The Catholic Leader - 7 May

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The Catholic Leader, May 7, 2017
NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK
Everyday people reaching out
EVERY day at St Vincent’s Care
Services communities across south-
east Queensland, dozens of everyday
people give up their time to make an
extraordinary difference to the lives
of others.
As a not-for-profit organisation, St Vincent’s
Care Services relies on the generosity and
compassion of volunteers to help deliver its
extensive range of support services to seniors in
Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.
St Vincent’s Care Services is one of Aus-
tralia’s largest Catholic aged-care providers,
delivering exceptional care and support through
its residential aged care, in-home community
living and independent-living services.
St Vincent’s Care Services chief executive
officer John Leahy said volunteers had long been
an essential and cherished part of the organisa-
tion.
“We take a holistic approach in how we
support and care for our residents and clients,
and our volunteers play an invaluable role in
achieving this by engaging in activities with our
residents and supporting our staff,” he said.
“Our volunteers really are the lifeblood of our
organisation; they allow us to provide additional
programs, projects and increased social interac-
tion for our residents, and they strengthen links
to our communities.
“Volunteering with St Vincent’s takes many
forms – whether it’s spending time with a resi-
dent playing board games or reading together,
assisting staff with administration tasks, or even
driving the village bus to transport residents to
an event – we match your skills, passion and
experience to a role best suited to you,” Mr
Leahy said.
Volunteering at a St Vincent’s Care Services
facility or service not only benefits the residents
and staff, but also benefits the volunteer, with
research showing volunteering is strongly asso-
ciated with greater levels of health and happiness
(source: Volunteering Australia). “People enjoy
volunteering with St Vincent’s because of the
direct interaction with our residents. They can
see they are making a difference in someone’s
life, and it contributes to the positive, home-like
environment at each of our communities,” Mr
Leahy said.
“Our volunteers come from all walks of life,
from all different backgrounds. Whether it’s
someone who has a particular skill they can
share to improve one of our facilities, or school
groups who provide regular companionship for
our residents, they all share the same passion –
to ensure our residents get the most out of each
and every day.
“Put simply, our appreciation for our volun-
teers cannot be overstated. What they give to our
residents, staff and our organisation is excep-
tional, and we are incredibly grateful to them for
their contribution.”
To find out how you can become a volunteer
with St Vincent’s Care Services, email
or call 1800 778 767.
Playing im-
portant roles:
“Our volun-
teers come
from all walks
of life, from
all different
backgrounds.
Whether it’s
someone
who has a
particular
skill they
can share to
improve one
of our facili-
ties, or school
groups who
provide regu-
lar compan-
ionship for
our residents,
they all share
the same
passion – to
ensure our
residents get
the most out
of each and
every day.”