As we enter Advent hoping you can take time in your busy schedules to be updated on Palms news and take inspiration from our participants and partners.
Thank you
With heartfelt thanks
To everyone who made 2024-2025 possible—our donors, members, corporate partners, and supporters—thank you. Your generosity funds placements, supports volunteers in the field, and enables communities to build their own solutions to poverty.
Special thanks to our partner organisations in Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and South Africa for trusting Palms with your development goals. Your leadership and vision make this work possible.
To our volunteers—past, present, and future—you are the heart of everything we do.
Director’s Reflection
Making Space
Christmas is just around the corner and everything seems to speed up, as we all attempt to squeeze two months into one…. before we are finally rewarded with January, when we get to take stock and set intentions and priorities for the year ahead. Read more…
Gap Year Opportunities
Placements in Cambodia & Timor-Leste
Join us for our GAP YEAR WEBINAR on Thursday 4 December 6pm & 9pm AEDT for Year 12 school leavers and uni students (aged 18-25), along with their parents. Find out about mentoring roles in Cambodia and Timor-Leste for 2026. This is a chance for you to discover what you are interested in, and to define your purpose – before launching down a career path – while gaining valuable cross-cultural experience.
REGISTER YOUR ATTENDANCE TODAY
Timor-Leste Encounter May 2026
Information Session 8 December 7.30pm
Palms Encounters are ethically run small group tours (max 10 people) that provide curious travellers with authentic insights into daily life and culture. Sustainable approaches to development are experienced through meeting local communities and the Palms participants who are on long-term assignments.
Join us on Monday 8 December 7.30-8.30pm AEDT if you’d like a short taste and tour of our 2026 Palms Encounter to Timor-Leste 14-27 May.
Frontline Inspiration
First Impressions from out 5 participants in Timor-Leste
MALIANA – project management mentor Richard Murphy, with his wife Ushi, writes a detailed newsletter accompanied by many photos from early on in their placement. Read here…
HERA – permaculture specialist Andie Maxwell writes, “Timor Leste is a country like no other I have experienced. A blend of the busyness of South-East Asia but on Island time.” Read more…
BAUCAU – experienced English teacher Wendy Baker shares, “My placement has deepened my understanding of global interdependence by highlighting how local actions can have far-reaching impacts”. Read more…
KASAIT – nursing & midwife educator Marian Brand writes about new sights and sounds, similarities and differences in her new neighbourhood. Read more…
Celebrating Those Who Completed Their Service
Four volunteers completed their placements this year
…leaving behind strengthened organisations and transformed lives—including their own.
Carolyn Hadley returned from Venilale, Timor-Leste, describing her experience as “like no other I have had in the past or am likely to have in the future.” She reflected on how the young people’s respect, kindness, and happiness—despite challenges—humbled her and inspired her to advocate for Timor-Leste whenever she can.
Gavin Purcell, who completed his finance placement at Instituto São João de Brito in Kasait, Timor-Leste, helped the team develop a Finance Manual that will guide better decision-making for years to come. His partner organisation expressed “heartfelt gratitude” for this lasting contribution.
Ray Wallbank brought decades of PNG experience to Mt Hagen, where he enjoyed “the enthusiasm of the younger workers who mostly came from challenging backgrounds but seem keen to learn new skills.” His role was all about problem-solving—drawing on life experiences rather than textbooks.
Carmel Lawry stepped into a critical gap in South Africa, serving as interim manager before mentoring new manager Jeanette Lesisa. By the time Carmel returned from leave in July 2025, Jeanette was “confidently managing all aspects of the position independently”—exactly what sustainable development looks like.
Thank you to these four remarkable individuals who gave their time, skills, and hearts to communities across the Pacific and beyond.
Christmas Greetings from South Africa
Celebrating Carmel Lawry
This beautiful Christmas photo comes from Carmel Lawry at Holy Family Care Centre in Limpopo, South Africa — and it marks her final Christmas on placement before returning home.
For nearly a decade, Carmel has been a constant, caring presence for some of South Africa’s most vulnerable children — those who are orphaned, abandoned, abused, or living with HIV/AIDS. When asked to describe her, the staff say simply: “Carmel is so helpful.” The children say: “We love Carmel.” Read more…
Christmas Appeal
A Different Kind of Christmas
What does Christmas mean to you ?
Presents, food… a celebration of faith? Perhaps a reconnection with family.
Palms would like to invite you to reconnect with our Pacific and near neighbour families by supporting the placement of our long term volunteers there.
Be encouraged to support the work of Palms through our Christmas Appeal.
2024-2025: A Year of Solidarity in Action
What a year it’s been!
Nine skilled Australians have shared their expertise across four countries—Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea, The Philippines, and South Africa—delivering 1,175 days of service through seven partner organisations.
Our volunteers have walked alongside communities in education (33% of placements), health (21%), and organisational development (46%), reaching 1,853 adults and 2,609 children and youth through partner services. Through 128 formal mentoring sessions and 82 school-based programs, 62 adults developed new skills—with 49 reporting they’re now working more effectively in their roles.
Behind these numbers are real people: a nurse training midwives in The Philippines, an accountant building financial systems in Timor-Leste, and an experienced manager mentoring the next generation of community leaders in South Africa, to name a few. The average age of our volunteers this year was 57, with the youngest at 28 and our most experienced at 74—proof that there’s no age limit on making a difference.
At the beginning of this FY we sent two volunteers to Timor-Leste: Andie Maxwell, a permaculture specialist and Wendy Baker, an English teacher mentor. In 2026 we look forward to sending 3 skilled managers to new placements in PNG and Kalamburu in the first half of next year.
Gap Year Opportunities Close Up
Our partner communities are seeking skilled volunteers who can contribute to sustainable development initiatives. Each placement represents a carefully considered request from communities who have identified specific needs and goals.
View all current opportunities or contact us:
- Phone: (02) 9560 5333
- Email: palms@palms.org.au
Watch this short inspiring placement video.
View all current opportunities
Upcoming Opportunities
In the Palms Office
As a small team, we are always excited to welcome those with skills and time to share in our Petersham office and are looking specifically for an Event Coordinator, Community Connector and Database Builder. Please email emily@palms.org.au if you have the time and passion to be involved.
Other News
Keeping the local in locally led development
DevPolicy Blog – 3 October 2025. Read here…
World’s first Indigenous-led ocean reserve a step closer to reality
Oceanographic – 10 September 2025. Read here.
Palms International Volunteering acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and pays respect to Elders past, present and emerging.