On the Coast – Over 55 Issue 34 I March/February 2020 | Page 26

changing lives
Helping people
V
olunteering Central Coast’s
motto is ‘Helping People,
changing lives’ and that is
as much about the lives of people
who volunteer as the lives of the
people they assist by volunteering.
Everybody has a unique skill that can
make a big difference to a community
organisation’s activities and services they
deliver locally.
At Volunteering Central Coast (VCC)
we believe that there is a volunteering
role for everyone, and we do our best
to link people who want to volunteer
with a role that suits them at any of our
100+ member organisations. VCC staff
are always looking for new and different
ways for people to volunteer to respond
to the needs of community organisations
looking for volunteers and for the
general public wanting to volunteer.
The benefits of volunteering to the
individual volunteer are endless, from
the chance to get to know new people in
your community, to learning new skills,
or keeping existing skills up to date.
Dennis Smith has been a volunteer
with VCC for nearly 15 years and is
one of the best advertisements for the
benefits of volunteering. He excels in
his role of introducing people to the
joys of volunteering presenting our
Volunteering information sessions at
least once a week at 6 locations across
the Central Coast Region and whilst with
VCC has inspired over 15,000 people to
pursue volunteering.
In recognition of this achievement,
Dennis was invited by the Mayor of the
Central Coast to be the 2019 National
Volunteer Week Celebrations guest
speaker.
If you’re thinking of volunteering,
you can book into one of our ‘Bridge
to Volunteering ‘ information sessions
which are held at 6 locations across
the Central Coast region, (www.
volunteeringcentralcoast.org.au/
volunteer-referral). You can then book
into a one-to-one meeting with our
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O N T H E C OA S T – OVER 5 5
volunteer recruitment staff or just go
online and have a look at the variety
of roles that are available right now:
www.volunteeringcentralcoast.org.au/
volunteering-roles
Things to keep in mind when looking
for the best volunteering role for you:
How much time do you have to give?
Some volunteering roles are flexible,
others require you to be able to volunteer
on a regular day and time every week.
Remember you can volunteer for as
little as 10 minutes a day, an hour a
week, or for several days a week, with
one organisation or several. Some roles
are regular and others such as event
volunteering can be a one-off activity.
How far are you prepared to travel? –
Do you have your own transport or are
you relying on public transport. Most
organisations don’t reimburse travel
to and from the volunteering location,
although if you need to travel as a part
of your volunteering e.g. delivering food,
this may be reimbursed if you are using
your own vehicle.
What sort of organisation do you want
to volunteer for? There are services for
different clients e.g. children, the elderly,
people with disabilities, animals or
services that focus on a specific activity
e.g. Bushcare. It’s worthwhile choosing an
organisation that has similar values as
you. It’s also ok to specify that you aren’t
comfortable working in certain settings
or activities.
What activities do you enjoy? Do
you enjoy repetitive tasks or do you like
variety? Are you happier being inside or
do you like to get outside? Do you enjoy
meeting lots of new people or would you
rather get to know a few people?
What skills or experience can you bring
to a volunteering role? Some people have
specific skills or expertise developed either
through work or as a hobby. It’s worth
mentioning any skills you have when
applying for a role, as organisations may be
able to incorporate these into the role.
Do you have anything you aren’t able
to do? Some people can’t stand for long
periods, others aren’t able to sit for long
periods, everyone is different and often
organisations can accommodate
different abilities, so be upfront about
any assistance you may need to
complete tasks.
Our motto is ‘Helping People, changing lives’ so call us on 02 4329 7122
to book in for our information session, or a one-to-one consultation to
discuss your options for the ideal volunteering role for you.