National Volunteer Week: Something for everyone

Every May, BSL recognises the enormous contribution made by volunteers who account for over 40 per cent of our workforce during National Volunteer Week (NVW), Australia’s largest annual celebration of volunteers.  

The week-long event recognises the vital support that BSL volunteers provide to their communities and to the work of BSL. This year’s National Volunteer Week theme ‘Something for Everyone’ acknowledged the diverse passions and talents people bring to the act of volunteering.

The theme was an invitation to explore the many ways volunteers contribute and uplift our work. From offering support with English language and Digital Literacy skills, to working with our many op shops to support communities and keep thousands of items out of landfill, BSL offers a range of volunteer opportunities where everyone’s unique skills and interests can flourish.

This year we celebrated our volunteers across BSL with morning teas, gifts, cards, hamper raffles and team gatherings. BSL’s leadership team visited offices and shops to formally acknowledge and thank BSL volunteers in person.

In 2024 we also recognised volunteer service milestones and celebrated the precious time our volunteer colleagues have given in support of BSL’s vision of an Australia free of poverty. One such milestone belongs to Jean Newbegin, who has been volunteering and working with BSL for a whopping fifty years!

Jean started volunteering at BSL in our Greensborough Store in 1974. Eighteen months later the op shop moved to Watsonia where she continued as a volunteer for a while before taking up a paid manager role. She stayed in this role for almost twenty years until she retired in 2005, but rejoined the team as a volunteer at BSL’s Eltham Store where she continues to work every week. When asked what she has loved most about BSL over the last fifty years she replied; “It’s the people!”

To show our appreciation to Jean we hosted a morning tea for her with her family, friends, volunteer colleagues, and BSL staff and Executive members. Jean was presented with a crystal trophy, a tea set and flowers. Jean’s enormous contribution – along with that of other long-serving BSL volunteers – was also formally recognised at BSL’s Staff and Volunteer Service Recognition Event in June.