To celebrate National Volunteer Week 2021 we’re sharing six stories from some of the incredible people who volunteer in the City of Yarra.

Erin’s Story

Erin is a university student, studying Masters of Environment. She jumped at the chance to learn more in her chosen field by taking on the volunteer role as Coordinator of gardening and composting programs at Burnley Backyard.

Erin was living close to the Burnley Backyard, part of the Richmond Community Learning Centre, and wanted to connect with her neighbourhood as well as learning more about growing her own food. 

What made you want to volunteer?

“It was good timing. I’d recently returned from volunteering at a city farm in London whilst on exchange and being a uni student with Microsoft Office skills and having some spare time up my sleeve I was asked to take on the coordinator position.” 

She claims it was daunting at first and sometimes continues to be a learning curve, but she is so glad she said yes.

What do you love about volunteering at Burnley Backyard?

“My volunteer experience at Burnley Backyard has given me invaluable skills in organising and managing community projects, working with a variety of people as well as learning to be resourceful and creative in handling issues."

"Volunteering here has boosted my self confidence and is beneficial to my studies and future employability in this field.”

What skills have you gained?

Some of the tasks Erin does in her volunteer role include: organising working bees, doing weekly garden maintenance, planning tasks and sourcing materials for the garden and running inductions for the composting program. 

Erin also maintains contact and communication with Burnley Community Garden members through emails and social media. She is grateful to get lots of support and guidance from her supervisor.  

Any advice for people looking to volunteer?

“Don’t be afraid to take on a role that might seem a bit out of your comfort zone! Good intentions and asking questions of those already involved will get you going.” ‘

Erin strongly believes in aligning your volunteer work with a cause that you relate to. 

“This makes dealing with challenges easier and encourages your creativity within your contribution.”

“I always leave our fortnightly working bees feeling warm and fuzzy after catching up with everyone and having a laugh, trying new ideas, swapping advice, and taking home produce that we’ve grown ourselves is very satisfying.”