CELEBRATING VOLUNTEERS DURNING NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK

Mission Australia services across the country celebrated volunteer contributions during National Volunteer Week in May. Around 6.3 million Australians volunteer every year, and volunteer contributions are worth around $3.2 billion to the community. Within Mission Australia, we have over 900 volunteers nationally who assist us in a diverse range of roles, from cooking to refugee resettlement to counselling.

This amazing generosity of spirit helps to build communities and lives. National Volunteer Week is a chance for community organisations such as Mission Australia to say thank you to the volunteers who provide us with invaluable support. As Fiona Boyle, the team leader Onkaparinga Youth Services, says, “We value the work that volunteers contribute to our service. Without their assistance we could not run the variety of programs that we do! Last year I calculated that volunteers contributed over 1,000 hours to our Youthworks program.

There is no way our program could have achieved it’s positive outcomes without the volunteers!” Many Mission Australia services celebrated National Volunteer Week with a volunteer function or party, following our organisational value of Celebration in acknowledging amazing volunteer contributions.At the Mission Australia Centre in Surry Hills, volunteer celebratory thank you supper was a very cheerful affair on Wednesday evening in the Cooinda Centre. This event coincided with the final Catalyst Learning Partner session for the Catalyst students for the semester so there were also many community and corporate sector volunteers on site to discuss their experience of the program over delicious fruit and cheese platters. On Wednesday 14th May Triple Care Farm at Robertson in the Southern Highlands, celebrated National Volunteers Week by hosting a volunteer afternoon tea.

Triple Care Farm is honoured to have such dedicated and wonderful volunteers, who venture up to Robertson and give their time to make a real difference to the young people that access our service Meanwhile, at Lou’s Place women’s service in Kings Cross, Lou’s Place birthday fell into Volunteer Week this year, so we could light a cake for ourselves, our clients and our volunteers. As always, any celebration is well attended at Lou’s Place and the cakes and lollies disappeared fast. Carol Berg, our specialist volunteer co-ordinator, was there with her keyboard playing requests; Jane Martin (who is our longest serving volunteer and has been with us since the doors first opened) was in the kitchen; Delia Rothnie-Jones who runs the creative writing programme was out in the courtyard taking photos. Happy Birthday to us!!

At Dandenong Youth Services in Victoria, team members acknowledged the contribution of the Youth Action Committee. The Youth Action Committee is a group of young people who support the Dandenong Plaza Youth Information Centre. At a recent event called Urban Quest Talent Competition. YAC proved to be an exceptional team, helping in a number of areas which ensured the smooth running of the event. In recognition of their efforts YAC were taken out to dinner and presented with their certificates. It was a great night for all. At Onkaparinga Youth Services in South Australia, volunteers were served a delicious 3 course lunch by the service manager, team leaders and staff from 3 youth centres, Southern Youth Xchange, Reynella Enterprise & Youth Centre and the VOLT Youth Enterprise Centre. Staff enjoyed the opportunity to dress in their black & whites (bringing back many memories of hospitality days for many of them) and put their service skills into action. All the food was prepared and cooked by young people from Learning Unlimited’s Connections program who use this as part of their learning plan and community involvement.

There was lively conversation and socialising amongst the volunteers and staff that does not always occur during work time. There was a general feeling of warmth and friendliness in the room and good time was had by all who attended.

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