Taronga Conservation Society Australia’s Post

Volunteer Odyssey on NBC's Bluff City Life: How to Help & Uplift The Mid-South Thank you, Action News 5's Bluff City Life and Gina NEELY for having our Executive Director, Caroline Norris on Bluff City Life to discuss how people can get involved in their community through volunteering. During the segment, Caroline shares insights on keeping people motivated to give back, highlighting how #Memphis has organizations needing help in areas like homelessness, food insecurity, environmental conservation, and more. Key Takeaways: There’s a volunteer opportunity for everyone! Whether you're passionate about helping the homeless, supporting local charities, or even just spending time with seniors in nursing homes, there’s a way to make an impact. Organizations in need: Room in the Inn - Memphis, CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF THE DIOCESE OF MEMPHIS INC, Wolf River Conservancy, and many more rely on volunteers daily. Finding the right fit is easy! Volunteer Odyssey serves as a hub to connect people with meaningful service opportunities. Visit https://lnkd.in/e-cGQP-U to browse volunteer events based on your schedule and interests. Volunteering isn't just for the holidays! While MLK Day and other service events see a surge in participation, nonprofits need help all year round. The power of connection: Volunteering not only benefits the community but also helps fight loneliness and builds a sense of belonging. Caroline also shares heartwarming stories about how volunteers recently made a difference in projects like cleaning up T.O. Fuller State Park, prepping garden beds for Girls Inc. of Memphis, and helping set up a new clinic with Thistle & Bee Enterprises. 🔗 Want to get involved? Visit https://lnkd.in/e-cGQP-U and find your perfect way to give back! #powertheGOOD #ilovememphis #choose901

It's difficult to put into words the incredible impact that volunteering makes. It can allow you to connect with your community and even the smallest act of giving back can make a real difference to the lives of people, animals, environment and organisations in need. This belief has run strong in our family for years. Our parents were part of the Rural Fire Brigade in Northern NSW. My sister Angela Taylor volunteers with the SES and she will literally be out there in the middle of natural disasters helping people or trekking through bushland participating in missing people searches. She has also supported Orange Sky which is a laundry service for the Homeless and these guys had a massive impact also during the flooding disasters across SEQ and NSW. We have volunteered with local Wildlife Rescue where we would be on call to help injured native animals of an evening. And more recently, my daughter and I volunteer with a Vinnie's youth program that seeks to help, guide and support local kids. I have also been incredibly inspired by other industry colleagues who have put aside their own time to give back to their community over the years. The generosity of our industry in volunteering time, trucks, warehouses and resources during crisis is outstanding. National Volunteer Week runs from 20th - 26th May and this years theme is Something For Everyone - meaning that there are so many different ways that people can look to give back to their community - no matter how big or small. Kids sport, community events, charity fundraisers, beach clean ups, homeless services - you name it, volunteers are vital to their success. People who are interested in looking for volunteer opportunities in their local area can check on a platform www.govolunteer.com.au. The need is enormous and immediate and to be honest - incredibly rewarding! Many people even doing a little bit - can have an enormous impact. Business leaders its a reminder to also consider what can you do within your organisation to support staff who volunteer? There are some great company's that I have seen that actively encourage their staff in their volunteering efforts both individually and as part of a corporate act. It reinforces their commitment to their local community and also fosters a greater sense of belonging within the organisation itself. #NationalVolunteerWeek #HelpingOthers #GivingBack #Volunteering #VolunteersAreAmazing #CorporateVolunteering #StartWhereYouAreUseWhatYouHaveDoWhatYouCan

Reading through the Community Life Survey highlights how volunteering is evolving—becoming more focused on community connections and supporting neighbours. Post-COVID has seen declines in monthly formal volunteering, with levels dropping to 16% of people in 2022 compared to 23% in 2019. However this isn't a COVID problem, the Community Life Survey has shown that since 2014, engagement in formal volunteering once per year has dropped from 45% to 27% and from 27% to 16% for monthly volunteering. At this same time, informal volunteering such as helping neighbors or community members is becoming far more common than formal roles. Over the same period, engagement in informal volunteering has remained stable, with monthly engagement being 31% in 2013 and 26% in 2022. Volunteering rates may have dipped, but the need for community action is greater than ever, and people are becoming less interested in structured or bureaucratic roles with charities or organizations, and are retaining their interest in directly helping and connecting with their community. Given the growing demand for flexibility, the rise of mutual aid networks during the pandemic, and the shift in priorities toward localised personal impact. It's time to recognise the impact of the flexible commitments and the small acts of service. 👉 How can you make a difference today? Look around your community for opportunities to volunteer, connect with those in need and the groups there to provide support, and take one step toward building stronger, more supportive communities.

Thinking about holiday volunteering? Here's how to make it go the distance

This #VolunteersWeek, we are looking at Norfolk’s voluntary sector from different points of view. Today is all about family volunteering, and we’ll take a deep-dive into how we’re helping people who perhaps aren’t the typical volunteer get involved with volunteering… Our Nourishing Norfolk programme started in 2020, and we realised straight away that volunteers would be essential to drive the programme forward. Many of our food hubs are 100% volunteer run, and several have volunteer coordinator posts to foster beneficial community engagement from a broad range of people who often don’t engage with volunteering. There are opportunities for everyone to get involved across the programme. For young people, volunteering at a Nourishing Norfolk food hub helps build confidence, boost self-esteem and develop a sense of achievement. For those looking to get into work, hubs offer practical experience and new skills through volunteering. For people with green fingers, there is the opportunity to get involved with Nourishing Norfolk Growers to grow healthy food for their local hub. Furthermore, many individuals who use the food hub want to give back to the people and the place which has supported them to express their gratitude and make a difference in their community. Additionally, older people seeking connection benefit from the social interactions and sense of community that volunteering provides. With such a broad range of options and reasons for volunteering, it’s hardly surprising that whole families can be found volunteering at their local hub! Find out more about volunteering with Nourishing Norfolk 🔗 norfolkfoundation.com/grow

Is your volunteer program agile and flexible enough to adapt to the changing needs of volunteers? 👥 The nonprofit sector is laying the foundation for the future of volunteerism, and emerging trends are impacting volunteerism across various verticals. From changes to the scope of volunteer roles to the administration of volunteer programs, nonprofits need to stay up-to-date on the latest trends to ensure that their volunteer base remains strong. Check out this article by Lori Gotlieb for actionable tips to help you adapt and keep your volunteer program sustainable. ⬇️ https://okt.to/1Kc3hA #article #blogs #leadership #charity #nonprofit #philanthropy #charities #nonprofits #notforprofit #blog #blogging #nonprofitwork #nonprofitlife #network #association #nonprofitorganization #community #leadership #volunteerism #volunteer #VolunteerEngagement #VolunteerManagement

This weekend's article in the SMH provided valuable insights into the current challenges of volunteering. My key takeaways: 👉 Increasing Sign-on Requirements: While it's essential to ensure the safety of both volunteers and the people they assist, how can organizations strike a balance between maintaining safety and reducing the barriers to volunteering? 👉 Volunteering Under Pressure: Volunteering significantly boosts the wellbeing of both volunteers and those they support. Yet, volunteer numbers are dwindling, even as the need for their help in communities has never been greater. The statistics are concerning – participation has fallen from 36.2% of those aged 18+ in 2010 to 24.8% of those aged 15+ in 2020. 👉A Positive Opportunity: Interestingly, nearly 14% of non-volunteers reported that they hadn't been asked to volunteer. VA sees this as a promising opportunity – it highlights an untapped pool of potential volunteers. 💡 This is something we can leverage – I plan to start asking more people! We are looking for volunteers now in many locations: https://lnkd.in/grh4DVb7

My January posts have been reflecting on some of the past years' ESV successes. This is from a little over a year ago but one of my favourites. I have linked an article about it below, but I want to share some reflections about ESV and why I love my job. A wonderful (and artistically gifted - when it comes to drawing pigs!) team from Yorkshire Housing came together for a volunteering day, and one of the senior members of staff was there too. Sharron Wilkinson, founder of Give...A Few Words CIC, spoke about the incredible impact their work has; how letters, crafts, and cards bring immense joy, with letters being read a thousand times over, drawings framed and placed on the walls, recipients’ mood and outlook completely transforming. I’ll never forget seeing that senior manager moved to tears by the story of how much it changed one lady’s life and outlook, and how much she treasured what she received. From that moment, a meaningful partnership between Yorkshire Housing and Give A Few Words began. This is one of my proudest moments. Having previously worked with isolated people for nearly a decade at Alzheimer's Society, I have seen the true impact of isolation and loneliness. This is a cause I deeply care about and Sharron is one of the most inspiring, giving and kind-hearted individuals I have met. My Line Manager connected me to the lovely Rachel Neale at Yorkshire Housing so I could arrange some ESV for them. Since this introduction the two have continued to work together and the ESV for YH has soared in the last year with nearly half of their hours credited to work with Give A Few Words. Introducing two organisations successfully comes down to a few key factors: leadership buy-in, motivation, enthusiasm and a cause which has a big impact on making a community or individual’s life better. Fortunately, we had all of that in abundance that day. We all know the mental and physical health benefits of volunteering. We know that ESV is the ONLY initiative that has a lasting impact on staff wellbeing (check my last post). We know it increases staff retention, boosts motivation, and enhances community engagement for businesses. These are the benefits I regularly highlight at events and meetings, but what truly moves me is seeing people connect on a deeper level. Watching staff bond, strengthen their teams, and find joy in giving back is something special. It’s not just about the numbers - though this session certainly impacted more people than we can count - but about the genuine emotional connection that is formed. To witness the growing partnership between these two organisations and know the countless smiles and happiness it’s created makes this one of my proudest moments. A huge thank you to Rachel, Sharron, the senior manager who attended, and the staff who continue to contribute to this incredible cause. You make my job worthwhile. I am so utterly grateful. #ESV #CSR #SocialGood #EmployeeWellbeing #GivingBack

At Sydney Children's Hospitals Foundation, we know how important volunteers are to any organisation. That's why we are proud to offer all staff two days of paid Volunteer Leave per year, which can be used to volunteer with an organisation of their choice. Earlier this year, our Community Engagement team decided to use their Volunteer Leave to volunteer as a team at Parramatta Mission. We spoke to Mel Russo from the Community Engagement team about what the opportunity meant for her. 1️⃣ Tell us about how the Community Engagement Team chose to use their Volunteer Leave. "I was so excited to learn about Volunteer Leave as part of our EVP because giving back is important to me. I was looking at volunteering with an organisation that aligned to my personal interests (animals!) but then I had the idea of using our Volunteer Leave as a team-building activity so went looking for an organisation that aligned with the teams interests more broadly. I was familiar with Parramatta Mission, and when I suggested them to my colleague Jonny, he had the same idea! Jonny had a connection at Parramatta Mission so he then organised the logistics for us." 2️⃣ What did your day with Parramatta Mission look like? "We met the small but mighty Parramatta Mission team for an introduction and briefing first. From there, we helped unload a truck of donated food products (like noodles and long life milk etc.) and started stocking the pantry. After that, we split into two groups - some of the team prepped for lunch service, and others sorted donated clothes. During lunch service, it was all hands-on deck — from helping serve tea and coffee, to serving lunches, to manning the clothes stand that offered guests a chance to take clothing with them. After we had a lunch break ourselves, we joined the Parramatta Mission fundraising team to share knowledge and discuss challenges and wins in the fundraising space." 3️⃣ What would you say to anyone who has the opportunity to take Volunteer Leave? "Do it! It was a really great experience to share as a team, and was wonderful to give back to the community outside of the work we do at SCHF." Want to find out more about SCHF's EVP? Visit our website: https://brnw.ch/21wP2ag

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT VOLUNTEERING 😊 hear what one of our team members has to say about VOLUNTEERING Asides the fact that volunteering personally gives me joy 🫢 I mean I derive so much joy and peace within myself each time I volunteers. I’ll also say in a world that often feels disconnected, volunteering bridges the gap. It's more than just giving time; it's about making a tangible difference. Volunteering is a constant reminder that even small acts of kindness can create a powerful wave of change. There is this joy that comes with knowing someone somewhere was able to smile because of your little act of kindness 👌🤌🥰 When you volunteer, you become a beacon of hope and a force for good. You'll find yourself inspired by the resilience of others and empowered by your ability to contribute. Whether you're planting trees, helping the needy, or assisting in disaster relief, every minute you spend volunteering is an investment in a better future. Volunteering is not just about giving; it's about growing. It's about discovering new skills, gaining a fresh perspective on life and meeting diverse people. Volunteering helps you connect with different people. Have you volunteered before ? If yes share with us your experience in the comment section 🥰 If No then I will urge you to give it a trial so you can experience the kind of joy volunteering comes with 💯 Picture attached is a team member and madam JOY (founder)at the radio station 🫢🥰 Photo credit: Prince Adeyinka Salem Service to humanity is service to God,you can write us through jiborefoundation@gmail.com or contact us through +2348104647493 , hoping to hear from you. #jiborefoundationinilorin #jiborefoundationinnigeria #jiborefoundation #ngoinilorin #ngoinkwara #ngoinnigeria #foundationforall #NGOImpact #abilitynotdisability #equalityforall #communitydevelopment #kindnessmatters #emphatymatters #hopeforhumanity #changetheworld #actofkindness #loveandpeace #motivation #reelsfypシ #helpingothers #empowerment #8years #jiborefoundation #8yearsanniversary #JoyBolarin #abilityindisability #jibore #disabilityadvocatekwarastate #Volunteering