The St Vincent de Paul Society thanks its volunteers for their hard
work and dedication in helping the most disadvantaged and marginlaised people in our communities.
The St Vincent de Paul Society’s ‘good works’ would not be possible without the great effort of our many thousands of selfless members and volunteers. In 2009/10, Vinnies had 19,079 volunteers and members who worked over two million hours. On average, each volunteer or member spent 123 hours volunteering in the community.
The dedicated men and women working in Vinnies Centres are perhaps the best known Society volunteers.
However, many others also work behind-the-scenes in a range of the Society’s activities including budget counselling, homeless services, migrant services, and of course, the core Society initiative of home visitation.
Like thousands of Vinnies volunteers, Paula describes her membership of the Society as a life changing and spiritually uplifting experience. “The wonderful people, the friendships, and the social awareness I’ve gained have helped me to grow as a person,” she explains.
Jonathan describes his volunteering experience as humbling, and knows the difference home visitation can make to someone’s life.
“When we arrived, the woman said she had almost given up hope. We were able to offer her material assistance, but it was showing compassion and care that seemed to mean the most. There were tears in her eyes as she told us that she was no longer alone, and then she thanked us,” he remembers.
As we celebrate National Volunteer Week, why not consider volunteering in the service of those who are disadvantaged or vulnerable in our community? Becoming a Vinnies volunteer is your chance to give something back to the community, to use your skills and experience in ways that make a eal difference to people’s lives every day.
There are a wide variety of volunteering opportunities across the State. Volunteers are particularly needed for the Society’s retail and distribution Centres; the friendship program for people living with a mental illness, Compeer; and the SPARK program which provides curriculum, social and cultural support to newly arrived refugee children and their families in Central Western Sydney.
For more information on volunteering with Vinnies, go to www.vinnies.org.au or email volunteer@vinnies.org.au
Yolanda Saiz,
Communications Manager
