Welcome to Bear Cottage


Thank you for your interest in volunteering at Bear Cottage Children's Hospice in Manly, NSW. the different types of roles we have available are listed below - you can read these and decide if you would like to apply for a specific role or all of them! If you would like to be considered for a volunteer position, please click on the volunteer application form on the right hand side of this page and follow the log in steps. If you have a current Better Impact account, please use your existing username and password. Alternatively, if you are new to Better Impact please create a new account. I look forward to hearing from you!

If you are interested in being a volunteer please fill in the application and we will be in touch prior to the next intake (2025). 

PLEASE NOTE: Bear Cottage follows all current NSW Health guidelines to ensure we provide the safest environment for Children, Families, staff and volunteers.

All volunteers are required to be fully vaccinated. This includes Hepatitis B, DTPa (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis), MMR (Measles Mumps and Rubella), Varicella (Chickenpox) and the annual flu vaccination. You will also be required to hold a current Working with Children Check.

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Volunteer Roles

Housekeeping Volunteer

Come and join our Housekeeping team! Volunteers assist our housekeepers in maintaining the cleanliness of Bear Cottage, ensuring a comfortable and welcoming environment for families and children. Tasks may include vacuuming, folding or ironing.

Kitchen Volunteer

Come and join our Kitchen team! Meal times at Bear Cottage are a special way of connecting with children and families at Bear Cottage. In this role you get to help our Chefs prepare food, assist with meal service, and wash up.

Play, Art and Music Therapy Volunteer

Come join our Music Therapy team! Volunteers support our Play, Art and Music therapists in engaging patients and siblings in activities such as play or music sessions, reading, arts and craft or outdoor activities.

 

Therapy Dog Walking Volunteer

Volunteers walk our therapy dog Beau, who is a vital comfort and emotional support to families and children.

 

Garden Volunteer

Come and be a Garden Volunteer! We have beautiful grounds at Bear Cottage for families and children to relax in and enjoy. Volunteers assist in weeding, sweeping, planting, pruning, mowing and hedging. Every bit helps and all abilities are catered for!

Hairdressing Volunteer

Come and join our Hairdressing team! Volunteers offer hairdressing services to children and families – an activity that can be so difficult for many families. Please apply if this is something you are interested in on a weekly / fortnightly or monthly basis.

Transport Volunteer

An adhoc but valuable volunteering role driving families and their children to the cottage for stays, to and from appointments or outings.  This could involve picking up from their home within the Sydney metro area or any of the Sydney Children's Hospitals. You would use one of our two vehicles: either in a 11 seater bus or in a mini SUV.

Public Speaking

This is an adhoc request, often supporting the Community Relations Manager in community based events. Public speaking resources have been developed to support you in this role, which would be provided by the Community Relations Manager.  If this is something you are interested in please indicate your interest.

Fundraising / Events

This is an adhoc role ranging from assisting at Bear Cottage fundraising events such as A Bear Affair, Superhero week to Xmas parties or assisting at third party events in the community.

Yoga Volunteer

Families and children really appreciate having the chance to engage in some relaxing yoga from time to time. We encourage families to ask if they would like a one to one / group yoga session and then book our yoga teacher in on an available day and time. 

Photography Volunteer

As a photography volunteer you will work on an adhoc basis, supporting our important memory making by taking family and children portraits and documenting events as requested. When required you will be supported by a member of staff to take family and children portraits.

Massage and Reflexology Volunteer

You need to be qualified to undertake this volunteering role. Offering therapeutic sessions to parents , carers and children at Bear Cottage.

Handy Person tasks

A volunteer handy person supports our maintenance team with small jobs and repairs to keep the space comfortable and safe. 

About Bear Cottage

Bear Cottage is the only children’s hospice in NSW - a very special place that is dedicated to caring for children with life-limiting conditions for respite and end of life care. At Bear Cottage, we believe that life, however brief, should be enriched, enjoyed and celebrated.


As part of the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, Bear Cottage provides excellence in paediatric palliative and psychosocial care, delivered by an expert interdisciplinary team. As a respite facility, Bear Cottage is a home away from home, with staff and volunteers on hand to take care of the cooking and cleaning, allowing families to forget about the stresses of everyday life and to be able to spend quality time together.

 

Families do not pay to stay at Bear Cottage and we rely on support from the community to keep our doors open.

 

Bear Cottage is a home full of special moments and cherished memories. A place where life is for living!

 

For more information visit: bearcottage.org.au