Volunteers improve quality of life: new survey
- Nine in 10 Western Australians think favourably about people who volunteer, and a whopping 94 per cent say volunteers improve the quality of life in Western Australian communities,
- The new figures from St John WA investigating if people value those who volunteer and the service they provide were released to mark National Volunteer Week.
- In the generational battle, Baby Boomers are the most positive about volunteering with 86 per cent thinking favourably about volunteering, with Gen Z lagging the pool at 81 per cent.
National Volunteer Week gives pause to reflect on the contribution of St John WA’s 5000 volunteers who contribute more than 230,000 hours to serving community each year.
Volunteers work in a range of roles at St John WA from on-road emergency ambulance response in Country WA, to logistics, volunteer support, community transport and Event Health Services.
Volunteering can take as little as a few hours a month to regular shifts and there are options to suit every life age and stage.
Group CEO Kevin Brown volunteers as an Event Health Officer and said he looked forward to weekend shifts providing wellbeing and health services to people out enjoying the WA way of life.
“Volunteering is by far the most rewarding activity I have the chance to participate in every week,” Mr Brown said.
“It is no exaggeration to say joining EHS has been a life-changing experience for me. It has brought an increased level of confidence in knowing how to respond to an emergency but of course the best part is the camaraderie enjoyed with other volunteers.
“The team come from all walks of life, but particularly EHS has team members who are already in, or are keen to enter, health professions such as nursing, mental health and medicine. I have the privilege of volunteering alongside some of WA’s top doctors, and future practitioners.”
A survey commissioned to show how community members feel about those who volunteer showed on a national level:
- 92 per cent of Australians believe volunteering is important to communities.
- 85 per cent view people who volunteer more favourably than others,
- And a whopping 93 per cent believe volunteers increase the quality of life in communities.
Mr Brown said finding the right role to step into as a volunteer was key to ensuring long-term engagement. He enthusiastically advocates for anyone keen to expand their horizons to find a role at St John WA which suits them.
SJWA Volunteer of the Year duo Alex Gibson and wife Niki found multiple volunteer roles at St John WA.
They both volunteer in multiple roles in Event Health Services and Youth and Community Engagement.
Nikki said the best part about volunteering at St John was the supportive family they joined, which did not require a health or medical background.
“Alex was a City of Perth parking inspector that’s why he was so good at logistics because he knew the city so well, while I was a Home Economics teacher,” Niki said.
“The training we get is so thorough and you work so collaboratively that it’s really reassuring.
“There are so many amazing skills people have to offer and may not even realise.”
Volunteer roles at St John WA include:
- Event Health Services:
- Event Ambulance Officer
- Volunteer Support Officer
- Volunteer Logistics Officer
- Volunteer Development Officer
- Volunteer Recruitment Officer
- Volunteer Leaders
- First Aid and Transport:
- First Aid Awareness Officer
- Community Transport volunteer
- Country Ambulance on-road:
- Emergency Medical Responder
- Emergency Medical Assistant
- Emergency Medical Technician
- Country Ambulance support:
- Committee member
- Volunteer Leadership Group
- Volunteer Support Officer
- Volunteer Development Officer
More than 5000 SJWA volunteers contribute their time across a range of roles from on-road emergency ambulance response in country WA, to logistics, volunteer support, community transport and Event Health Services.
To become a volunteer visit, https://stjohnwa.com.au/changelives.
