Meet the young volunteer giving back to the Wickham-Roebourne community

It was a gentle push from a loved one, and a desire to engage with the community she now calls home, that motivated Roebourne local Shenielle Rose to sign up as a volunteer ambulance officer with St John WA.

She’s now been with the small, but mighty, Wickham-Roebourne Sub Centre team for more than a year.

“As soon as I started with the team, they opened their arms to me,” Shenielle said.

“I love being an EMA [Emergency Medical Assistant]; I am always accepting jobs.

“It brings me a lot of joy, in a weird way.”

St John WA’s ambulance volunteers start out as Emergency Medical Responders and progress to become Emergency Medical Technicians through a training pathway and on-road experience.

They are taught vital skills to help respond in emergencies and get the opportunity to work side-by-side with qualified paramedics.

Shenielle initially thought the role would be confronting, but was surprised at the reality.

“It’s a surprisingly calm environment and everyone is very supportive,” she said.

“The team is always checking in with each other.”

Shenielle is studying to be an Aboriginal Health Practitioner (AHP) and works in chronic disease outreach for a local health service.

She’s regularly out and about in the community ensuring people with chronic health conditions are getting the medical care and support they need.

Her volunteer work as an EMA with St John complements this perfectly.

“I might not know the language from here, but I know some words, and that makes it easier to communicate with some patients where English might be their second language,” Shenielle said.

“It’s been way easier to build connections with the community around me because I’m not from this area.

“I’m currently on clinical placement and it’s helped me so much with observations, getting them ingrained into my brain, and helping me engage in conversation when seeing patients.

“I didn’t realise it would help my study and work so much.”

It’s not just Shenielle’s career that’s benefitting from volunteering – her community is, too.

“Looking after First Nations people, or anyone from the rural community out here, is such a special thing to be able to do,” she said.

When Shenielle isn’t working towards her qualifications as an AHP, or volunteering with St John WA, she’s giving her time to the young people of Roebourne at the local PCYC.

Creating safe spaces for local young people is a new-found passion for her.

And she would love to see more First Nations people like her volunteering too.

“I just think it’s beautiful for mob to look after our own people,” Shenielle said.

“There are many branches to volunteering and you can choose your pathway.

“I think it’s an amazing thing to do.”

Inspired by Shenielle? Volunteer with your local St John WA sub centre today.