“Volunteering has helped me to bond with my daughter, bond with women who are in trouble and bond with the community so they can also be involved with volunteering,” said Selba, a Melbourne-based Mental Health Clinician from Malawi.

Drawing on her professional and personal experiences with mental health, Selba was inspired to volunteer her time and expertise to establish Afri-Aus Care in 2015, which provides culturally appropriate support services to at-risk African Australian youth, their families, and the culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) community.

For Selba, volunteering has made a positive impact on her community and her own mental health. “When I started the organisation, I had depression and anxiety. But then I started helping others and I saw the healing. It was a speedy recovery,” said Selba.

Today, volunteering has helped Selba develop her confidence, find her voice, and become a community leader and impassioned advocate for ending family violence and implementing the NDIS within the African Australian community.

Selba added that there is a diverse range of volunteer roles across the community, to suit individual interests and strengths. At Afri-Aus Care for instance, there are volunteer opportunities from gardening and cooking to teaching English classes, resume support and recruitment.

“Volunteering has helped me find the real Selba, who I am,” she said.