Monday 20 May is the start of National Volunteer Week, an annual celebration, recognising and honouring the invaluable contributions of our nation’s volunteers. The theme for National Volunteer Week 2024 is ‘Something for Everyone’.
To mark the occasion Brian Davis, Captain of Bullsbrook Volunteer Fire and Emergency Service paid a visit to Bullsbrook College, meeting with primary and secondary school leaders, showing students around his light tanker, and answering insightful questions from the young crowd.
The last time Brian, along with many other volunteer and career firefighters, were at the college was back in February, when a mulch fire spread and engulfed the 8-hectares of bushland adjacent to the school. Brian’s volunteering journey started thirteen years ago when he moved to the area. He says, “I wanted to join the brigade not only to learn for myself, but to see where I could help the community.
“I saw that there was an opportunity with my life skills, particularly in administration and management, to add to the brigade. I also got myself qualified as a workplace trainer and assessor, and quickly became part of the training sector too.”
Brian is heading into his second year and captain and acknowledges the position is a step up in commitment, but well worth the effort. “I love it – it is such a good role and I’m really enjoying it,” he said.
And while a lack of time or being unsure of what skills you could bring to a volunteering role are often used as reasons people don’t put their hand up more, Brian says that shouldn’t hold you back.
“That’s the great thing about volunteering – there’s no set hours, there’s no set routine. You give what you can, when you can. And that might be in the form of helping do administration, or running the Facebook page. It doesn’t have to be boots-on-the-ground – there’s different ways of contributing.”
Year 11 student Joshua Chapman is not only part of the Bullsbrook Volunteer Fire and Emergency brigade as a cadet, he is also a member of the Bullseye Youth Committee – a group who advocate for young people in Bullsbrook and beyond, and who have facilitated large community events. Joshua says, “My family is quite volunteer and community minded, and I guess I just kind of inherited that!
“I enjoy it because it gives me something to do and something to look forward to. And with a lot of the volunteering that I do, it gives me an end goal. So, with the Bullseye Youth Committee and the events that we plan, the end goal is executing that event to a high standard.
“Being a firefighting cadet, the end goal there obviously is to eventually join the brigade as a full volunteer.”
Volunteering not only benefits the community, but has many rewards for the individual too: from building confidence and self-esteem, counteracting the effects of stress, helping to combat feelings of loneliness, and building a sense of purpose. And it is not a modern concept – Greek philosopher Aristotle once said that the essence of life is, ‘To serve others and do good.’
Joshua says, “All the activities I do are a pretty good staple of my week. If you are thinking about volunteering – in any role – have a quick look online and get started. I would strongly recommend volunteering – it’s very fun, and very useful.”
Brain agrees, saying, “You get to meet all these new people from all different aspects of life, and you form a little community.
“It gives you a real sense of pride in yourself, that you are giving something back.”
The work carried out nationally by the 5.8 million Australians who volunteer is estimated to be worth $290 billion dollars to our economic good. Department of Fire and Emergency Services Acting Commissioner Melissa Pexton says, “WA is proud to have more than 26,000 volunteers in the Bush Fire Service, State Emergency Service, Marine Rescue WA, Volunteer Fire and Emergency Services, Volunteer Fire and Rescue Services and Youth in Emergency Services.
“Our selfless volunteers are the backbone of WA’s emergency response, especially in remote and regional areas where they are often first on the scene.
“National Volunteer Week is the perfect opportunity to show our gratitude for their extraordinary actions to delivery emergency services and keep communities safe in one of the largest jurisdictions in the world.”
