National Volunteer Week is Australia’s largest annual celebration of volunteering and will be held on Monday 15 May to Sunday 21 May this year.
The theme for this year’s week-long event is 'The Change Makers', recognising the incredible work that volunteers do to drive change and support their communities. We have a wealth of change makers in the City of Boroondara – our municipality boasts the highest percentage of volunteers in the metro Melbourne region.
One of these is Janene Sadhu, who has been active with volunteer groups supporting the vision-impaired for more than 40 years, and has engaged with the Boroondara Volunteer Resource Centre (BVRC) for 15 years.
The value of volunteering
While the direct assistance Janene gives others through organisations like Blind Sports and Recreation Victoria is an obvious benefit of her work, she points out other important aspects too.
'Individually, volunteering is a great way to meet people, make friends and develop connections with others, as well as enriching the lives of people who really benefit from the support you’re providing them,' she says.
'Volunteering demonstrates a strong sense of community spirit that adds to people’s lives – which is outstanding in itself, but also adds to the wellbeing of the wider community.'
Taking the next step
According to Janene, the best way to start volunteering is to search online, find what’s available, and to not be afraid to give something a go. Janene regularly uses the BVRC website to find volunteering opportunities and has participated in training and workshops run by the BVRC team.
'You’ll soon find there are lots of opportunities to try out, but sometimes you might think, "this isn’t quite the right fit". There are plenty of people, support, and training to help get you started – and remember that getting out of your comfort zone isn’t a bad thing.'
Get in touch this National Volunteer Week
The Boroondara Volunteer Resource Centre provides free services to volunteers, prospective volunteers and community organisations. You can find out more on our Volunteering page, or you can email [email protected], or call (03) 9278 4550.