As part of the annual Tax Help program, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is looking for volunteers who are able to assist people from non-English speaking backgrounds. 

Tax Help is a network of trained community volunteers who provide a free and confidential service to help people complete their tax returns. Established in 1988, the program assists more than 50,000 individual taxpayers between July and October each year.

Volunteers come from all sectors of the community, and are trained by the ATO to prepare and lodge tax returns using e-tax.   

As demand for the service from multicultural Australia continues to grow, the ATO hopes to expand on the range of in-language assistance available so that they can better assist people from non-English speaking backgrounds.

Assistant Commissioner Graham Whyte said the support that volunteers have provided over the years has been invaluable.

"By continuing to grow the range of in-language assistance Tax Help provides, we can ensure that more people from non-English speaking communities have access to this valuable, free service," Graham said.  

"You don't need any special experience to be a Tax Help volunteer. As long as you have a good command of English, can use a computer and can spare some time to assist between July and October, you can apply."

Individuals and organisations can find out more about the program by visiting the ATO website or emailing diversity@ato.gov.au

Recruitment for the program closes in mid-April.