Learning about the nursery, weeding and washing pots out was all it took for Levi to fall in love with caring for the land.
In Year 10 at high school, as part of the Work Readiness program to prepare for work after school, Levi Carlton had to choose a Volunteer position. He started volunteering in January 2015 with Landcare, Bundaberg through the Bundaberg Special School.
He is now volunteering at Landcare Townsville, and completing a 20-week Traineeship with CVA.
“Landcare has a Nursery and it is open to the Public on Fridays, I like helping people to choose their plants, “ he said.
He currently does various things within the nursery and also roams to various sites.
“Everyone is friendly and we all pitch in and help each other. I love being in the outdoors and being part of the environment, I like to use my kayak sometimes and clean the rubbish in the river.”
Levi said there have been a lot of highlights over the years in volunteering.
“An achievement or contribution that I am most proud of is using recycled timber from an old picnic table and creating a tea/coffee table from it for the Landcare Nursery Townsville,” he said.
I have a disability and I have always been withdrawn from others and never liked to be the one to strike up a conversation, he said.
“Volunteering has helped me socialise. I have found over the years of volunteering that I have become more self-confident and gained a wealth of knowledge and I am learning new things all the time.
“I find Volunteering for Landcare at times can be a calming tool for me.”
Anyone considering volunteering should just go for it, he says.
“It makes you feel good and worthwhile when you’re out in the environment and meeting new friends, there are always different things happening and new things to learn,” he said.