A decision to contribute to his local community has rewarded Ben with new friendships and valuable experience in his chosen industry.
Ben had some experience volunteering in his community and at local events but wanted to do more.
“I wanted to firstly be more involved within my local community, but I also wanted an insight into the healthcare industry before furthering my studies in this area,” Ben said.
An online search for aged care volunteering opportunities led Ben to a few organisations, including genU.
“The key reason why I chose genU was because of their mission, in particular being centred around community,” Ben said. “This is something I value greatly and wanted to be a part of, so it was a perfect fit.”
After progressing through the application process and meeting with the volunteer team at genU, Ben learnt about the where volunteers are matched to older people and visit them to provide friendship and companionship. Ben’s application was successful, and he began visiting the local aged care resident he was matched with. He now regularly meets with two residents at the aged care facility.
“It has been really satisfying; the best part is absolutely the friendships and relationships that I make, not only with the residents I visit but the staff and carers as well”
“I feel a great sense of accomplishment as many of the residents were very socially isolated and struggling with this difficult transition to aged care living. Now they seem far less isolated and happier because of the ACVVS* visits.”
genU Partnerships and Development Director, Darren Mathewson echoed this; enhancing the quality of life of aged care clients was one of the reasons genU chose to become an Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme (ACVVS) provider.
“We know older people can experience social isolation, so working with the sector and communities to build volunteering means we can support more people in a way that genuinely enhances their quality of life,” Darren said.
The experience has been positive for Ben and has affirmed his passion for the industry.
“I highly recommend ACVVS for anyone who wants to do volunteering as it has such a great impact on people’s lives.”
Volunteer with genU
If you have a passion to make a difference, we welcome you to join our incredible volunteer community and make a positive impact by giving back.
Volunteer support can be delivered in person, over the phone or online at one of the following locations across Victoria:
- Barwon
- Mornington Peninsula
- Northern Metro
- Southwest
- Western Metro
Learn more about becoming a volunteer with genU.
*Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme