National Volunteer Week 2024 runs from May 20 – May 26 and is Australia’s largest annual celebration of volunteering. This year’s theme ‘Something for Everyone’, highlights the rich diversity of volunteering opportunities available, and invites those who are not already volunteering to consider giving it a go.
Throughout our history, volunteering has been essential to the fabric of Australian life. For tens of thousands of years volunteering or ‘community giving’ was a core feature of everyday life for our First Nations people, while the First and Second World Wars saw thousands of men and women put their hands up to serve, both at home and abroad.
During the Depression years, our Country Women’s Association (CWA) volunteers were there to help those in need with food and clothing parcels and today, our SES and Rural Fire Service volunteers continue this tradition of service, battling the fires, floods and storms brought on by an increasingly unforgiving climate.
In fact, whether it’s helping out at their local footy club, joining Rotary, or giving up a few hours a week to help those who are vulnerable, volunteers are quietly making a difference every single day.
According to Volunteering Australia, there are over 5 million volunteers across Australia. That’s 5 million people giving their time, for free, for the benefit of their communities. Their reasons for volunteering are varied, but those most often cited are to help others, for personal satisfaction and to do something worthwhile.
Cherylin Mitchell has been a volunteer gardener with LiveBetter for nearly three years. The former teacher saw an ad for volunteers in her local paper and was keen to give something back.
“I’ve seen the work other volunteers have done over the years, and I thought that now that I have some free time, I’d put it into doing something for others,“ said Cherylin. The people at LiveBetter are great, and I love being out in the garden, so it’s a win-win for me.”
According to LiveBetter CEO Natalie Forsyth-Stock, volunteers like Cherylin are an integral part of the LiveBetter community.
“By sharing their time and their expertise volunteers are making a positive difference to the lives of the people we support and to the wider community,” said Ms Forsyth-Stock.
This National Volunteer Week LiveBetter would like to thank not only the amazing people who volunteer with us, but volunteers everywhere.
And for those who’ve never tried volunteering – why not give it a go? Volunteering is not only a great way to give back to your community, but it also provides the opportunity to spend time with like-minded people, learn new skills and perhaps make lifelong friendships.
And most importantly, as little as an hour or two each week can help to change lives.
