprise Projects operating from Work For The Soul’s Community Support Centre.  


Phone A Friend

Recycled mobile phone distribution for those at risk and disadvantaged. Working with a range of partners assisting with the collection of discarded mobile phones, we use phones that can be cleared, recovered and reused. Our program aims to lower the impact on the environment from the dumping of discarded mobile phones whilst assisting those in need. Availability is dependent on supply.

To make an application, check eligibility or find out more:

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Work Experience and Volunteer Opportunities *

*Opportunities and participation in some activities may vary depending on Volunteer availability and skill levels. Activities and tasks may include:

Admin and Reception

At our Community Support Centre, we provide a range of services requiring all aspects of administration - greeting visitors and assisting people to access centre services, answering telephone enquiries, data entry, creating files, research projects, photocopying and other general administration tasks. Learn and improve your administration skills and computer program knowledge, keyboarding, data entry, spreadsheets, internet research, Twitter and Facebook.

Penny Pinchers Op Shop Showroom

Anything from sorting to selling, researching and posting our donated goods for our online sales, minor repairs and re-purposing or modifying goods. Practice your retail and customer service skills. Learn or improve your computer skills and knowledge in email, keyboarding, data entry, spreadsheets, internet research, costing of goods, online sales techniques and use of social media such as Twitter, Pintrest and Facebook. Assist with research for pricing and data analyse and marketing Update our social media feeds

D&A Service

Converting books, magazines, videos, CDs and photographs into a digital format. Learn and improve your computer program knowledge, keyboarding, spreadsheets and data entry and record keeping skills. Be part of our Innovation and Media Lab and learn how to use the technology for this service.

Up-Cycling & Makers Hub

If you're passionate about recycling, enjoy art, craft or working with your hands, you'll find great activities to get involved in. We sew, stitch, knit, paint and re-purpose discarded objects and make new creations that are sold in our Op shop. The funds generated from our Op shop assist us to continue the great work we do in the community. The only limit is your imagination! 

 

Soul Purpose Eco Shopping Bags

If you like sewing and creating a usable item from something that’s been discarded then helping to make our Eco shopping bags is the activity for you.  Learn to sew, cut and make these wonderful Eco Shopping bags

 

Read For The Soul On-line Book Store

Work For The Soul has now established an eBay store and currently has over 12,0000 books currently listed in its data base ready for sale with new books being donated every day.  Learn and improve your computer knowledge, keyboarding, spreadsheets and data entry and record keeping skills. Assist with research for pricing and data analyse and marketing Update our social media feeds.

 

The Old Jam Jar Café (Training Café)

Do you love coffee and want experience in the hospitality area? Through the generous sponsorship of Grinders Coffee, we are able to provide first rate training to Volunteers in our Training Café.  This opportunity is only available to Volunteers who committ to completing an agreed number of shifts on our Café Roster.

 

Plastic Repurposing Makers Hub

Are you passionate about the environment and want to help educate, inform and change how people think about what they can do with plastic?  Do you want to research and be involved in taking discarded plastic and making it into usable goods? Or do you just want to get creative about the many different ways plastic can be upcycled.  Following the great source of information available from preciousplastic.com Work For The Soul has created a Makers Hub dedicated to all things plastic.

 

2016 V.V.H.D (Victorian Venue Hire) Directory Work for the dole Job Prospects Activity

Victoria Venue Hire Directory listing available Venues in Victoria. Directory distributed to Councils, NFP and other relevant Community Service Iagencies.

2017 Kindred Spirits Work for the dole Employement Plus Activity

A variety in activities that would promote Indigenous & Multicultural culture in the Preston area Activities inlcuded Limited edition of multi lingual Inspriation Cards, Disk card a language game to assist in multi language communication, Multicultural Poetry night and a Community Arts Exhibition.

2017 VEMOS (Victorian Emergency-Relief, Market & Op Shop) Directory Work for the dole MAX Employement Acitivy

Combined listing of Emergency Relief providers, Market Gardens and Charity Op Shops in one directory.

2018 1001 Nights in Preston & Reservoir  Darebin Council Community Service Grant

A community storytelling project that brought together local residents to create and tell "their" stories about life in in Preston & Reservoir 

2018 Read For The Soul  Work for the dole Max Employment Activity

Creation and establishment of a Social Enterprise On-Line Bookstore

2018 Precious Plastic Work for the dole Employement Plus Activity

The establishment of a Social Enterprise Makers & Education Hub  where people could  research and experiment with how to convert and RePurpose discarded everyday waste plastic into material that can be used to craft and create usable itmes. Initially utilising the blue prints, information and resources availbe via preciousplastic.com Work For The Soul went beyond this to all include crafting and up-cycleing all things plastic. Creation of a data base of examples, how to's and craft ideas. 2018 saw a partnership established with Melbourne Uni to investigate further opportunities.

Prezzies in The Park 2016 & 2018

Through the generosity of K-Mart wishing tree toy donations Work For The Soul runs a Fun Day and BBQ Holiday event where the toys are distributed to children between 0 to 12 years. 

Share The Dignity  2016/ 2017/ 2018

In collaboration with Shar The Dignity who provide the care handbags, we have distributed over 250 care handbags each year to those in need.