This National Volunteer Week (20-26 May), children’s education charity The Smith Family is celebrating the significant and unique contributions of its volunteers in helping the organisation continue to grow its reach and improve the lives of young people experiencing disadvantage.
Volunteers are an integral part of The Smith Family’s work, and in the past year almost 5,200 people shared their wisdom, skills and time – making up more than 108,000 hours of voluntary service.
Lauren Stocker is The Smith Family’s National Manager for Volunteering and says it’s encouraging to see volunteer numbers increasing again, following the challenges of COVID-19.
“We’ve had roughly 600 extra volunteers come on board in the past year, and we know that there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ when it comes to volunteering. This is why we’re committed to creating flexible, short-term options, as highlighted in Volunteering Australia’s National Strategy, the blueprint for the next 10 years of volunteering in Australia,” she says.
Volunteering has something for everyone
The theme for this years’ Volunteer Week is Something for Everyone – an idea which aims to reflect the diverse variety of people, motivations and specific ways that volunteering is carried out.
54-year-old Jo Bell from Caloundra in Queensland is a former teacher who volunteers for The Smith Family in support of its education-focused programs helping children overcome the education inequities they face.
Her motivation stems from her love for teaching and her desire to make a positive difference in children’s lives. Volunteering alongside a team of tutors at a Smith Family Learning Club (safe after-school space to support children and their schoolwork), Ms Bell delivers encouragement in a nurturing way that’s designed to help foster a love for learning in the children she mentors.
“As a former teacher, I find joy in supporting children and working with them to achieve their best,” she says.
“Being a role model and demonstrating the value of education brings me immense fulfilment.”
Volunteers support education-focused initiatives
The Smith Family is currently running its annual Winter Appeal, with a goal to raise $7.2 million nationally to support an additional 17,000 children in need. All year-round, it welcomes the donation of time through a variety of volunteering opportunities around the country. Volunteers can commit to as little as an hour a week or participate in longer term roles. A range of opportunities are available to help children in need through tutoring and mentoring programs, such as Learning Clubs and online mentoring program, iTrack, as well as administration roles that help the organisation’s broader operations.
“Whether volunteers are tutoring in our Learning Clubs, supporting our administration work behind the scenes, or simply lending a listening ear to a young person, they are part of something extraordinary and we are so appreciative of their gift of their generosity”, says Ms Stocker.
Sharing career opportunities
In Adelaide, South Australia, 38-year-old hairdresser Sebastian Joseph volunteers his time by offering career advice to high-school students, driven by his desire to challenge traditional notions of career paths and highlight the multitude of opportunities he believes are available to young people.
“Volunteering helps me contribute to a greater cause,” says Mr Joseph.
“Children need belief within themselves with what they can achieve, and I think it’s important to shift that traditional way of thinking around what career paths are available.”
