A special shout out to Camille who has been volunteering on a weekly basis now for 6 months! If you walked for WAGEC you might have received a welcome call from or perhaps you ordered merch in the mail that was beautifully wrapped? This was all Camille and we can't thank her enough for her dedication and commitment to supporting the team at Redfern. As part of National Volunteer Week we asked her about community and why she decided to volunteer at WAGEC. Thank you Camille!
Why do you volunteer at WAGEC?
I got sick of reposting statistics and infographics on social media because I couldn’t see how I was actually helping anyone. After the last two years, much felt futile and an unpleasant apathy for the state of the world had arisen in me. I wanted to reconnect to my community, and to do something for the better of those that surround me. Ever since my first shift - I fell in love with the warmth, sincerity, generosity and welcoming space that is WAGEC. I feel privileged to be a part of such an incredible place that does so much good. Volunteering with WAGEC has irrevocably altered my outlook and my career direction - I can confidently say it has quickly became a favourite part of my week.
What does community mean to you?
To me community is the street I grew up in: where baked goods crossed the fence on ceremonious occasions, street libraries thrived, property lines became gestures, ‘help yourself’ boxes found on at least one house a week and meals were cooked without question when neighbours were in crisis. Community to me is trying to emulate the spirit of these gestures in my attitudes and behaviour towards the world around me, to brighten someone’s day and to add meaning in anyway I can.
