Volunteers are the heart of our organisation

We hear often that it’s connection and being with others, rather than being thanked and recognised, that are key motivators for many of our volunteers. While we appreciate this, on behalf of all our team at LLD, I do want to thank every one of our volunteers who contribute to our work; it sure does make a difference to so many people in our communities and we could not do what we do without them.

Today marks the start of National Volunteer Week where the theme is Recognise (by celebrating & thanking volunteers for the vital role they play in our lives), Reconnect (to what is important by giving our time to help others & ourselves) and Reimagine (how we better support volunteers and communities they help).

Being in the privileged role of leading LLD provides me with the opportunity to recognise and acknowledge the wonderful work and contribution that many thousands of people make each day in so many ways right across Australia, including our more than 700 volunteers across LLD.

In terms of reimagining how we support our volunteers, the last 12+ months since the pandemic has led us to new and different ways to support and reach out to volunteers. While we have appreciated connecting virtually with some of our team, we are also looking forward to more and more face to face communication where we can both recognise their efforts and contribution, as well as hear from them about what they need from us.

We have more than 700 volunteers across 6 regions in LLD. This includes Crisis Supporters on the phones, face to face counsellors who support people experiencing crisis and distress, and of course our many volunteers in our Retail shops across 30+ sites, as well as our events teams, who raise money to support services and provide an opportunity for connection in community.

Yours sincerely and with our gratitude.

Robert Sams
Executive Director, Lifeline Direct