VOLUNTEER AND MENTOR
PROGRAM REPORT
Volunteers and mentors continue to play a vital role
in supporting the delivery of our services. Since our
program review was finalised at the end of 2014, the
program has enjoyed steady growth thanks to the
commitment, generosity and support of our local
community, which has resulted in 100 expressions
of interest and the recruitment of 52 volunteers and
mentors. Our volunteers come from a diverse range of
backgrounds; among them are teachers, solicitors, artists
and historians, collectively they speak over 18 languages.
In May, 33 of our volunteers were formally acknowledged
for their outstanding contribution to FLN’s work at
the Yarra City Volunteer Week Awards. Clubhouse
graduate and mentor Ror Akot was one of the recipients
and also performed as part of the celebrations.
The NAB Volunteer Program continues to form an
essential part of our day to day service delivery. This
year alone, 315 NAB personnel have swapped a day at
the office to work alongside teachers and community
volunteers to provide invaluable assistance to our students,
many of whom have volunteered with us multiple times
in recent years. FLN acknowledges the importance of
this enduring and significant corporate partnership.
Our volunteers teach, assist teachers in classrooms,
develop teaching resources, provide individual and
small group tutoring, mentor young people in the
clubhouse, coordinate our Food Bank program, assist in
sewing and enterprise classes and support our cleaning,
administration and maintenance programs. We also have
a number of volunteers who are full time employees in
the paid workforce and also provide important off site
support such as coordinating the publication of our biquarterly newsletter and assisting with fundraising.
We have also utilised online corporate volunteering to
engage the support of CGU Insurance and Melaleuca
Wellness in quarterly working bees which provide
important garden maintenance and cleaning services
while the students are on break and assist us to prepare
the Network for the term ahead. We look forward to
expanding and strengthening these links into next year.
Quarterly team meetings have been introduced to
provide community volunteers with an opportunity
to meet as a group, share expertise and focus on
professional development needs. Further to these
opportunities, volunteers have also attended workshops
conducted by Foundation House and completed the
five week AMES tutor training course. Investing in
and supporting the professionalism of volunteers, is an
important part of our Volunteer and Mentor Program.
As you can see, our volunteers and mentors are
absolutely integral to our work. They make a rich and
important contribution. They further embed and
uphold a long tradition we have with our community
from which we draw our strength. Thank you.
Gayle Carr
Volunteer and Mentor Coordinator
‘Our volunteers come
from a diverse range
of backgrounds...’
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