Get started in volunteering

This week is National Volunteer Week.

Australia has an incredible culture of mateship and support. We have always been willing to help someone in need and we have been putting our hand up and saying “yes” to giving our time and attention to others for years. This week is National Volunteers Week and Starts at 60 is proud to be home to so many wonderful volunteers.

Some work with hospitals, some work for schools, some work with people from disadvantaged homes or living with disabilities, but all of you give so selflessly to those in need.

Volunteering can be intimidating at first. It’s a difficult first step to put yourself out there to work with people you don’t know facing issues you may not always understand. But it is such a beautiful thing because when we asked about volunteering on our Facbeook page, you all had such positive responses and told us why you love it. Below is a snippet of what some of you said…

Margaret who volunteers at a local hospital said: “I love the people I work with so I’m very happy in my role.”

Judy said: “I donate all the things I knit and decorate to our local Hospital Auxiliary, breast cancer, and ovarian cancer for raffles, auctions and our street stalls. This equates to hundreds of dollars in donations from me and I love doing it!”

Christine said: “I love being a volunteer at my local Red Cross shop. The best company and customers plus it’s always a feel-good day helping people in need.”

Vera said: “I used to volunteer at the Salvation Army shops until I became a carer for my mum. I loved it as I met all different types of people and I enjoyed it very much.”

Karen said: “I volunteer at the Mater Cancer Care Centre in Brisbane. I love the time I spend with patients and their families. Some want to talk, occasionally have a little cry and sometimes they need a hug. We talk about books (surprised?), sometimes what is happening with their treatment; with those my own age, we compare tales about our legendary pasts.”

So, volunteering is not only good for the people you help but it is so good for helping yourself. If you’ve had a treechange or a seachange, volunteering will help you to meet new people and get into a new community. If you have lost your partner or a loved one, volunteering gives you a new way to keep your mind busy that is fulfilling at the same time.

Based on what you’ve all told us, we’ve compiled a list of the five most popular organisations that Starts at 60 members volunteer for… Here’s how you can get involved and start a fulfilling pathway helping others. There are so many other organisations you can volunteer for, so if you give your time to another charity, tell us about it in the comments below.
The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is an organisation of “community builders”. They want to help people unite and overcome the challenges of daily life together. They provide second hand stores, community outreach programs, counselling and so much more to people all over Australia. To apply for a volunteer position, click here and follow the prompts to find a position you’d like to take. If you’re not sure where your nearest Salvation Army is, click here to find the nearest centre or service.

The Ronald McDonald House

The Ronald McDonald House works with seriously ill children and their families to make their extended stays in hospital as happy and positive as possible. They provide family entertainment, they fund family holidays and group retreats, support the education of sick children and provide general emotional support to them and their families. If you’d like to get involved in the Ronald McDonald House click here. The Ronald McDonald House runs programs out of most major hospitals in metropolitan areas.

RSPCA 

The RSPCA works with animals to give them the health and re-homing support they need. They also act as a wildlife rescue team that will adopt and rehabilitate animals until they are back to full health. There are RSPCA centres all over Australia in both rural and metropolitan areas. If you can give time to the RSPCA, click here and take a look at how you can help.

The Red Cross

The Australian Red Cross work to support individuals and communities in times of crisis. The Red Cross provide care to patients and the elderly community, crisis support to victims of natural (or man-made) disasters and provide community outreach programs to bring people together. You can volunteer with the Australian Red Cross in so many ways so to see them and select which option is best for you, click here.

Lifeline

Lifeline works with individuals who are experiencing personal crisis. They have specialists dealing with suicide, depression, anxiety, loneliness and mental illnesses as well as external support for concerned families and friends. They operate primarily through a telephone service that is run largely by volunteers 24/7. To find out more on how you can get involved in helping Lifeline, click here.
When you volunteer, you can find happiness knowing that you are truly making a difference in people’s lives. The above organisations are only five of thousands that require volunteers across Australia. Volunteering Australia has a search service on its homepage to help you find a way to volunteer in your local area so take a look and see what volunteer work you could be doing to help your life and the lives of so many others.

How important is volunteering to you? Why do you enjoy volunteering? What stories can you share about your volunteering experiences? Tell us in the comments below…