Lumen Winter 2015 - Flipbook - Page 23
I
n 2014, nearly 2,300 volunteers
contributed over 128,000 hours of
service equating to a dollar value
of $3.5 million.
Volunteers participated in over 30
different programs across the University.
They come from all walks of life, and
include alumni. They can work in a vast
array of areas including in archives,
welcoming new international students to
Adelaide, hosting radio shows through
Radio Adelaide, and helping to preserve
the 147 hectares of the Waite Reserve.
Br i an W ar d
“Our volunteers include alumni,
students, staff and the general public.
They join an environment that fosters
and encourages volunteer satisfaction,
including learning new skills, and making
professional and social contacts. We
encourage all alumni to join in,” said Kerry
James, Volunteer Program Coordinator.
Some of our volunteers have spoken
to Lumen about why they get involved
and what motivates them.
Pet er Ch i sh ol m
DipArts & Ed 1958, DipPrimEd 1968,
BA (Hons) 1970, MA 1978
Volunteer in
the Urrbrae
House gardens
Ju n e W ar d
BA 1967, DipPrimEd 1967
Brian is a member of the Hughes Bequest
Committee and a guide for heritage
campus tours. Both Brian and June are
volunteers with Special Collections.
In our retirement my wife and I are
enthusiastic volunteers in various
capacities. We are grateful because
who and what we are is attributable
in large measure to the years of
experiences gathered at the University
of Adelaide. Our undergraduate and
postgraduate studies extended over
two decades in arts and education. We
are proud of our alma mater and glad
to contribute to its future. Volunteering
gives us great personal satisfaction and
keeps us connected to one of our most
important institutions.
I was introduced
to the Urrbrae
House gardens
by a dear
friend, Torben
Davidson, who
was a volunteer
for many years. He convinced me to get
involved and I’ve never looked back! I’ve
been volunteering in the gardens for 14
years and it is a part of my life. Every
Tuesday morning I help in the gardens
with jobs like pruning, weeding and
general maintenance, depending on the
season. I’ve always loved roses and it’s
a privilege to be part of the team. I would
encourage people to volunteer – it’s a
great feeling to give back and help out.
An n e Rabon e
Volunteer at Urrbrae
House in the History
Program for
Primary Schools
In the history
program we try
to give children a
sense of what it
was like to live and
work at Urrbrae
House in the 1890s. We dress up in
costume and step back in time to learn
about being a servant, a schoolchild or a
wealthy landowner. I often play the role of
the cook or laundry maid which means
Volunteering
gives us great personal
satisfaction and keeps
us connected to one of
our most important
institutions.
Brian Ward
I can misbehave – it’s much stricter
upstairs! It’s so rewarding working with
children and seeing their eyes open when
they learn how different life was back then.
An d r ew Br ad l ey
BE 2012, BEc 2013
Volunteer with
the Talking with
Aussies program
Initially I volunteered
to meet Chinese
international
students in an
attempt to improve
my spoken Chinese,
which had fallen
out of practice. I also wanted to support
international students – imagine how
terrifying it must be to move to another
country to study in a different language.
The volunteering program provides a
helping hand to new international students
and adds a human element in the form
of “G’day, welcome to Australia, mate”.
International students I have met through
the program have found it easier to
integrate into the University and, by
extension, Australian culture. Through the
program I’ve realised the importance of
support and friendship with the people I’ve
met, and the impact it has on our lives.
To find out more about volunteering,
visit adelaide.edu.au/volunteer or
contact Kerry James, Volunteer
Program Coordinator on +61 8 8313
3354 or volunteer@adelaide.edu.au
|e University of Adelaide | Alumni Magazine 21
