Published on Wednesday, 21 May 2025 at 8:37:23 AM
This week is National Volunteer Week, Australia’s largest annual celebration of volunteering. This year’s theme celebrates the power of bringing people together – Connecting Communities.
More than six million people in Australia volunteer through organisations right across the country, with millions more volunteering informally in their local communities. Volunteers are an essential workforce, doing a whole variety of things including community welfare and wellbeing, sports and the arts, crisis preparedness, response, and recovery, and environmental sustainability and protection.
Did you know that an estimated 10% or more staff at the Town of Port Hedland volunteer in the Hedland community? There are many more volunteers helping out within our community as well.
Town employees Sandhi, Harry, Praveena and Tracey all leapt into action during the recent cyclone to provide emergency response support. All four Town staff volunteer for the State Department of Fire and Emergency Services in various capacities, including the State Emergency Service, Fire and Rescue Service, and Marine Rescue WA.
Tracey has been a volunteer for about a year, and originally joined to learn new skills, and meet new people. “We all want to help out. I’ve found many of the people I volunteer with come from a range of different jobs and all walks of life, but we’re there with the same outlook – we want to support the community.”
Volunteering is vital to the nation’s wellbeing but faces ongoing challenges. In a unique community like Hedland, with a transient population and many people working shifts and long hours, it’s not always easy to find the time to volunteer. Voluntary contribution to the community has a huge impact on fostering community connection and belonging, and especially important in our community, liveability.
Community wellbeing is what drive’s Janine, a Town employee, to volunteer her time at Hedland Well Women’s Centre, where she is a board member. The Centre aims to enhance women’s lives positively through a range of preventative health and wellbeing programmes.
“I’m passionate about helping ensure the Hedland community can provide a wide range of health and wellbeing services for not only woman, but also their families. The Well Women’s Centre is a great place for me to volunteer my time, because I feel like I’m contributing to making Hedland a better place to live,” says Janine.
Town employee Shawn volunteers his time during the turtle breeding season, supporting Care for Hedland with monitoring, tracking, and educating the public about the flatback turtles that come ashore during November to March each year.
“I have always been fascinated by turtles, even before I came to Hedland. It’s been a real privilege to volunteer my time to help Care for Hedland during the breeding season. We’re lucky to have such a fantastic natural attraction right on the beach, and it’s great to help protect and nurture the turtles when they come ashore,” says Shawn.
We are proud to have so many staff who willingly give their time volunteering and recognise the many other volunteers helping out in the community too.
The ongoing success of the Hedland community is underpinned by the contribution of volunteers. Thank you for making our community better.
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