Alumni volunteers are vital to enriching the fabric of UWA for both our students and our global community. As a part of National Volunteer Week we will take a closer look at some of our all-star alumni volunteers and the impact they have.
As a long-time volunteer of UWA, what is the motivation behind your volunteering?
My motivation for volunteering at UWA is to provide support and coaching to those who are preparing for the workforce. When I left university, I realised there’s so many additional factors to working full-time and building your career, and I want to provide others with that insight to help better prepare them.
I’m also super passionate about connection and education (the kind you get from meeting new people with new perspectives). Working hard at broadening my own network has helped me in so many ways and elevated my understanding of the world, which has been integral to my personal and my professional development. Connecting with people and sharing knowledge gives me hope and inspiration, and I endeavour to facilitate this for others.
What are you passionate about and how does this tie into your volunteering?
I’m passionate about a lot, and it all boils down to helping. Connecting people, sharing knowledge, and contributing in positive ways in the community are hugely important to me.
Through the United Nations Association of Australia Young Professionals, I’d like to think I’m helping to bring the right people together and helping to educate them on ways we can all be making a positive difference.
Through all my volunteering, I hope that I’m making a small contribution on an individual level, whether that’s personally or professionally, and making a small dent in supporting our communities.
As an alumna, what role has UWA played in your life since graduating?
UWA has been a huge influence in my life since graduating. The Alumni Relations team kept in contact with me when I left and offered support, including helping me find some opportunities to volunteer!
Through the events run by the Alumni Relations team, I’ve also been able to connect and learn from more individuals at different stages of their own career.
As Co-Chair of the Young Alumni Network, I’ve also been able to learn from current students and recent grads through the mentoring program and hear some amazing stories from our graduates making waves in their careers. There’s a great feeling of community and I have loved being able to connect with our ambassadors around the world.
What advice do you have for someone who is thinking of giving back through volunteering, but isn't sure how?
Reach out to someone in the area you want to volunteer in, or someone who is a serial volunteer! I’ve come about most of my volunteering through conversations with my network. Learning from them, or asking them for advice on others ways I can be contributing or helping others.