On Saturday 8 February I attended a farewell function at Group61 to acknowledge the significant contribution of two longstanding volunteers, John and Margaret Fox.
The idea of Group61 was born when John, at the time the local Neighbourhood Watch coordinator, saw a need to look after people with mental illness in the local community. Over the following 13 years, and largely thanks to John and Margaret’s tireless efforts and vision, Group61 grew into the registered charity and significant community organisation it is today.
Group61’s vision is to enable fullness of life through friendship with people affected by mental health issues. To me, this statement highlights why it’s so important to offer a kind work, a helping hand and a listening ear.
I’m always impressed by the volunteers who give so much of themselves to organisations such as Group61.
In fact, a recent report by Volunteering Australia highlighted that our nation has a culture of giving. Australia ranks in the top three giving nations in the World Giving Index 2011 measured by someone donating money, volunteering time or helping someone he/she didn’t know.
To make organisations such as Group61 as effective as possible, we need to remove any unnecessary barriers. I’ll shortly be meeting with Volunteering Queensland to start a conversation about how we can foster more volunteer effort to support people living with mental health issues or substance misuse to live better, more included and more fulfilling lives.
