Nathalia Pinheiro and Sarah Amirtharajah have found the perfect way to meet new people and share their love of Sydney.
They’ve been volunteering as Sydney ambassadors for 6 months, helping visitors make the most of their stay.
The City of Sydney's roaming ambassadors provide friendly advice on all our city has to offer, including its world-class restaurants, museums, galleries and attractions.
“I love being an ambassador – it’s so fun and rewarding,” Sarah said. “It’s a pleasure to be able to share how great this city is with national and international visitors. Our shifts are always fun and I find people are really friendly and grateful for our help.”
Sydney ambassadors last year helped welcome over 100,000 visitors, including 13,500 cruise ship passengers.
Around 200 roaming ambassadors meet and greet tourists at hotspots across the city centre, including Circular Quay, outside the Queen Victoria Building and around Sydney Town Hall.
Sarah is a student and Nathalia is a small business owner and dance teacher. Both say they enjoy the flexibility of being an ambassador.
“Each shift is different, which I love,” Sarah said. “I’m studying tourism and hospitality management so it’s great experience and I can fit it in around my studies.”
There are many reasons people choose to volunteer as ambassadors, including meeting people and giving something back.
“I love meeting new people and learning about different cultures,” Nathalia said. “And I’ve become good friends with other ambassadors.”
New recruits have thorough training before they start. The ambassadors operate in pairs on their shifts.
“When I first became an ambassador I partnered with people that had more experience,” Nathalia said. “They coached me and taught me a lot.
“We learned about active listening as a way of providing good advice, which I found really helpful.”
Sarah said she feels well-equipped at the start of each shift.
“We’re given a bag full of resources, including maps, guides and an iPad,” she said. “We always feel really prepared for the morning or afternoon ahead.”
With Sydney’s tourism industry growing each year, the City of Sydney is always on the lookout for volunteers.
If you want to share your love of Sydney and can volunteer for 2, 3-hour shifts per month, it could be the perfect role for you.
Find out more about volunteering as an ambassador.
Published 16 July 2019
