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For students who are interested in working with animals and want to learn about animal welfare, the RSPCA is a great place to undertake work experience - and at the RSPCA it is an experience! It's hard work and physically demanding as students may assist with cleaning, pooper scooping, exercising, grooming and providing the animals with environmental enrichment. The work is physical and sometimes dirty, but for those students who are passionate about animal care and welfare it is very rewarding.

If you wish to enquire about Work Experience or Volunteering as part of your Duke of Edinburgh Award program outside of Sydney, please contact your local RSPCA Shelter or Volunteer Branch directly by CLICKING HERE.

Please note that not all locations will be able to accept students and some may already be booked out due to the program being so popular.

RSPCA Shelters that are currently booked out are:

* Hunter Region (Newcastle) - RSPCA Rutherford Shelter
* Illawarra region (Wollongong) - RSPCA Unanderra Shelter

Sydney School Work Experience Program 2010

Requirements:

* Students must be over the age of 15 years.
* The School must provide their own insurance to cover the student during their Work Experience week.
* Students must know which week their school has allocated before applying and may propose two separate dates if their school has given them different weeks.
* The week must be for 5 days from Monday to Friday, and be done in one block.
* Preference will be given to students that have not had a placement with the RSPCA previously.

Availability: March to November 2010.

Please note: the following months have been booked out and are not available

* March
* May
* June
* November

Students assist with providing basic care for the adoption animals in the kennels, cattery, and with the small animals like rabbits and guinea pigs.

Below are some of the tasks that work experience students participate in during the week. Students start at 8am and finish at 4pm (this includes breaks).

Kennel Assistant- Primary Tasks

* Assist Staff with pooper scooping, cleaning, hosing dog kennels and yards.
* Change bedding, top up water bowls, and kongs.
* Observing the animals for signs of illness.
* Assist with preparing feeds and feeding.
* Undertake tasks to provide environmental enrichment for the dogs.
* Walk dogs and take them to exercise areas.
* Provide individual attention to the dogs, including handling, training, and socialisation.
* Assist with taking dirty blankets to the laundry and rubbish removal.
* Undertake grooming duties as required. This may include bathing and brushing. 

Cattery Assistant - Primary Tasks

* Assist Staff with sweeping and mopping the cattery.
* Change bedding, top up water bowls, wash bowls, wash litter trays and pooper scoop.
* Observe the animals for signs of illness and document or report on this.
* Assist with preparing feeds and feeding.
* Undertake tasks to provide environmental enrichment for the cats.
* Assist with the general maintenance of cattery and surrounding area.
* Move cats to exercise areas and back to cattery.
* Provide individual attention to the cats and kittens, including handling, play and socialisation.
* Assist with taking dirty blankets to the laundry and rubbish removal.
* Undertake grooming duties as required. This may include grooming and brushing.  
 
If you haven't visited the RSPCA Sydney Shelter it is highly recommended -  before applying  - that you visit the Shelter during opening hours to get more of an idea of the working environment. Please ensure that you arrange transporation to and from the Shelter during your work experience.

The RSPCA Sydney Shelter is located at 201 Rookwood Rd, Yagoona. The Shelter is open for viewing adoption animals 6 days a week (closed Wednesdays and public holidays) from 9:30 am - 3:30 pm.

Please do not send your school work experience forms with your application - if approved you will be asked to send them later.

Please note that this program is very popular and each year we have a great number of students apply. It is fantastic that so many young people are interested in learning more about animal care and welfare. Unfortunately, we have a limited number of placements available. If we receive many applications at once it may take some time to get back to all applications but we will contact you as soon as possible - we appreciate your patience.

Please also visit our Human Education section by CLICKING HERE for further information about how you can help and how your school can get involved.

To apply for Work Experience please ensure you have read the requirements listed on this page, the primary tasks and formally answer the following questions in an email to: Marika Taylor- Sydney Volunteer Coordinator -  volunteer@rspcansw.org.au

In your introduction please include your full name and contact details, what year you are in and which school you are attending.

* Why have you selected the RSPCA for your Work Experience?
* Which week are you applying for, including start and finish date?
* What are your career interests?
* What knowledge, skills and benefits do you hope to gain from your work experience at the RSPCA?
* Please give details of your experience with animals and animal care including those that you have helped take care of at home.
* How will you be travelling to the Shelter?
* Have you applied for other placements? If so, where?
* Do you have any allergies to animals, or is there anything we would need to know about special requirements for your work experience?

If you your application is successful, we will ask you at a later date to send your School Work Experience forms in. Please do not send them with your application.

Duke of Edinburgh 2010

The RSPCA NSW Yagoona shelter is the location in Sydney that is currently accepting students doing their Silver or Gold Duke of Edinburgh, and who are over the age of 16 years. All Volunteers must have an up to date tetanus vaccination prior to starting.

Volunteers who are doing their Duke of Edinburgh are also required to volunteer three hours a week for a minimum of six months, due to the level of training required. The tasks that they will be required to do are the same as the Work Experience Tasks, and will be volunteering both, as Kennel Assistants, and Cattery assistants. More information on these roles can be viewed by reading the information under Sydney Volunteering.

To apply please ensure you have read through the requirements and primary tasks and  formally answer the following questions in an email to: Marika Taylor- Sydney Volunteer Coordinator volunteer@rspcansw.org.au

In your introduction please include your full name and contact details.

* Why have you selected the RSPCA to complete components of your Duke of Edinburgh?
* Which award are you wishing to complete: silver or gold?
* How will you be travelling to the Shelter weekly?
* Please give details of your experience with animals and animal care, including those that you have helped take care of at home.
* Do you have any allergies to animals, or is there anything we would need to know about special requirements?

Other Programs

The RSPCA are very supportive of a number of programs but have limited capacity to support all applicants. This year we are supporting the School Work Experience Program and students completing their Duke of Edinburgh. Unfortunately we are not able to accept short placements for School Community Service placements and other short placements.