Become a bencher

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Benchers are the friendly face of the Yellow Bench Project. As a Bencher, you help people connect, share stories, and feel a little less alone. It is a warm, flexible way to be part of the movement.
Woman sitting on a yellow bench smiling, in a park

What is a Bencher?

A Bencher is a Yellow Bench Project volunteer. Whether you have a few hours a month or a few days a year, you help bring the benches, and the connection they stand for, to life in your community. Some Benchers love running stalls and events. Others enjoy gathering stories, or lending a hand placing and painting benches. You choose what suits you.

It takes courage.  It takes courage to reach out, and to show up for someone else. Benchers help make that a little easier, one conversation and one bench at a time.

Apply now

Why become a Bencher?

  • Feel connected. Meet people who care about the same things you do.
  • Make a difference. Small acts of welcome and connection add up.
  • Learn and grow. Build confidence talking about mental health and wellbeing.
  • Do it your way. Give as much or as little time as suits your life.

Ways to get involved

  • Help at events. Lend a hand at launches and community days, welcoming people, helping set up, and running simple activities that get people talking.
  • Share stories from the bench. Gather and share stories of connection, built around a simple question: who showed up for you when you needed it? With people’s permission, these stories help others feel seen.
  • Coordinate bench placements and installations. Help find good spots for new benches, work with local groups, and pitch in with assembling, painting and installing.
  • Represent us at stalls. Be a friendly presence at markets, expos and community events, sharing what the Yellow Bench Project is about and handing out resources.
  • Support education activities. Help with workshops and awareness sessions in schools, workplaces and community groups.

What we ask

Being a Bencher is easy to step into.

We simply ask that you:

  • bring warmth and a welcoming manner,
  • are reliable, and let us know if plans change,
  • represent Richmind WA and the Yellow Bench Project with care and respect, and
  • look after your own wellbeing as you go.

What we offer

  • a warm welcome and an induction to get you started,
  • training and support for the activities you choose,
  • a Bencher kit so you feel part of the team,
  • a friendly community of people who care, and
  • the flexibility to be involved in a way that suits you.

A note on wellbeing and boundaries

Benchers are welcomers and connectors, not counsellors or crisis responders. You do not need to have the answers. If someone shares something heavy, you can listen kindly, let them know they matter, and point them to support. You never have to carry it on your own, and we are here to back you up.

Do you need support right now?

If you or someone you are talking with needs to talk, support is available.
Emergency Call 000 Mental Health Emergency Response Line
Other Support Services

How to become a Bencher

  1. Apply to become a Bencher via the button below.
  2. A Richmind WA team member will review your application and be in touch.
  3. Once you’re signed up, come along to a Bencher induction, online or in person.
  4. Choose how you would like to help.
  5. Collect your Bencher kit.
  6. Get started, with our support alongside you.
Apply now

Common questions

  • No. We will give you everything you need. A warm, willing manner matters most.

  •  As much or as little as you like. Some Benchers help at one event a year, others are involved most weeks.

  • We provide an induction and training for the activities you choose. You are never thrown in the deep end.

  • Yes, and it makes a lovely team activity. Get in touch and we will help.

  • That is okay, and it happens to everyone. You can step back, and we will always support you afterwards.

  • No. We would love more Benchers in regional communities.

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