We love our Big Hearted volunteers

Mission Australia’s Big Heart Enterprises in the Illawarra has marked 21 years of volunteering with a picnic and commemorative booklet – just in time for International Volunteer Day. 

More than 100 volunteers past and present, as well as local Mission Australia employees and CEO Toby Hall, celebrated the milestone in Stuart Park, North Wollongong, on 28 November 2011. Postcard perfect weather and delicious food made the big day all the more memorable.

Big Heart was set up back in 1990 to help raise funds for a Mission Australia Youth Accommodation service in the Illawarra region. Thanks to the support of our wonderful volunteers, it has grown to include eight retail outlets that provide high-quality, low-cost clothing and furnishings to the public.

Big Heart’s base at Bellambi is also now home to a range of social enterprises that provide local jobs and reduce landfill. Among them is the Soft Landing mattress recycling operation and Featherweight, which produces padded sports equipment using old mattress filling.

In ‘Celebrating our volunteers: A snapshot into the lives of Mission Australia volunteers’ – the booklet handed out at the anniversary event – Bill Dibley, Operations Manager NSW Social Enterprise, said that volunteers have been the backbone of the operation:

“From what started 21 years ago with a shop in Crown Lane, Wollongong, to provide the kids from Garden Court Youth Accommodation a safe and stable place to do some work experience and learn new skills has grown to what we now have today,” Mr Dibley said.

“There is one very key reason for this. At every step of the way we have had the support from our incredible volunteers who have given us so much time and support to continue to build the Big Heart Retail operation and the New Social Enterprise programs.”

Big Heart now has 300 volunteers working from our Bellambi centre as well as op shops in the Illawarra and south-western Sydney.

What our volunteers have to say:
“Three years ago I started volunteering with Kim at the Wollongong Auburn Street shop and now work at the Thirroul shop. I love serving the customers and having a chat. Volunteering definitely keeps me busy and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I encourage everyone who has spare time to give volunteering a go.” – Gunnar Kahlenberg, Big Heart Thirroul Op Shop.

“I absolutely love coming to volunteer at the op shop in Bellambi… Volunteering
gets me out of the house and I have formed some great friendships from it. I have also been fortunate to secure casual work with Mission Australia as a cleaner.” – Judy Eason, Bellambi Big Heart Op Shop.

“When I first started volunteering with Mission Australia I was extremely shy and had trouble holding down a conversation. I recently started working in the op shop. This has been wonderful. It has built my confidence, I have made some great friends and it gets me doing something.” – Danielle Chilcott, Bellambi Big Heart Op Shop.

“I just love the feel of the shop, the people and knowing that I may be helping to make someone else’s life a little easier. I would thoroughly recommend it.”– Janette O’Rourke, Nowra Big Heart Op Shop.

“Becoming a better person because I enjoy volunteering and feel I am making a contribution to Mission Australia.” – Martin Need, Big Heart Warehous, when asked what he wanted to achieve from volunteering.

Did you know?
According to Volunteering Australia, in 2010, 2010 38 per cent of the adult population (6.4 million people) volunteer. The estimated number of volunteers in Australia doubled from 1995 to 2010.

Mission Australia’s 1,700-plus volunteers come from the corporate world, Christian groups and wider community. While our volunteers vary in ages, backgrounds and beliefs, the one thing they have in common is the desire to make a difference in their communities by performing a huge variety of roles.

If you’d like to join go to our Volunteering page to look for opportunities.

Find a Big Heart store here or shop online at the Big Heart eBay store.

Caption: Mission Australia CEO Toby Hall and volunteer Noel Harwood at the celebration picnic.