Celebrating National Volunteer Week

This National Volunteer Week Mission Australia is celebrating the vital contribution made by our wonderful volunteers.

According to Volunteering Australia, each year more than five million people across the nation donate their time and talents to community organisations like Mission Australia. Aussie volunteers contribute more than 700 million hours of community service to so many areas of society, including community health care, heritage and arts, environment conservation, emergency services, education, sports and social justice.

Here in any given week at Mission Australia around 1,000 people from the wider community, corporate world and Christian groups volunteer an average of three hours of their time to help us transform lives.

Our volunteers vary in ages, backgrounds and beliefs, but the one thing they have in common is the desire to make a difference in their communities by performing a huge variety of roles. They provide gardening skills, undertake administrative tasks, teach yoga, tutor new arrivals, mentor parents, support people with their studies and sell items in our Big Heart op shops – and that’s just to name a few roles.

Their dedication and enthusiasm displayed by these selfless individuals never fails to inspire.

The theme for National Volunteer Week 2011 is ‘Inspiring The Volunteer In You’, and the aim is to promote the benefits of donating your time and talents to a good cause.

Volunteering Australia’s National Survey of Volunteering Issues 2010 showed that volunteering provided the majority of people surveyed with an increased sense of belonging to their community as well as opportunities to use their skills, to make a difference to the organisation’s work and to learn and develop.

The study also revealed that volunteering offered pathways to paid employment for a significant proportion of people – in fact, one third of survey respondents.

It also seems that volunteering can benefit your health. According to Mentally Healthy WA studies have found that 61 per cent of people who volunteer at least five times a year say it helps them feel less stressed.

But don’t take only my word for it – hear what our volunteers have to say. Throughout the week we’ll be featuring stories about people whose lives have been enhanced by their volunteer work. After all, they say it’s better to give than receive!

If you’d like to help transform lives (including your own), consider volunteering with Mission Australia – you can find out more on our Volunteer page.

A big heartfelt thanks to all of our amazing volunteers and wishing you all a Happy National Volunteering Week!

Regards,

Sharnelle Magee
National Volunteer Manager