Photo:SALIN Committee

Joining professional groups and associations provides a wonderful opportunity to learn more about your career, find out about new trends and developments in the field and meet like-minded people working in an industry you are passionate about. 

For all these reasons and more, the library and information staff and volunteers at SAcommunity joined SALIN South Australian Library Information Network to "connect" with the library industry and meet other professionals and students.

Are you a Volunteer, Volunteer Coordinator or thinking about Volunteering?

Volunteering SA&NT contacted SAcommunity to advise us of their WeDo app that's available for volunteers to search for roles, record volunteer hours, have them verfied by the organisation and add them to their CV for job seeking.

The WeDo app - Makes Volunteering Easy

Photo: Visit the Botanic Gardens of South Australia to see the Victoria amazonica waterlilies in their flowering season between September and April each year. You may consider joining their volunteering program to become more involved in the range of activities available within the organisation.

SAcommunity volunteers have been covering a lot of recreational clubs recently and had the opportunity to speak to Robert Knightly of Yahl Indoor Bowling Club who introduced us to Secretary Craig Pearson of the Mount Gambier District Indoor Bowls Association to tell us more about the history of the many indoor bowling teams that exist around the Mount Gambier District.

Mount Gambier District Indoor Bowls Association

From all accounts, the Largs Bay Ladies Probus Club is not your conventional club! We spoke to Secretary Erica Parham to find out more about their activities. The club is always looking for new members for their next adventure and from all accounts, it sounds like great fun.

We heard about all sorts of expeditions that occur, from a horseradish farm excursion and nighttime trips to see the Christmas lights amongst other occasional journeys. At other times, the group have hosted an array of interesting speakers and held games days at their meetings at the RSL hall.

 The Adelaide Kurdish Youth Society will be hosting their annual Newroz (New Year) Festival to be held on Saturday the 18th March 2017 starting at 4pm in Civic Park, Modbury. 

Photo: Hahndorf, courtesy of C. McIntyre

2 February
World Wetlands Day "Wetlands for disaster risk reduction" In SA: Visit the Urbrae Wetlands Learning Centre

Men’s Sheds are always close to our hearts at SAcommunity, they “galvanise” retired men in their district to connect with each other, providing a means for men to be active, create friendships and promote creativity. At the same time local men’s sheds address many of the factors that tend to affect men after their working lives have ended, such as social isolation, health and emotional wellbeing issues that can arise after retirement.

Get involved with school holiday programs

School holidays are a great time for organisations to add new members and raise their profile in the community.

Perhaps your group can:
· Offer an activity that would be safe, rewarding and affordable for young people
· Create an event that the whole family can be involved in such as a sports day, tree planting, fundraising or a workshop creating handmade crafts for charities to sell
· Hold a “Come and Try” day to help people discover your local club and participate in a new activity

Want an active start to your new year?

SAcommunity lists nearly 60 groups with walking as one of their services, it's a great way to begin exercise, stay healthy and socialise with others, as such there are many dedicated walking groups across the state.

The Salisbury Ramblers Walking Group is one of these and we recently spoke to secretary Peter Higginbottom to find out more about their activities.