Spotlight on: Volunteering

15 November 2021

This article first appeared in Queenwood News Weekly Friday 12 November 2021.

The essence of life is to serve others and do good. Aristotle

Does the idea of volunteering make you want to run away? OK, keep reading then… With most of us leading super busy lives, giving your time and energy to a cause without financial reward may seem an impossible and meaningless task. However, volunteering is important for many reasons and doesn't have to take up too much time. In reality, the benefits of volunteering are often greater for the volunteer than the community, individual or organisation receiving assistance. There is good evidence that volunteering can reduce stress and provide a sense of purpose. Here are 7 reasons why you should consider volunteering:

  1. Volunteering connects you with others
  2. Volunteering builds self-confidence and self-esteem
  3. Volunteering is important for physical health...
  4. ...and mental health
  5. Volunteering is important for a sense of purpose
  6. Volunteering offers perspective and helps you forget your own problems
  7. Volunteering is important for your career

If I was told only 18 months ago that I would volunteer as QPA President, I would have laughed at you. My contribution toward being a good school parent consisted of attending the occasional cocktail party, grabbing coffee with other parents and dropping my daughter at Saturday sport (mostly-on time). But COVID-19 changed everything. It grounded me. Literally. I used to fly weekly either interstate or overseas for work, so with all this extra time on my hands, I thought why not start volunteering in the local community? A year on, I have no regrets and can absolutely relate to the 7 reasons listed above. I think I am a better person for it.

If you too would like to reap the benefits of volunteering, you may like to consider some of the opportunities available with the QPA in 2022.

  1. You could be a QPA Year Rep, relaying information to the parents within your daughter’s year group. As restrictions ease, we are all starving for social interaction, but also wish to remain safe in our community; the role of year reps is pivotal in communicating and coordinating class day-to-day activities and ad-hoc gatherings.
  2. You could join the Queenwood Parent Association (QPA). The purpose of the QPA is to create a strong and supportive parent community that will both enhance our daughters’ learning experience and strengthen the bonds of community within the parent body.
  3. You could be a CSR inclusion and diversity coordinator, an exciting role to be the guardian of inclusion and diversity in all friends, funds and community initiatives.
  4. Or you may want to be a general member who assists with QPA events and QPA business as needed.

The committee meet twice every term, priding itself in creating a strong sense of community and aiming to be a force for good. If you’d like to be involved, please reach out to:

Mel (Junior School): jnrschoolrep@gmail.com
Marion (Senior School): marionjwheeler@gmail.com
Ingrid (Chair) presidentqpa@gmail.com 
Wendy (Secretary) wendy.rosling@gmail.com

We would love to hear from you!