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Van drivers and assistant carers helping our community
For Bruce Moffatt, volunteering with Council started as a
transition pathway between full employment and retirement.
After spending two years volunteering with council as a
community support van driver and as an assistant carer with
clients who live in Supported Residential Facilities, he doesn’t
ever want to give it up.
Bruce spent his working life in project management,
engineering and IT. This is his first volunteer role, “Personally it’s
the most rewarding work I've done in my life to be able to help
these people. Nothing compares to how rewarding the role is
and I wouldn’t give it up for anything.”
Bruce works across a number of different community support
programs run by Council. He assists the elderly to remain in
their homes rather than go into care, by helping them with their
shopping and trips out to enrich their lives. He also works with
people living with a disability.
He volunteers two days a week and sees it a central aspect
in his life, “Every week is a highlight. Every time I go out in
the van something happens that makes me think, yeah this is
really special. It gives me a real sense of accomplishment to do
something that's appreciated and valuable to the community.”
He enjoys bringing happiness to people and his volunteering
role is a great way to do this whilst also having a valuable
impact on people lives.
He also prides himself on making a good cup of coffee for
the people he assists.
“It is great to have an impact on improving their quality of life,
even through little things like making them good coffee whilst
becoming a friend in the process.”
Having just completed a course in Mental Health First Aid,
Bruce thanked the Council for their ongoing support with
volunteer training and development, “Up-skilling volunteers
is vitally important and Council does a brilliant job of training
its volunteers.”
“If anybody is wondering whether they should do voluntary
work with council the answer is an emphatic yes, both for
yourself and the people you will work with.“
Volunteer week
Celebrating our Volunteers