Volunteer park walk leaders
Park Walk leaders are volunteers who provide free guided walks at selected Parks Victoria parks.
They guide the group along a designated route, creating a friendly and inclusive atmosphere for all participants and providing some interesting facts about the park along the way.
The Park Walks program is designed to provide the public with regular volunteer-led walks that encourage social inclusion and connection, provide the safety of a guided walk, and support community health and wellbeing through exercise.
Participating in the Park Walk leader volunteer program is a great way to help Parks Victoria by providing friendly guidance at some of Victoria’s most popular parks, encouraging participants to develop a regular walking habit and sense of community while connecting to nature.
All volunteers will receive specialised training and support from Parks Victoria.
Read the Volunteer Park Walk Leader position description (PDF 256 kB) and find out more about the program on our Park Walks page.
Where
The program currently runs at a number of parks including Churchill Park, Ocean Grove Nature Reserve, Yarra Bend, Plenty Gorge, Gresswell Forest, You Yangs Regional Park, Lysterfield Park, Dandenong Ranges National Park, and Macedon Regional Park.
When
The Park Walks Program runs all year round with parks offering regular walks. Visit ParkConnect (search Volunteer Park Walk Leader group) to view current opportunities or email healthycommunities@parks.vic.gov.au to enquire about upcoming Park Walk leader volunteer recruitment.
As a Volunteer Park Walk leader you will:
- Receive training and inductions through a blend of online and in person training
- Lead a 45-90 min walk once per week/ fortnight/month (depending on rostering and availability)
- Provide friendly, inclusive, social interaction with the park visitors
- Provide park information to the park visitors
- Alert park rangers to any trail hazards discovered on walking trails
- Collect data on numbers of participants and participant feedback
Key skills
Park Walk Leaders will need to be confident in public speaking, have a positive attitude, strong communication and enjoy engaging with people.
A Working with Children Check is also required and can be obtained from Service Victoria's Working with Children Check page. This check is free for all volunteers.
How to join
If you are interested in becoming a Volunteer Park Walk leader follow these steps:
- Step 1: Submit an Expression of Interest form.
- Step 2: Register as a volunteer on ParkConnect.
- Step 3: Join the Volunteer Park Walk Leader group or information session activities if they are scheduled.
The program coordinator will be in touch with further details.
Enquiries
For any questions, please email healthycommunities@parks.vic.gov.au.