The many benefits of volunteering: National Volunteer Week 2023
At Yooralla, we have an incredible group of volunteers who support our many programs and activities - and this National Volunteer Week (15 – 21 May), we’re celebrating their invaluable contribution.
Chances are, if you’ve been part of Yooralla at any point – you’ve met the amazing Peter.
Peter has been a volunteer at Yooralla for more than 31 years, during which time he has worn many hats, from presenting at schools and organisations to increase disability awareness, sitting on interview panels for prospective Yooralla employees, to presenting to successful employees during our induction program.
“I do have a life outside of volunteering, but it makes up a big part of my life,” laughs Peter.
“[Volunteering] makes me feel purposeful...It makes me feel like I am contributing to society.”
Hear more from Peter.
Not only do we have volunteer opportunities within Yooralla, we also support our clients to get out and about in the community, to participate in many different volunteering opportunities.
Stephen, Fran and Bridget are participants at Drouin Community Hub, who we currently support to volunteer with the Meals on Wheels program in Moe.
Stephen is very happy volunteering as part of Meals on Wheels.
“It’s good…it gets us somewhere and it gets us to learn what [working] is like,” he said.
“You’ve got a nice job and you have a good job to work for,” Stephen said.
Bridget has seen the benefits volunteering has brought not just to her life, but to the lives of her friends firsthand.
“I love volunteering with my friends, it makes me feel good when they feel good volunteering as well because I know a lot of them get a lot out of it,” Bridget said.
Fran agrees and “would definitely recommend [volunteering] as you meet wonderful people in the process, and you’re doing something to help them.”
Volunteering a step on the pathway to employment
As well as being a great way to give back to the community, volunteering can also be an important stepping-stone on the pathway to employment for people with disability.
Fran and Bridget have also learnt invaluable skills through volunteering that they hope to transfer not just into paid employment, but into their very own businesses. You can read more about their employment goals online.
Support our clients on their pathway to employment
We want to multiply the possibilities for our clients who want to be in paid work, raising funds during the ‘My path, our future’ campaign, to establish a personalised job pathways program.
Through this program, whether our clients want to volunteer, work in a café, start their own business, earn a qualification or more – we will work with them to customise their journey towards employment, considering their own personal circumstances and aspirations.
Donate to the 'My path, our future' campaign by or on our Giving Day on 1 June, when your donation will be doubled by a generous group of donors who have committed to matching every donation received dollar-to-dollar.