Volunteers: Beyond Giving Back

• St John WA volunteers give back, gaining unique experiences while supporting communities.
• Access to some of WAs biggest events a perk to volunteering, beyond helping others.
• Many say it’s not just about giving back, it’s about the many varied benefits volunteering gives them.

It’s no secret that Australia relies heavily on volunteers to ensure vibrant and healthy communities. From school fetes and sports games to emergency services, there’s nothing volunteers don’t put their hands up for.

Event Health Services (EHS) volunteers Dion and Lorraine Rapiz are a powerhouse couple who when they’re not working as nurses, give up their time to work at some of Perth’s biggest events at Optus Stadium, RAC Areana, and more.

What they get out of volunteering isn’t just a sense of helping others however, for Dion he believes it brings them closer as a couple.

“I’m proud that my wife is also a volunteer and I fall more in love with my wife when we’re volunteering together. It’s developed our teamwork and collaboration as a husband and wife” he said.

Being able to help others while spending time with the love of your life is one of the many perks of volunteering.

Caity Molony isn’t just a volunteer she’s a dreamer who aspires to further her medical scope and become a paramedic.

Volunteering with EHS isn’t just allowing kind hearted Caity to give back, it’s also giving her vital skills she’ll need to help save lives as a paramedic.

“It’s definitely taught me how to talk to people and how to constantly improve on my clinical skills”.

“I’ve learnt a lot through volunteering in the sense of everything that I have to get done and how precise everything has to be because it’s someone’s life in your hands” she said.

Caity and Dion are just two of the thousands strong volunteer team at St John WA, ranging in roles from warehouse logistics to emergency response.

If you’re on the fence about volunteering Caity has just one thing to say.

“So anyone considering volunteering, I would say definitely do it. I love it”.

Volunteering at St John

Volunteers get access to a range of benefits, including free ambulance coverage and discounts on First Aid training. 

Find out more about volunteering here.