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I never cease to be inspired by the incredible contributions made every day
by volunteers who are working in our communities in so many ways.
I'd like to thank Leanne, Therese, Doreen and Vonnie
for generously sharing their volunteering stories with us.
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Leanne
Over the years I have done various volunteer roles in the community, which have included: Secretary on many committees, administration assistant at our local neighbourhood house, fire fighter and local primary school volunteer.
I started with the Volunteer Fire Brigade 1996. I had never thought about joining till I started the Brigade Auxiliary (fundraising committee) 2 years before when my husband had become 1st Officer. I asked how he felt about me joining and he was quite happy for me to give it a go.
Before I had officially joined the brigade I had done some training with a small group of women from the area and found that really enjoyed it and would like to learn more so I had my medical and joined up.
You had to do 3 months’ probation and learn basic fire fighting skills in that time and be voted in by the membership before you could do any further training so I did that and passed Basic Fire Fighting and then looked to becoming structurally trained so I could fight house fires as well as bush fires. After doing my structurally fire fighting training which included doing breathing apparatus, I completed a brigade Management Course which made me eligible to stand as an officer which I did 5 years before I retired. I became the 4th officer a role I totally enjoyed till I retired.
Volunteering to me meant everything and still does. It gave me the confidence to do different things and try new things I never would have tried before. With the brigade, the knowledge it gave me made me feel I was doing something useful in my community and outside as well with large fire events. I have met many wonderful people with all my volunteering and I hope that my work helped to make a difference. I know my work influenced and shaped my children in to the wonderful people they are today.
Editors Note: As a result of Leanne's volunteering, the experience and skills she gained gave her the confidence and knowledge to take on the paid role of Coordinator of the Warrane Mornington Neighbourhood Centre. She has since then, successfully completed several community services qualifications and won awards within the community, volunteer and training sector.
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Therese
I moved home from SA as a single mum, after an ugly breakup. Dad worried I
was turning into a hermit so he put my name on the interest list for Rural
Youth at Agfest.
A neighbor called inviting me to a meeting in Cressy. I
went, mostly to please dad and it set me on a whole new direction. I made
some great friends, some of which I still have from all over the state as
well as the national and international ones I hosted.
Through volunteering
at working bees, cutting wood, shoveling sheep-poo, etc I ended up gaining
employment on several farms in the district. I learnt to take minutes, run
a meeting, help with all sorts of jobs at the Quercus Park for Agfest, best
of all I met my wonderful partner Kelvin.
After buying a house and moving to Beaconsfield, life changed again.
Volunteering at Jacqui's new school became the way to interact with a new
community. I joined the "Nippers" (new babies) group. This was one of
several community groups that joined to form the Beaconsfield Neighborhood
House. I joined the folkart session,(back up child care; heaven) then the
patchwork group, 2 hours of peace a fortnight, whoo hoo! I met more people,
was drafted in to help with all sorts of things and ended up on the
committee, regional and state.
For a little word," Volunteer" benefits for
everyone.
Volunteering, I have met so many different people, gained life skills,
made great friends, experienced lots of different events and grown as an
individual. Our Executive Officer says "sometimes we need to step out of our comfort zone",
well I have been since dad wrote my name on that list back in 1990. If he
hadn't I may still be hiding on the farm and would have missed out on so much,
especially my partner and our four children.
PS. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened If I'd realized what the
building with the sign "Neighborhood House" was when I passed it getting
groceries in Gawler every week.
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Doreen
I have volunteered for the last 11 years or so...I started as a volunteer with my children's school, first doing parent help then helping out in the school canteen. As the children got older I went on to participate in the "Bridges" program, helping children discover reading. I also volunteered at the Neighbourhood Centre and became a committee member.
Then it was "time", according to the government at least, to find paid work, even though volunteering was seen by me as a rewarding job, a great way to meet and make friends and help the community.
The job agency offered me a chance to have paid work at the Neighbourhood Centre for six months as an administration officer, so I could expand on my skills. I was very fortunate that the Centre was able to keep me on after the job agency part finished. I continue to be employed there part time and volunteer there outside my paid hours. I have also completed Community Service qualifications since I have been working there.
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Vonnie
I started volunteering after my youngest son started school as I was getting
very bored doing nothing. I started volunteering at the school and had been
there for 10 years.
In that time I was a tutor for children that needed help
with reading and helping around the classrooms and excursions as parent
help and I also ran the school canteen on a Thursday and Friday. I enjoyed
volunteering at the school, the children were good and now I see them ready
to leave grade 10 and they have turned into lovely young people.
The neighbourhood centre was different experience. I was learning about the people
that access the centre who range in different ages with different problems.
The knowledge that I have gained has helped me to go back to school and do
my Cert 4 in Community Services and has taught me a lot on how to deal with
the problems that I have seen and listened to. Also to be able to help the
people in the community to overcome problems with advice and where to go to
get the appropriate help and to see them grow in themselves and to be able
to look for the information themselves, it gives you a good feeling of
achievement.
Sometimes it has been very trying with some people and their problems and the aggression that they show towards people can be quite intimidating, but we have to try and focus on what their needs are.
I have enjoyed myself as a volunteer and will continue into the future. I have been a volunteer for near on 20 years.
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Kevin
While searching YouTube for videos on volunteering, I came across this very moving video about a volunteer named Kevin who began volunteering at the Cancer Council of New South Wales as a way of supporting them in their quest to find a cure for cancer. I urge you to watch this moving story of how he supports the Cancer Council, but also how volunteering has helped him through the loss of his wife to cancer.
CancerCouncilNSW1 (2012) Cancer Council volunteer Kevin. [online] Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnr3UQVMXsk&feature=relmfu [Accessed: 28 Nov 2012].
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