By Renee Wood
At HICCI there are plenty of opportunities for people to volunteer and help support the vital services it provides – from cooking meals for Dinners at Darrons or picking up food donations.
Launching Place resident Olga Taylor is one of the organisation’s valued volunteers being thanked this National Volunteer Week, spending time in the office and helping as a transport assistant.
It’s a simple service driving someone from A to B, but it’s one that means more than that to the driver and client.
Ms Taylor said it can be quite a comforting experience, allowing them to open up and forget where they’re off to.
“I can ask questions and listen, and then they’re free to just chat and sometimes it helps them forget about the appointment they’re going to because that might not be such a great experience,” Ms Taylor said.
Generally the service is available for people who are unable to drive themselves and Ms Taylor said it’s wonderful to hear about people’s diverse lives while on the drive.
“That adds to the poignancy because they’re at the other end of their lives… and I think it’s important that people are able to share that because you don’t want to be forgotten.”
“If you’ve lived a really rich, worthwhile life – you don’t want that lost… I give them the opportunity to just be able to talk about themselves and their lives and I can acknowledge what an amazing experience they’ve had so that’s really quite enriching for me and hopefully for them as well.”
HICCI also provides emergency relief, social support and select interest-free loans.
Being involved with the organisation has also provided the volunteer retiree with her own personal growth, learning how to be more compassionate and understanding.
“I’ve learned a lot – not so much from what they [staff] say, it’s just how they are. They’re very, very compassionate people and have an infinite amount of patience…. It helps me to understand how to be with clients.”
Ms Taylor encourages anyone who’s interested in volunteering to investigate their options, with volunteering across many platforms helping to assist people in the community in some way.
“It’s just fulfilling knowing that you’re actually assisting people in some way – people that may be less fortunate and need some assistance… if you have the capacity to be able to volunteer, I would recommend it to anyone.”
