This week has been National Volunteer Week, and we’ve been celebrating volunteers from around the country.

Our volunteers play a large role in keeping our Grow Groups running, and helping our offices out with organising events, working on newsletters and just lending a hand.

We spoke to four of our volunteers and asked why they give up their time, not just for GROW, but for all the other organisations that they volunteer with.

Meet Maggie! She’s been part of GROW for around 28 years and says it’s really helped her a lot and has held both the Recorder and the Organiser role for her group. Maggie’s also a Justice of the Peace and she’s the chairperson for TEMHCO, that’s the Top End Mental Health Consumer Organisation.

When asked why she spends so much time volunteering she had this to say: “GROW change my life in 1993 and I do whatever I can to help others.

“I volunteer a lot of my time to keep busy, but I’m also passionate about mental health. I see people struggling with their mental health and if can help them, that makes me happy.”

Meet Michael! He joined Grow in 2008 and found the program and the group had a positive impact on his mental health recovery and his life in general.

When Michael was asked to become an Organiser for the local Grow group in his second year as a Grower, he was hesitant at first about taking on another “management” role. In taking on this role Michael saw an opportunity to give something back. He found you can really make a difference to someone’s life.
When asked why he volunteers, Michael had this to say: “I volunteer because I really enjoy seeing a positive change in people’s lives and it’s good for me too.”

Meet Josh! He’s been with GROW for close to five years and has had a number of leadership positions within his group.

Josh has a great mindset when it comes to volunteering. His approach is that you can do things for yourself, but we are all connected, so if you can do something then why not. “A little bit of friendliness goes a long way – the more closed in we get, the more it reduces the likeliness we are to help.”

When asked why he volunteers, Josh had this to say: “I open myself up to  possibilities – just say yes. What’s the harm in trying something? Possibilities are everywhere and a small change can go a long way.”

Meet Michelle! She’s been in a Recorder role with GROW a few times and loves it! Michelle’s just about to challenge herself even further and take on an Organiser role for her group. She has a genuine passion for making peoples’ lives better through the impact of Grow groups and programs.

When Michelle was asked why she volunteers, she had this to say: “I love the idea of helping people to better themselves. GROW saved my life. It’s my turn to give back.”

Thanks to all our volunteers across GROW, and happy National Volunteer Week 2021!