This National Volunteer Week, we’re celebrating some of our dedicated volunteers who make a difference at Melba. Jane and Neil have been volunteering with us for just over five years in our Community Connections program at Lilydale. They support our staff by helping out with needed tasks and spending time with the people we support.
“A very warm, welcoming place”
After Jane and Neil retired, they wanted to give back to their community. At a local volunteering expo, they met Melba’s volunteer coordinator, who encouraged them to give Melba a try. They were linked in with the Community Connections program and started off volunteering for half a day, which quickly became a full day on site.
Each Tuesday, they join Eda at Melba’s Community Connections to help support Eda’s participants. Everyone goes for a coffee together in the morning, then there are walks in the grounds and around the lake, gardening, lunch, and the afternoon milk run. They have a special bond with Romy and all three share a love of walking, so they have a great time out in the grounds and walking around beautiful Lillydale Lake.
“Melba is busy now, but it all works well”
Over the past five years, Jane and Neil have seen Melba grow and move from Ormeau Rd to our Lilydale hub. They love coming in on a Tuesday to support us, and look forward to it each week. The extra capacity they provide to the team means that support workers are able to focus just a bit more on the people supported.
Are you looking to gain experience in the disability sector or give something back to the community? We are always looking for people to support our work by volunteering. You can apply for a specific vacancy listed on our Volunteer With Us page, or just get in touch and we will work with you to find the perfect volunteer opportunity.
Get in touch about volunteering
If you’re keen to volunteer, we would love to hear from you. Visit our Volunteer With Us page for existing volunteer vacancies, or contact:
Leanne Garnett leanne.garnett@melbasupport.com.au.
Learn more about National Volunteer Week 2019: https://www.volunteeringaustralia.org/get-involved/nvw/