Caption : Allinta at work
Photographer : Deadly Vibe |
Perhaps you’ve just finished studying and you’re looking for that extra edge to add to your CV? Or maybe you’re between jobs and want to boost your skills and experience? The ideal way to achieve this is to be a volunteer!
Indigenous Community Volunteers (ICV) is an independent, not-for-profit company that offers support to Indigenous communities and organisations to pursue their community development goals in their own way. They do this by providing skilled volunteers to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations. These volunteers go to Indigenous communities to transfer their skills, and when they leave, those skills and knowledge are passed on and remain with that community.
Allinta Rose (22) recently volunteered her services after finishing her honours degree in Leisure Management.
"I finished uni, but I didn’t feel ready to go straight into full-time work," she says. "I heard about ICV, and I thought it sounded like a beneficial way to gain more hands-on skills in business management."
Allinta was first sent on cross-cultural awareness training before being selected for a three-week volunteer stint at the Melbourne Aboriginal Youth Sport and Recreation (MAYSAR) organisation. MAYSAR is an urban-based, community-controlled Aboriginal organisation that provides the Indigenous community with a youth centre and activities and programs that help keep the young people of the community away from drugs and alcohol.
Allinta’s job was to train staff in the development and implementation of sport and recreation programs, so that the organisation would be able to run efficient programs and services for the young people of the community.
"Basically I helped management to organise their sport and rec programs, and to arrange a schedule of activities," Allinta explains. "I also showed them how to write grant applications."
"I really feel like I made a difference, but it’s a two-way street. We both got something out of it—they learnt new skills and I gained valuable experience."
Allinta has since found a full-time job with First Australians Business (FAB), a not-for profit business that helps Indigenous people who are starting their own business.
"My volunteer experience definitely helped me to get the job," Allinta says. "I’ll definitely do it again in the future."
Volunteering equals valuable work experience and skills, which can increase your work opportunities.
ICV now has six offices across the country, in Canberra, Perth, Alice Springs, Brisbane, Dubbo and Port Augusta. They all have a large amount of requests for projects coming in from Indigenous communities. They are looking for volunteers, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, with a wide variety of skills to help cater to this demand.
For more information and to check out current volunteering opportunities, head to
http://www.icv.com.auStory courtesy of Deadly Vibe
