Spring Newsletter for Volunteers

"Volunteerism is the voice of the people put into action. These actions shape and mould the present into a future of which we can all be proud."

— Helen Dyer

Welcome to Volunteer for Knox News

Registered Volunteers
Spring 2021

Welcome to spring. Let’s look at the positives and forget the news! Feeling the sun on your face after a long very cold winter does wonders for the soul and also chocolate! In this edition we’re going to be talking about experiences to look forward to and plan.

Please join us on our lockdown reopening journey starting with our Volunteer Expo/Family Fun Day planned for December 4 the week that celebrates International Volunteer Week.

Due to the unpredictable nature of restrictions we have decided to create a free ticketing system in order to track numbers attending our Family Fun Day / Volunteering Expo.

This is a very simple process of clicking the URL link and you will be directed to Event Brite where you fill in your details and receive a ticket. You will need to add the full amount of tickets you require. For example a family of four would require 4 tickets (under 1 no ticket required). These tickets are mandatory for entry on the day and must be shown at the gate on arrival.

As we are unsure of measured numbers outdoors at this stage we may adjust the maximum number of tickets available as new information comes to light. In the weeks prior we will assess allowances and let you know if your attendance has been accepted.

We appreciate your understanding and support in these difficult times however following guidelines is of utmost importance for the safety of our community.

We look forward to celebrating families and volunteerism with you all! Our day will be filled with a buzz of festival vibes with a positive and exciting outlook for our future! So what are you waiting for grab your tickets now and join in the fun!

Reserve your ticket

V4K’s
new co-ordinator!

Volunteer for Knox is very excited to welcome our new co-ordinator and here is her story!

“Hi my name is Mandy Limb and I am very excited to be sharing a role with Sally as the Volunteer for Knox Coordinator.

I’m super excited and passionate about community engagement and love meeting, listening and sharing journey’s with the people in our community. I am a qualified Early Childhood Educator, Trainer and Assessor which has been extremely rewarding implementing play based learning for children and watching them develop into confident, capable learners. Sharing this with families and being able to build strong relationships is extremely important to me as it’s the foundation to a sense of belonging within our community.

I have worked on project management with numerous community events such as Picnic Play Days, Community Shed, Grow, Care and Share to name a few. All focusing on engagement and increased inclusive accessibility for all. The ‘New Ideas Expo’ was formed four years ago and involved a unique way to inspire Early Childhood educators to create inviting learning spaces for preschool children. With over 1300 local educators registered this year the feedback received has been overwhelming.

Here at Volunteer for Knox I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to take on a role that works alongside volunteer involving organisations to help find their perfect match. Being a volunteer myself over many years I understand that the rewards can be life changing for both the volunteer and the organisation.

I am currently working on our ‘Volunteering Expo/Family Fun Day’ which is on Saturday 4th of December from 12pm – 5pm at Coonara Community House. This will coincide with International Volunteer Week and will be a day of festival vibes and celebration! With over 25 volunteer involving organisations attending this is an amazing opportunity to show case the wonderful not for profit organisations and the volunteer positions available. Networking builds strength and a togetherness which during times like we are experiencing is vital. We welcome everyone in our community to attend as we will have lots of arts and crafts, roving entertainers, a sausage sizzle, raffles and more!

I look forward to working together with Sally and the Knox Learning Alliance to create, build and be involved in many exciting events and guiding our volunteering community in the future. Hope to meet you all soon.”

Mandy

Volunteer for Knox Training

Not everyone is a natural at administration, “tech stuff”, supervision and leadership, but you can always learn and upskill! Start building on your skills by enrolling in a Volunteer for Knox training session facilitated by trainers at the five Knox Community Houses, the governance team of Volunteer for Knox. Click here to take a look at our Term 4 Training calendar.

www.volunteerforknox.com.au/training

Volunteer for Knox Annual Data 2021 - 2022

Economic contribution

Volunteers provided a volume of work equivalent to 81,774 hours in the Knox community. In dollar terms, Knox volunteer’s donation time translates into $3.4 million to our community.

257 Volunteers referred since July 2020
1115 Expressions of interest in positions since July 2020
53% born overseas
48 different languages
75% of volunteers are women

90% aged under 65
104 volunteers aged 25 and under
62 volunteers aged 26-35
33 volunteers aged 36-45
1000 plus followers on Social Media – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter

Top placements

Friends of Koolunga Reserve
Share the Joy appeal
CHAOS projects online roles
Local op shops
Community newspapers

Read our Annual Report – Click here