Community

Unique volunteering date ideas that help your community

couple painting

Jessica Taylor Yates

Posted April 26, 2022

Looking for a day or night out that’s not dinner and a movie? You’ve come to the right place. 

Getting out and about during lockdown was tough. Catch-ups were relegated to video calls, park walks and meet-ups at hardware stores. Luckily, that is left in 2021, because restaurants, movies and bars are back in business! But if you've seen how many people were affected during COVID-19, particularly the less fortunate - why not turn a night out into a way to give back on a date night that's a little different and unique? 

Whether it’s your first date together or your 100th, we’ve rounded up a list of 10 unique and unconventional date ideas you can go on while still having a great time. 

Volunteer date ideas
 

Give Blood

Did you know 62,000 appointments to give blood are needed in Australia every week? By attending just once, you can save three lives. The whole appointment lasts about an hour, where you and your mate can watch tv, chat, and enjoy some free snacks and drinks after.

Find out more about giving blood with the Red Cross here.

Eat at a place that gives back to charity

Social enterprise setups. So hot right now. In Victoria, think of places like Streat, Tradeblock Cafe or Feast of Merit.

Basically, they're restaurants or pop-ups where profits or a share of proceeds go to those less fortunate. The best part is that you still get a brilliant meal, but with the added value of it helping someone else.

Take a cooking class that gives back

Looking for a unique date night idea? Organisations like Free to Feed supports and champions the 'unique skills and individual stories' of people seeking asylum and new migrants. According to their website, Free to Feed 'host authentic food experiences and workshops...run events and provide catering as well as food for delivery/pick-up.

Their 2022 experiences calendar is up, so get booking for your next fab night out for a fun new cooking experience.

Order in from a charitable catering service

The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) provides an opportunity for asylum seekers to cook and serve food at functions. When COVID-19 hit, they turned to pick-up and delivery. All dishes are vegan, as well as gluten and nut-free. Best of all? The cost of your meal covers one for a person seeking asylum.

Look to order your next candlelit dinner from the ASRC here.

Walk dogs at a pet shelter

More of a daytime explorer? Many rescue shelters are overrun with caring for animals and appreciate all the help they can get - cue, YOU! Contact your local shelter to see when you can come to help - perhaps a play with the kittens, a walk of the dogs, cleaning their cages, or just some cuddles - these animals will love you for it. You might even end up taking one home. 

Walking dogs at a shelter is a great way to spend time together while helping out animals. Image: Getty.
Become Australia's life blood and help those who truly need it with some great free snacks afterward! Image: Getty.
Helping out at a working bee is a great way to spend time together in nature while giving back to your community. Image: Getty.

Attend a charity fundraiser

From beautiful balls to boozy BBQs, no one said giving had to be ghastly. This website has a list of upcoming charity events - from relays to rock concerts, give back by going out! 

Work providing food for charitable organisations

Looking for a date idea that is a bit different? Places like our partner FareShare provide many opportunities to volunteer on your day out, whether you get together and help prepare and pack meals for people doing it tough, work in the kitchen garden, warehouse or office; or get together and run a food drive for a good cause.

Go to a working bee

Caring about the environment is in, and that's great. For a date that is unique. find out about a working bee at a local school or wetlands for a day catch-up, where you can spend time with your date helping out your local community and nature around you. 

Organise to do a charity run, ride or activity together

Whether it's a walk, run, bike ride, working together for a goal that helps others and is also good for your bod is a win-win. 

You can start out with some of these great runs around Victoria. 

Take someone who deserves it out and about

Think about treating someone special to a day out at one of the wonderful attractions around Melbourne, such as the Big Brothers Big Sisters initiative, or with the Red Cross Social Community Program for the elderly. 

 

RACV is a proud member of Volunteering Victoria
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