“It’s important that you feel you are contributing. You are helping people who need it, and you really get rewarded for doing that,” said Melbourne-based volunteer, Vinnie.

Two years ago, Vinnie was a full-time single father of two looking for a way to sharpen his digital skills and get back into the workforce. Volunteering gave him this opportunity and more.

Vinnie joined Aussie Hands as a volunteer web officer after seeing the role advertised on his local council website. Aussie Hands supports children and adults who have been born with a hand difference or have an acquired hand injury.

“The council put me in touch with Aussie Hands and it turned out to be a very good opportunity for me. I was really excited to be able to contribute to this important organisation,” he said.

“Initially I wanted to improve my skills in digital marketing and web development, but I found that I built my teamwork, organisation and communication skills – and made many friends as well.”

With a young family, flexibility was important to Vinnie and he encourages others to look for volunteering roles that will work for them.

“There are a lot of different opportunities out there, you can volunteer from home or in other ways that fit in with your life,” he said.

Vinnie recently got a job with an asset management company and believes volunteering played an important part in the transition.

“In the job interview, my employer was really interested in my experience as a volunteer,” he said.

While volunteering provided a pathway to a job for Vinnie, the feel-good factor of volunteering and contributing made the overall experience very rewarding. 

“If you are thinking about volunteering, just go for it, don’t hesitate!”