Helping hand for our Gippsland volunteers

[Music]

Vision – Shots of Drouin Soccer oval and facilities

Kathryn Cooper – Secretary – Drouin Dragons Soccer Club

I've been volunteering with Drouin Dragons since 2015, the registration officer was about to leave and asked if I'd help her and eventually take over. So I did that role for a year and then a year later was asked to be Secretary as well. So I just kept picking up roles.

Vision – Shots of Kathryn working as volunteer

Vision – Shots of squash player on court

Yadvendra ‘YD’ Singh – Volunteer – Baw Baw Squash Club

Volunteering is in a way giving back to the community. Time is something that I have which I can give back, so if I can't give back to the community in other ways, my time is what I like to give.

Kathryn Cooper

Volunteers become friends. So some families they know each other because their children are at school, some are new to the area, them participating be it lines on the day or in the canteen, they've started to make friends and because the overarching value of the club is family oriented, people are feeling very welcomed and want to participate.

Vision – Kids playing soccer

We had a child safety program that needed to be delivered to all our coaches to make sure all our coaches were informed about the legislation. The training has helped the club in that our volunteers, for example our coaches, were made aware of things that they really hadn't thought of.

Vision – Kids being instructed by coach

The Vic Government training delivered that for us. it just took one of the jobs at the beginning of the season off my hands because it's quite busy with registrations, which is one of my many roles

Vision – Jobs being done by Kathryn in the club house

Yadvendra Singh

I raised the question, why we don't have a juniors program. So I said 'okay I'll put my hand up and I'll see what I can do'

Vision – Yadvendra playing squash

And out of the blue then I find out about Gippsport, we find out okay, there is a body that can help launch this initiative. I didn't know where to go, what to do and what support was available from the government and that's where the government program comes in. I wouldn't know who to go to in Squash Australia to talk to, I didn't know whom to talk to In the Council, all I needed to do was ask and I got that help.

Vision – Kids playing soccer

Vision – Closeup of Kathryn working

Kathryn Cooper

I 100% know that I'm a valued person within the club and within the community being party to the growth that has occurred, we've grown amazingly over the 10 years.

Vision – Yadvendra playing squash

Yavendra Singh

For the more people that get on board, the more awareness gets created, if everyone finds out what good work Gippsport is doing in promoting sports at a grassroots level, especially in regional areas where facilities are far and few. Without a doubt I will encourage other volunteers to get involved and spread the awareness.

Vision – drone shot of Drouin Dragons oval and wider Drouin

[Gippsport logo and Baw Baw Squash club logo – To find out more information about the Sustainable Workforce Volunteer Program visit www.sport.vic.gov.au]

[Victoria State Government – Authorised by Victorian Government, Melbourne]