Type of Organisation Volunteering Unplugged Story Volunteering Unplugged Story   YWCA of Adelaide – Big Brothers Big Sisters Program, Adelaide Introduced in association with Volunteering Australia in 1997, the National Australia Bank Awards recognise and reward the vital work done by local and regional volunteer groups throughout Australia. Photo caption: Little Sister Tieanna with her Big Sister Gaya National Winner and State Winner – Small/Medium Organisation YWCA of Adelaide – Big Brothers Big Sisters Program, Adelaide. It may not be unusual to see siblings enjoying a good time together at the park, but for disadvantaged children from broken homes, it can be a far stretch from reality. That’s where the South Australian Winner of the 2007 NAB Volunteer Award for small organisations, the YWCA’s Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) Program comes in. BBBS is a mentoring program for young people aged 7 to 17, who lack adult support and involvement. Currently in its fifth year, the program is supported by over 35 volunteer ‘Bigs’ and this number is increasing with each training intake. “Bigs” spend up to four hours of quality time with their “little” brother or sister over at least a one year period. Activities include playing sport, going to the movies, driving to the beach, walking the dog and generally just having fun. Jo Case, Program Manager, said that the program aims to strengthen young peoples’ self worth and confidence,enhance social and communication skills, and improve their relationships at home, school and in the community. “Most of the children are from disadvantaged and sole parent families; some have experienced significant grief or loss, some have parents with a history of substance abuse or have significant illnesses or disabilities, whilst others come from families where there are up to ten children,” Ms Case said. “As a ‘Big Sister’ myself I have witnessed the incredible changes in my ‘little sister’ whose life has transformed to the point that she is now married with a family of her own,” she said. Volunteer ‘Bigs” come from many different cultural backgrounds and occupations. One volunteer, who originally worked in wine marketing, resigned from her job to study Youth Work after realising the satisfaction that came from supporting her ‘little’, a seven year old Indigenous child. Big Brothers Big Sisters demonstrates best practise in their area by valuing and rewarding their volunteers. “BBBS would not exist if not for the support of our valued volunteers – they are our greatest asset and resource,” Ms Case stated. BBBS will use the award money from NAB to screen and train more mentors, for recognition events and activities, as well as increasing awareness of the program in the community and perhaps attracting a corporate partner. 2007 National Australia Bank Volunteer Awards Tell us about your volunteer experiences Providing pro bono legal representation to the disadvantaged and marginalised Since becoming a barrister in 2007, I have done voluntary pro bono legal work for members of the public who are marginalised, disadvantaged or otherwise cannot afford legal representation. This means that I provide my services as a barrister for free. I do this in respect of cases that are considered to be in the public interest. Some of the pro bono work that I do is confidential in nature but, broadly speaking, those cases involve some degree of discrimination against the clients who I represent. My volunteer pro bono work mostly comes to me from community legal centres and not-for-profit organisations such as the Homeless Persons’ Legal Clinic, the Human Rights Law Resource Centre, the Consumer Action Law Centre and the Victorian Bar Legal Assistance Scheme. When I became a barrister, I decided that it was important that I volunteer some of my time to assisting those who would not otherwise be able to afford legal representation but who clearly had a need to be represented. Volunteering my time and my services is part of ‘giving back’ to the broader community, and I consider it my civic duty. It is also very rewarding for me because the volunteer work provides me with diversity and new skills. I always learn something new. More importantly, I feel it is helpful for me professionally and personally to stay connected with and understand the needs of different sections of the community. Gabi Crafti Barrister Find out more about www.volunteeringunplugged.com.au Tell us about your volunteer experiences Compeer Volunteer Friendship Program Sydney – St Vincent de Paul Society Introduced in association with Volunteering Australia in 1997, the National Australia Bank Awards recognise and reward the vital work done by local and regional volunteer groups throughout Australia. Photograph caption: Volunteers and staff at the 10th Anniversary Annual Dinner. State Winner – Small/Medium Organisation, New South Wales Compeer Volunteer Friendship Program Sydney – St Vincent de Paul Society, Petersham, NSW For most of us, meeting a friend for a cup of coffee is an ordinary part of life. But for some people suffering from a mental illness, it is an event that gives them a reason to get out of bed. Helping build these relationships is the Compeer Volunteer Friendship Program, State Winner of the 2007 NAB Volunteer Award for a Small/Medium organisation in NSW. Established in 1995 and funded by the St Vincent de Paul Society, the Compeer Volunteer Friendship Program aims to reduce the isolation and loneliness of these individuals by pairing them up with a friend. Volunteers of the program are matched with a friend and spend at least one hour a week in activities such as going for walks, having a cuppa, or watching a movie – the simple pleasures in life that the rest of us take for granted. Although matched for just 12 months, most friendships last beyond that period to many years. In fact, this year the program celebrated two friendships that have reached the 10-year mark. Tricia Meers, Compeer Program coordinator, said friendship is the key to supporting these individuals and helps them reintegrate into society. “A caring companion can make all the difference. Our 126 volunteers are so valuable. They bring joy and hope into the person’s life. We hope to break down the stigma associated with mental illness,” she said. Compeer demonstrates best practice in their field by making sure all volunteers undergo intensive training and a thorough induction. The program recognises and celebrates the achievements of their volunteers in a variety of ways, including an annual celebratory dinner. Compeer also celebrated their 10th anniversary during Mental Health Week in October last year, with an official reception at Parliament House. “We aim for a friendship match that’s going to last. We don’t match the illness. We match the people,” she said. 2007 National Australia Bank Volunteer Awards Tell us about your volunteer experiences My experience in the Southern Hemisphere's largest Soup Kitchen I was 16 years old and had grown up in a very privileged environment, so I thought it time I understood a bit more about the world and the people who live it. I called the Sacred Heart Mission (SHM) and started working, ever Saturday, in the largest soup kitchen in the Southern Hemisphere. I think I learnt more about our society in my first day there than I had in all of my schooling. Working in the soup kitchen, serving people their only meal for the day, was probably the single most profound and humbling experience of my life. Some years later (and many hours of volunteering later), I was 19 years old and applied for a paid position in the SHM Women's House. This was a specific part of the service targeted at the local homeless and street based sex-working community. I felt very privileged to be working with, laughing with and drinking cups of tea with some of the most marginalised people in our community. Their stories, smiles and of course tears taught me about the resilience and strength of women. I can very honestly say that these formative experiences provided me with the foundations to go on and develop a career as a criminal defence lawyer and social justice advocate. I can also say that without a doubt, those experiences changed, for good, my entire outlook on life. In my days volunteering at the SHM I met the most courageous, outrageous, vulnerable, tender, spiritual, independent, challenging, intelligent and beautiful people I have ever come across. And in retrospect, I think that those people probably helped me along my journey more than I ever helped them. Ruth Barson Find out more about www.volunteeringunplugged.com.au Tell us about your volunteer experiences Najidah Association Incorporated, Maroochydore Introduced in association with Volunteering Australia in 1997, the National Australia Bank Awards recognise and reward the vital work done by local and regional volunteer groups throughout Australia. Photo caption: Role-play activity State Winner – Small to Medium Organisation, Queensland Najidah Association Incorporated, Maroochydore In Middle Eastern mythology Najidah would spirit women and children away for their protection. Now an organisation bearing her name is doing the same thing on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast by providing crisis accommodation and care for families. Najidah means courageous one achieving a difficult task, which could well describe the 33 volunteers who work in the organisation’s programs in home education, support for challenged women, children and youth and crisis care. These volunteers have been honoured by Najidah being named Queensland winner in the 2007 NAB Volunteer Awards, and Najidah’s Executive Director, Chris Turner, says this pays tribute to their commitment. Founded in 1999 Najidah employs best practice volunteering by slotting volunteers into mutually-beneficial roles in the organisation. With the help of volunteers, Najidah is supporting local schools across the Maroochydore and Kullin region, running a “Learning Club”. Najidah’s youth suicide prevention program “Head High” is the only youth specific suicide bereavement support group in Australia. The organisation also provides up to 14,000 nights’ accommodation each year and can house up to 11 families at any one time. 2007 National Australia Bank Volunteer Awards Tell us about your volunteer experiences WIRE Women’s Information and Referral Exchange, Melbourne Introduced in association with Volunteering Australia in 1997, the National Australia Bank Awards recognise and reward the vital work done by local and regional volunteer groups throughout Australia. Photo caption: WIRE volunteers at work in the phone room State Winner – Small/Medium Organisation, Victoria WIRE Women’s Information and Referral Exchange, Melbourne Victorian women have access to a unique help line and information centre, run by women for women who will make time to listen, no matter how long it takes. State winner of the 2007 NAB Volunteer Award for small and medium organisations, WIRE Women’s Information and Referral Exchange Inc is the only information service of its kind in Victoria. WIRE Manager, Samiro Douglas, says that the major point of difference of their organisation, that has operated since 1984, is that their volunteers are trained to listen, and don’t impose a time limit on the caller. “We put a lot of effort into training our volunteers to open up a call so the woman on the other end of the line knows that she is talking to someone who is genuinely interested in what she has to say. Sometimes the real service is just listening, allowing the caller to share what’s going on in her life,” she said. WIRE provides information, support and referrals regarding challenges in relationships, legal, health, housing and financial difficulties, finding employment and dealing with domestic violence and safety. Last year, WIRE had over 20,000 requests for information or assistance and 77,000 hits on their website. WIRE maintains a pool of between 80 and 100 volunteers with a broad range of experience and cultures represented. “We have 28 women in training now who speak 17 languages between them. We have scholarships for indigenous women, and mothers and daughters often join together,” she said. As part of best practice in volunteering each new WIRE volunteer completes an accredited program of 12 training sessions, one observational and two evaluated shifts, and a three-month or 10-shift probation. Extensive debriefings are held at the end of each shift. WIRE also conducts an annual confidential volunteer survey. 2007 National Australia Bank Volunteer Awards Tell us about your volunteer experiences