Page 431 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 18 February 2020
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lives of the volunteers and also those who benefit from the voluntary activities undertaken.
Volunteering is a fantastic way to activate members of our community and promote social connections. Within volunteer teams, people can have lots of fun, make new friends, gain new skills or experience, as well as keep our community safe. We all want to live in an inclusive city, and volunteering works toward this goal by valuing many tenets of inclusivity, such as teamwork, participation, diversity and collaboration.
Most recently, the bushfires in south Canberra have shown us how crucial our volunteers are in Canberra. Volunteers are a key part of the ACT Emergency Services Agency. They provide a frontline response to emergencies such as bushfires, storms and floods, and they have been in action these past few months. Additionally, these volunteers delivered community education to members of our community. During this incredibly challenging time for our nation and for Canberra, our volunteer firefighters were on the front line, defending our homes and our community. These brave men and women are an integral part of keeping our community safe, and we would not have been able to respond to the crisis in the capacity that we did if it had not been for our volunteers.
As well as the crucial role that volunteers provide during times of crisis, there are a multitude of ways to get involved and contribute to the community during other times. Volunteers are quite close to my own heart and have been a big part of my personal journey. I truly believe that you do not know where volunteering can take you. I would not be standing here today if not for my own volunteering and community work that led me into politics.
My role as President of the Australia India Business Council, ACT chapter, my role as an organiser of the National Multicultural Festival and being the founder of the World Curry Festival were all roles I did voluntarily because I wanted to contribute to the community. By being a part of these community organisations, I was able to launch community initiatives and, most importantly, come across many wonderful people who are some of my best friends today.
I also believe that being a volunteer has enabled me to understand the fabric of Canberra society and to connect with those I represent in my capacity as an MLA. Luckily, if you want to get involved in the ACT as a volunteer, there are many options. I recommend that people who want to get involved reach out to VolunteeringACT, which is the peak body for volunteering in the ACT region. They represent the interest of all community volunteers and those who work as volunteers.
In my electorate there are also fantastic ways to get involved, particularly with Northside Community Service, which provides support and services for residents of north Canberra. Northside runs a vibrant, diverse and engaging volunteer program for people looking to give their time assisting us to provide care and services for individuals and families in Canberra. The volunteer program operates across all aspects of the organisation and provides volunteers with an opportunity to learn new skills, develop new relationships and form new connections with community members.
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