Volunteering and Work Experience

Work Experience

Students completing work experience are covered under La Trobe University’s (the University) general and products liability insurance. There is also limited cover under the University's personal accident and travel insurance while on campus or elsewhere in connection with University-related activities, including necessary travel to and from such activities. Please note that cover for medical expenses is limited to non-Medicare expenses, all other expenses must go through the Medicare system. There is no cover for loss of / damage to personal effects belonging to the Student.

Students volunteering at La Trobe University

Volunteers at La Trobe University are not deemed to be employees for the purposes of Workers Compensation Insurance under the Accident Compensation Act and therefore they are not covered by the University's Workers Compensation insurance.

However, volunteers are covered under the University's general and products liability insurance. There is also limited cover under the University's personal accident and travel insurance while on campus or elsewhere in connection with University-related activities, including necessary travel to and from such activities. Please note that cover for medical expenses is limited to non-Medicare expenses, all other expenses must go through the Medicare system. There is no cover for loss of / damage to personal effects belonging to the Student.

Volunteering at a community / not for profit organisation

Students may independently of the University, donate their time to support a cause they are passionate about and/or to help benefit a person, people, environment, or community in a not-for-profit / community organisation.

Arrangements, including insurance of volunteers, need to be facilitated independently between the student and the organisation. Genuine organisations should have insurance to cover their volunteers. It is the responsibility of the student to confirm insurance provisions of the organisation if you are undertaking volunteering outside the curriculum. The University does not provide insurance cover for any independent volunteering between students and organisations external to the University or University sanctioned activities.

To obtain insurance

The following steps are relevant to students who volunteer at La Trobe University only.

Students volunteering with community / not-for-profit organisations are responsible for confirming insurance provisions of the organisation if volunteering is outside the curriculum.

1. Career Ready Student Placement Form
2. Ensure the form is held by the authorising department

For further information, please contact the Insurance Office on 03 9479 1238 or email insurance@latrobe.edu.au.