Photo: Cheryl Heitman, Erin, Sophie Hood, Nirupama Amarakoon, Farhana Razeen, offsite volunteer Brooke Lloyd (not pictured) 

The aim of Connecting Up's Volunteer Program is to support SAcommunity whilst simultaneously allowing our volunteers to see more clearly the skills they have and that they bring to us, by having a platform and forum where they can express their ideas for the service and demonstrate their talents together in a supportive team environment.

Our volunteers proactively use their abilities and those they learn from each other and share with us to support their local community in a meaningful way through the directory service.

Connecting Up has collated several photos of volunteers to highlight 'a day in the life' of our volunteers and look at the activities the team participate in.

Particularly with regards to skill-building with many of the photos of volunteers engaged in Telephone Techniques Training to practice talking with presidents, vice-presidents and secretaries of numerous community services over the phone. Each volunteer takes on the role of either the service or interviewer to ask questions in order to update service listings and information. Our more seasoned volunteers are paired with new volunteers to improve or build on those customer service skills needed for volunteering and also for future careers. 

Photo: Cheryl Heitman, Alexander Bull, David Webb, Flavia, Daniela Atanasova

Connecting Up Volunteers Wednesday Group
Every day, each volunteer group brings new and familiar faces, experiences, skills and backgrounds and new connections.

Many of the volunteers that join us on Wednesday are our long-term regular volunteers and it's with the help of our experienced SAcommunity team members that we are able to continue to induct, train and support new volunteers as well as maintain the directory, call and interview community services. We are only able to run our volunteer program because of their steadfast contribution to the whole team.  Thank you. 

Cheryl

Pictured below (L - R): Rex Porter, Alexander Bull, Edward Winsor, Farhana Razeem, Samantha Agius, Stathis Avramis Not pictured: Our offsite volunteer Malcolm and Lynn.

Connecting Up Volunteers Friday Group

Pictured (L - R): Lan Pham, Erin, Anmoldeep (back), Samantha Whillas, Audrey Menz, Farhana Razeen, Niru Amarakoon. Our team took this photo on 3 March 2020 before our volunteer program moved to Working From Home (WFH). 

Meet our Tuesday Connecting Up Volunteers (and our Intern)
How time flies, we took this photo of our Tuesday Volunteer group a short time back on 3 March 2020 before our program transitioned to working from home using remote tools.

 
Thank you Volunteers

National Volunteer Week is the annual celebration to acknowledge the generous contribution of our nation's volunteers.

Thank you to all volunteers for Changing Communities. Changing Lives

Interested in volunteering?

Visit Volunteering Australia at https://www.volunteeringaustralia.org/

In South Australia Visit:

Volunteering SA & NT Inc.

Volunteer Week 18 - 24 May 
Connecting Up would like to take this opportunity to thank our volunteers for their contribution to SAcommunity and community services in South Australia.

Our volunteers assist us to update the 15,000 community service listings on our directory in association with our council and library partners and editors across the state to help people, services and councils to connect with each other.

Community Services Online – The Queer Society Online

As social-distancing practises impact how not-for-profits interact both within themselves and the community more widely, groups such as The Queer Society stand out in their development of unique online community spaces with alternatives to physical meetings and events.

Foodbank recently ran a Food Amnesty to fill hampers that will be heading out to families in need. The SAcommunity felt that we needed to further draw attention to the work of Foodbank and link to their suggestions for how you can assist this relief organisation following the significant increase in food assistance services after bushfires and with Covid-19.

Foodbank

What: History Festival Poetry Takeover Challenge
Who: History Trust SA
When: 1 – 31 May 2020
Entries close on Sunday 31 May at 5pm, Winners
For: SA students in years 4 – 11
Where: https://poetrytakeover.com.au/
Winners Announced: 17 June 2020
Judges’ Awards & People’s Choice to be announced on Facebook Live

South Australia's Young Poets Take Over