As any regional town or city knows, volunteers are frequently at the heart of everything a community does. Entertainment, events, fundraisers and working bees are where these people shine, and without them often these things simply would happen. Wednesday, December 5 is International Volunteers Day, recognising volunteers worldwide.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
This years theme is “Volunteers build resilient communities” which has a special focus on local community volunteers who contribute to making their communities more resilient against events such as natural disasters and economic stresses, and is especially relevant in rural communities given the tough times people have faced throughout the drought.
Many groups rely heavily on volunteers in order to help run their facilities and provide services. Orange PCYC is one of these organisations with Assistant Manager, David Cleal, thanking all their volunteers saying their efforts were vital.
“We are a non-profit organisation so we need volunteers to help with running our programs, fundraising, administration and organising sports and other activities. Most of our volunteers help in our music programs with our coordinator, Robin Thompson, providing lessons on a range of instruments and providing scholarships to the Conservatorium of Music,” he said.
This advertising feature is sponsored by the following organisation. Click the link to find out more.
Robin agreed that the Orange PCYC simply wouldn’t cope without their volunteers. “Volunteers are the lifeblood of our PCYC,” she said. “Their efforts benefit so many young people coming through our programs, but our volunteers also get a lot out of their experiences including learning new skills and meeting new people.
They are the lifeblood of our PCYC.
- Robin Thompson, Music Coordinator
While volunteering can sometimes take up large amounts of time, Robin said people can help out as much or as little as they want, with volunteering especially helpful for students. “They can use their experiences on their resumes, and it shows they are a part of the community and can take on added responsibilities,” she said.
Like David, Robin couldn’t give enough praise to their volunteers for 2018 saying they had done an amazing job. “Their efforts really are appreciated,” she said, before adding “We are already on the lookout for people in 2019 so please contact the PCYC to help continue our good work”.