Volunteers across the Latrobe Valley are ensuring the health of the region’s most vulnerable people is being not jeopardised, according to Latrobe Community Health Service volunteer coordinator Michelle Beckingham.
The organisation which has about 130 active volunteers – many of whom were recognised on Tuesday during National Volunteer Week – contributed more than 24,000 hours of volunteer service across the region last year.
Ms Beckingham said the organisation’s volunteers played a vital role in ensuring the health and wellbeing of people in the community, their social interaction to strengthen their mental health and their overall lifestyle choices.
“I’ve actually had numerous clients tell me prior to receiving the volunteer’s services that they would either go without their medication or they wouldn’t attend appointments which could have a detrimental impact on their health,” Ms Beckingham said.
“I believe it takes a certain type of person to volunteer – it’s a selfless action where you’re providing a service to benefit another person. Volunteers are generous, compassionate towards other people, great listeners and vital in all communities.”
The organisation honoured its volunteers on Tuesday with a celebration at the Yallourn Bowls Club to recognise its hard-working local army.
Allan Green was named volunteer of the year for his service in the planned activity groups and transportation of clients.
“Allan has provided over 1000 hours of service to LCHS over the last 12 months,” Ms Beckingham said.
“He’s loved by the LCHS staff, volunteers and clients for being a gentleman, a great listener and always putting 100 per cent into everything he does.”
Ms Beckingham said volunteers served an important purpose across the organisation providing a number of key roles to local clients.
Roles including transporting clients to various health-related appointments and procedures, group-based activities working with both elderly and mental health clients and palliative care, youth and companionship volunteers.
“They’re absolutely vital because there are people in the community that would go without if they didn’t have a volunteer,” Ms Beckingham said.
“It’s also the mental health side of things as well because having a volunteer there may give them that motivation to look after their health.”
In the past two and a half years the organisation has gained more than 50 volunteers who work throughout the community filling a number of the roles.
