This week, the charity sector celebrates National Volunteer Week, from 20–26 May 2024, an annual celebration of volunteering, highlighting the important role of volunteers in our community while encouraging more people to give volunteering a go.
This year’s theme, Something for Everyone, recognises the diverse passions and talents everyone brings to volunteering.
Supporting youth mental health
Saskia Verity, an offshore HR business partner for INPEX Australia, is a zero2hero Camp Hero mentor, providing support for young mental health leaders.
“I get way more out of mentoring at Camp Hero than I ever could have imagined. Watching these young people learn the skills to support people in their community who may be struggling with their mental health while taking care of their own wellness is a skill that we need much more of in the world,” she said.
Ms Verity got involved in volunteering for the charity after two of her own children came home from one of the camps as “two very different teens”. “We had a significant family trauma that happened, and with both the kids having been through the camp, I felt that they were much better positioned to handle their own emotions and the emotions of their younger brother as well,” she explained.
Camp Hero provides a unique environment where the youth are supported to be their true selves in a safe and inclusive place free from the distraction of technology and pressures of daily life.
“Without having those skills, I don’t know what it would have looked like for the family dynamic but also for their own mental wellbeing. The growth and self-awareness they both gained in only five days had me wanting to know more about their experience,” Ms Verity said.
Saskia Verity, an offshore HR business partner for INPEX Australia, volunteers as a zero2hero Camp Hero mentor.
Being a mentor at Camp Hero has influenced Ms Verity’s perspective on mental health and young people. “I am continually surprised with the high level of mental illness exposure young people today have experienced first-hand. The pressures on kids these days are very different and far more complex that anything my generation experienced. I’ve really learnt to be far more patient, tolerant and curious by trying to look behind the facade more with young adults when emotions are running high,” she said.
More than 250 volunteers help zero2hero every year, including mentoring at Camp Hero and volunteering as support crew at fundraising events including the Red Cape Ball, Heroes Lunch and cape2cape treks.
“If you are someone who feels like you are missing meaning in your life and want to do something to support the next generation to be more resilient and self-aware while also knowing the critical skills to support those in their community at risk of suicide, this might just be the adventure you need to fill your cup too,” she said.
zero2hero CEO and founder Ashlee Harrison said the charity is always looking for volunteers who’d like to help with their mission of empowering young people.
“There is a role for everyone, from mentoring, to helping our events team, to volunteering in our camp kitchen – it all makes a huge difference in supporting young people and helping us to ultimately prevent suicide in Australia. Impacting the lives of thousands of young people a year wouldn’t be possible without the superhuman kindness and compassion of our volunteers,” Ms Harrison said.
Corporate volunteering at RMHC WA
A home-cooked meal is often taken for granted and it’s for that reason Ronald McDonald House Charities WA set up Home for Dinner, a program that invites volunteers to cook a meal for the families staying at Ronald McDonald House at QEII and in Perth Children’s Hospital.
After a long day by their child’s hospital bed, cooking a meal may be the last thing on a parent’s mind. By simply preparing a homemade dinner for the families relying on the support of RMHC WA, volunteers can help ease the burden of a difficult journey.
Each year, RMHC WA provides over 60,000 lovingly home cooked meals for WA families in their care. In 2023, there were 168 groups and 6,048 volunteer hours, adding up to $151,200 of in-kind value.
RMHC WA CEO Peter King said the charity couldn’t do what they do without volunteers. “We understand that dedicating time to volunteering on a regular basis is not a viable option for everyone, so it’s imperative that we look at ways in which everyone can lend a hand in a meaningful way that also supports the running of our day-to-day operations,” Mr King told Business News.
“By developing programs like Home for Dinner, we’re able to tangibly generate a greater awareness and understanding of the essential service we provide to the WA community, while providing corporate and community groups with a volunteering experience that positively impacts the families we support.”
Mineral Resources is a long-term partner of Ronald McDonald House Charities WA, providing chefs that cook for the Home for Dinner program.
“For nearly a decade, we’ve employed two chefs who prepare delicious dinners every night of the year for the families staying at Ronald McDonald House. We are delighted that our contribution allows ‘Home for Dinner’ to take place as a volunteer cooking program that everyone can be a part of,” MinRes EGM People Facilities & Logistics Beth Ibrahim said.
Here’s how you can volunteer at zero2hero and Ronald McDonald House Charities WA.
By Hearts and Minds
