Become a Volunteer
Our robotics competitions could not happen without the generous and dedicated work from volunteers. Even a few hours can make a difference, working side by side with FIRST Australia staff to:
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help shape young minds in STEM learning
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inspire students of all ages and abilities to achieve their full potential
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empower the next generation of changemakers and innovators.
Explore Volunteer Roles
All three robotics competitions require similar volunteer roles, which fall into four main categories:
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Judges - no FIRST experience needed but must be comfortable interviewing students about their achievements
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​Technical roles - require experience with FIRST systems as well as additional training
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Non-technical roles - requires basic understanding of the FIRST program
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General roles - no experience expected and are often required across all events regardless of program.
Depending on your preferred program, find out more about volunteer roles and how to get involved below (all links open in a new browser):
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FIRST LEGO League Explore (ages 6-10)
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FIRST LEGO League Challenge (ages 9-16)
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FIRST Tech Challenge (more senior teams of up to 15 students)
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FIRST Robotics Competition (requires the highest skills and interactions).
How to Volunteer
The minimum age for FIRST volunteers is 13 years. Volunteers over the age of 18 must acquire a 'Working with Children Check' or have the equivalent clearance for their state or territory. See FAQs below for more information.
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Browse our table of events and filter by your program type to see what's coming up near you.
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Having found an event, you will need to register your interest in volunteering. This requires you to create a profile and add your Working with Children Check number.​
​For FIRST LEGO League or FIRST Tech Challenge events, register at the FIRST Australia volunteer dashboard.​
For FIRST Robotics Competition events, register at the FIRST Inspires volunteer dashboard.
Like to know more?
Check out the registration guide (PDF) or volunteer handbook (PDF) for more detailed information.
National Strategy for Volunteering
FIRST Australia is proud to be an official supporter of the National Strategy for Volunteering. We recognise that we all have a part to play in ensuring that volunteering has a bright future in Australia. The National Strategy is a ten-year roadmap for how we can collectively build this future and our organisation is committed to this journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! There are a variety of technical and non-technical roles available at all events. Find out more about non-technical roles by browsing volunteer roles above!
The minimum age requirement for a FIRST volunteer is 13, though specific roles have higher age requirements. The age requirements for individual roles can be found by browsing volunteer roles above.
All volunteers over 18 years of age are required to have a valid Working with Children Check in accordance with the FIRST Youth Protection Program.
The Working with Children Check requirements, issuing office and cost for each state and territory are as follows:
State | Check | Requirements | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
ACT | Working with Vulnerable People Registration | Free for volunteers | Access Canberra |
NSW | Working with Children Check | Age 18+ | Free for volunteers | Office of the Children's Guardian |
NT | Working with Children Clearance (Ochre Card) | $8 fee for volunteers | NT Police - SAFE NT |
QLD | Blue Card | Please contact FIRST Australia: first.australia@mq.edu.au | Blue Card Services |
SA | Working with Children Check | Age 14+ | Free for volunteers | Department of Communities and Social Inclusion |
TAS | Working with Vulnerable People Registration | Age 16+ | $21.36 fee for volunteers | Service Tasmania |
VIC | Working with Children Check | Age 18+ | Free for volunteers | Service VIC |
WA | Working with Children Check | Age 18+ | $11 fee for volunteers | Department of Communities |
The time requirements vary by each role and can be found by accessing volunteer role information from FIRST Inspires, linked in the section above. However, we're always looking for volunteers for any length of time that you can help out!