Caring for the land helps this volunteer develop social skills
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I have a disability and I have always been withdrawn from others and never liked to be the one to strike up a conversation, he said.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.
Volunteer with a big heart making a difference
Having a cuppa with seniors is one of Lori Langford’s favourite things to do.
Lori started volunteering because she said she wanted to connect with people as well as improve her work skills.
First volunteering with the Endeavour Foundation in retail, she then moved on to the North Townsville Community Hub in Deeragun where she wears many hats – cleaner, flood recovery worker, child minder, events coordinator and social media advocate, all whilst providing much needed emotional support.
“It’s an amazing experience to see the kids learn various skills when we have school holiday programs.”
Lori said volunteering at North Townsville Community Hub really fulfilled her. “They are willing to teach me operating procedures; they allow me to try different job duties while providing training and support. They are encouraging, uplifting, and very supportive,” she said.
“My goal for a while has been to try and get our Seniors Cuppa Chat numbers up and August 2nd we had 25 in attendance. Our desire is to help our seniors combat loneliness so that they can live happier more fulfilling lives. Getting the numbers up has been extremely satisfying.”
“Goodness, it’s hard to pick a highlight of my volunteering experience however I would say being able to help folks with basic needs during the floods was definitely a highpoint,” she said.
Lori said she enjoyed being able to make a difference in people’s lives. It is clear she has done that, receiving The Heart of Volunteering Award at the 2019 NQ Volunteer of the Year Awards.
Her advice for anyone considering volunteering is quite simple.
“Look for an organisation that interests you, apply for volunteer work and get in there and give it your all because they really need the help and bloom where you’re planted.”
15-year-old Trayeden Fulmer’s initiative helps community in need
With communities across much of Australia impacted by bushfires and memories still fresh in our minds of the 2019 floods that affected Townsville and North Western Queensland, the remarkable contribution of volunteers in times of need never fails to inspire.
The recent images of the fire blackened faces of the volunteers who tirelessly and selflessly battled the bushfires and those that waded through rising floodwaters to rescue people from their homes in Townsville have touched us and left us in awe of their community spirit.
With the anniversary of Townsville’s flood event approaching, let’s also remember the many individuals who stepped up and made a difference in our community. Here is a story of one such individual, Trayeden Fulmer, just 15-years old at the time.
It was in February 2019 while assisting a friend with the cleanup of his property following the severe weather event that Trayeden showed great initiative and found a way to help the many residents requiring assistance.
Trayeden explains
“I was motivated to create a Facebook group that soon become a platform for people to offer their time to assist with the clean up as well as providing an avenue for residents to reach out for help. The Facebook group played an important role in helping Townsville clean up and recover. I believe the group showed the true Australian spirit that lives within us all and eased the burden on the individuals who had their homes inundated.
My time coordinating my group of volunteers and the clean up efforts was an amazing experience. The willingness of the volunteers mixed with the gratefulness of the residents we were able to help was an emotionally filled time and is something I will cherish for the rest of my life. The smiles we were able to put on the face of those who had just lost everything, and the comradery amongst the community, was a highlight, and something I am extremely proud of. That I was able to have such an impact on the community at such a young age is one of the greatest achievements of my life and it has given me a sense of pride within my community.
My journey as a volunteer has allowed me to grow significantly as a person. There were some emotionally hard times after seeing the destruction caused by the floods and seeing so many sentimental items lost was mentally tough to experience as a 15-year-old. It has taught me so much; how to positively contribute to others, how to communicate with people and provide support during such an emotional time and it gave me purpose as I was able to work toward a positive cause!”
To anyone considering volunteering, my advice is, just give it a go. As a 15-year-old, I never thought my actions could help so many people and support a community but I discovered any contribution, no matter how big or small, could change the life of someone. The feeling you get after helping someone is indescribable, so just give it a go. You won’t regret it!”
Find more volunteer’s stories at http://www.vnq.org.au/newsfeed/.
Volunteering led me to a full time paid job
After completing a degree in graphic design and struggling to find work for several years, I decided to broaden my skills by completing a Certificate III in Community Services. It was here that I was introduced to the idea of volunteering in my community. One of the opportunities that I found was an administration position with VNQ. I was fortunate enough to also use my graphic design skills to assist with Communications. I am grateful to VNQ for giving me the chance to advance my admin skills with my limited experience in this area. I believe it is the skills I’ve gained and my experience in this very position for the last seven months which has led me to a full time paid administration position in Townsville. Thanks Volunteering North Queensland!
VNQ found me my perfect position
My first fling with volunteering was through VNQ for the Glendi festival 2018 helping with surveys and ad hoc tasks. Not only did I get food vouchers for amazing Greek feasts throughout the day, my dog did as well. Hanging out with my dog all day, talking to the community, and eating Greek food is hardly work. That’s how it all started. The following month I spent stalking the VNQ position listings where I found my perfect position as an English teacher for refugee families. I previously worked as an English teacher overseas and VNQ gave me an amazing opportunity to reopen that career path that I enjoyed so much and I have not looked back.
Exciting new experiences
I discovered a passion for volunteering last year during my studies at TAFE Queensland. The ability to help people through a few simple acts, a couple of hours a day appealed to my sense of wanting to make a difference and help others.
While in my current position at VNQ, I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Glendi Festival in 2018. After being a frequent visitor to these events, I was excited at the chance to work behind the scenes and gain the insider knowledge of how these events are run. Working at the Sound Booth with the professionals, helping to make sure the music for the stage entertainment ran smoothly was one of the most fun experiences in my volunteering career so far. I got to volunteer with a great bunch of people, taste the different food and drinks during my shifts, all with the best seat in the house. I’ll be keeping an eye out for any upcoming Special Events in the future to better my knowledge and open myself up to these new and exciting experiences.
A very rewarding experience
Coming from a Greek Australian background I found volunteering for Glendi Festival a very rewarding experience as I promoted my culture and contributed to the success of a very worthy organisation. I was able to use my Event Coordination experience to train and mentor co-workers which they have used to further their employment opportunities.
The Organisers and other volunteers were wonderful to work with which made the experience a lot of fun, and I especially appreciated the food and drink vouchers so we could taste the gourmet delights.
I helped make this happen!
“When I first approached VNQ for volunteer work, it was a way to fill in the time I had on my hands and improve my mental health. So when I was offered the opportunity to be a part of a team to coordinate a special event I jumped on the chance. I have come to realise that I absolutely love the feeling of excitement and achievement I get when I look at a running event and think, “I helped make this happen”. I look forward to any challenges that may arise and am always looking for the next event where I can help. I think I have grown in confidence and experience since starting volunteer work and I have only been doing this for 11 months. You have no idea where you could end up.”