Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Dr Stephen Utick is a volunteer with Rotary through Urban Parks and Places.
Volunteers make a significant, meaningful and positive impact on Canberra and the people who live here. National Volunteer Week in the ACT runs from 20-26 May. It’s a time to acknowledge and celebrate volunteers in your community.
Whether you like working with community members, plants or animals, there really is something for every interest and passion.
Chris, volunteer in the Emergency Department at Canberra Hospital
Before coming to Canberra, Chris had volunteered at hospitals in Adelaide and Sydney. He worked in the North Canberra Hospital before he started his current volunteer position at The Canberra Hospital.
“It’s amazing to be there and it’s inspiring being around the doctors and nurses who are just outstanding with their compassion, empathy and kindness,’ Chris said.
“Just last weekend an elderly gentleman and his wife came into the ED, he wasn’t great. I had a chat with them both and just seeing how she held his hand and after finding out they had been married for 65 years, you could see how fantastic they were together. I got to see that as a volunteer and it doesn’t get much better than that,” Chris said.
Peter, ParkCare volunteer at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve
Accessibility upgrades at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve mean that Peter can continue to volunteer and enjoy sharing the parks beautiful bushland with visitors.
“Since I’ve got the scooter, I can now do a whole day’s shift and the upgrades have certainly helped make me feel much more comfortable riding around and talking to people.”
Peter, volunteer at Taylor Bike Library
Meanwhile at the Taylor Bike Library, volunteers have found a way for them to combine their love of sustainability, active travel and community.
Peter is a retiree who came across the Taylor Bike Library when he recently moved to Canberra.
“The library is a non-profit organisation that provides bikes to families and communities who may not have access to them,” he said.
Peter describes his time at the library as “an incredibly rewarding experience.”
“I have learned new skills, met new people, and contributed to a worthy cause. The library provides an excellent opportunity for people like me to stay active and engaged with others in the community.”
Dr Stephen Utick, volunteer with Rotary through Urban Parks and Places.
There are over 80 volunteer groups registered with Urban Parks and Places, and activities range from litter collection to habitat enhancement, conservation, training workshops and more.
One such group is the Weston Park Nursery Heritage Project led by Dr Stephen Utick. This team of volunteers work to remove invasive plants and revegetate the gardens.
Dr Utick, who is currently a visiting curator at the Sydney Botanic Gardens, was led to volunteering through his professional network.
“I was initially invited to join Rotary about five years ago by a member who had a background in the navy, after I gave a talk in my (then) capacity as Convenor of Canberra Friends of Dili at the Department of Defence,” he said.
“First, I had been invited by ACT Urban Parks and Places to identify the camelia collection at this site after I joined Rotary. I was pleased to then showcase a tour of the site to interested members of my Club.”
There are many different ways to volunteer. Some people like formal roles coordinated through an organisation. Others prefer informal roles where they just help someone in our community. Some people volunteer regularly while others commit to one off activities like volunteering to support a big event.
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