Feeling a bit green? Volunteer and do your bit for the environment Working towards a healthy and sustainable environment is not a task just for the younger generation. A growing number of retirees are keeping active and healthy while doing there bit for the environment. Not content to sit around letting time worsen the issue, retirees are using their skills and abilities to give back to the community and the world by volunteering with a wide range of practical environmental projects. Their actions have a two-fold effect.
Feeling a bit green? Volunteer and do your bit for the environment
Working towards a healthy and sustainable environment is not a task just for the younger generation. A growing number of retirees are keeping active and healthy while doing there bit for the environment.
Not content to sit around letting time worsen the issue, retirees are using their skills and abilities to give back to the community and the world by volunteering with a wide range of practical environmental projects.
Their actions have a two-fold effect. As well as helping improve the health of the earth, they are positively improving their own lives. Personal satisfaction, social contact, and gaining a sense of purpose in their lives are benefits which help to reduce or eliminate depression and increase self-esteem and energy levels.
While finding time to volunteer with an environmental organisation is not always the problem, deciding where and how to offer your services can be a challenge.
There are many organisations, tackling many different issues, and they are scattered throughout Australia. One of the best ways to make a decision is to get on line, or to contact Volunteering Australia.
Volunteering Australia is a national peak body that works to increase the rate of volunteering throughout the nation. It represents a diverse range of views and needs, while also promoting the value of volunteers and the positive value they add socially, culturally and economically.
On its website, Volunteering Australia has gathered information from the 2006 ABS Voluntary Work Australia survey and the figures are interesting. Of the adult population, 34 per cent of adults volunteer, with the highest participation level being those aged between 35 and 44 years. Baby boomers are doing their bit.
Statistics show that seniors spent more time doing voluntary work than younger adults, with those aged between 65 and 84 years volunteering for an average of two hours each week. The next median hours, of one and a half hours per week, was for those aged between 55 and 64. In total, Australians volunteered 713 hours annually. Imagine how much is being achieved.
Now, when it comes to environmental projects, there are many organisations to choose from.
Conservation Volunteers claims to be Australia’s leading practical conservation organisation and since it was formed in 1982 has attracted a force of volunteers to undertake more than 2000 projects across Australia each year.
The group works in partnership with federal and state governments and attracts many of Australia’s leading businesses to assist with projects and priorities. Already, more than 10000 people volunteer with the organisation annually and they have achieved some incredible conservations results, including planting more than one million trees each year.
As well as offering to assist with local projects in regions throughout Australia, you can use your volunteering efforts to travel and experience regions throughout the country. Conservations Volunteers also offers a program called Conservation Experience Australia. Not only do participants get to contribute to the health of Australia’s environment, but they also travel to places they’ve never envisaged and have the opportunity to meet a broad range of like-minded people.
The type of projects available extend from tree planting and seed collection to construction and maintenance of walking tracks, endangered flora and fauna surveys, habitat restoration and heritage protection. Participants go as part of a team of six to 10 volunteers and all meals, accommodation and travel to and from the project is provided.
In New South Wales, volunteers can obtain information on projects from The Centre for Volunteering. The group connects people and organisations and offers referral training, resource development information and education services to help people get involved in the community. Similar organisations exist in every State.
The Australian Government encourages people to volunteer with environmental groups and hosts a website on Natural Resource Management (NRM). It also links people to a number of local, regional, state and national projects. The website can connect volunteers with a range of organisations. One of them, the Earthwatch Institute, is a worldwide organisation that enables people to engage in scientific field research and has national and international projects
Another link leads to Greening Australia, which is focussed on the health, diversity and productivity of landscapes through the restoration and management of Australia’s vegetation. Volunteers can get their hands dirty at local tree planting events, work in a nursery or even help out with administrative duties.
Also endorsed by the NRM organisation is Landcare Australia. It has more than 4000 volunteer community landcare groups operating in rural and urban areas throughout Australia and works on local environmental issues such as conservation and rehabilitation of river systems, coastal areas and urban remnant native vegetation areas.
The United Nations has a community-based coral reef monitoring program which operates in more than 80 countries and includes Reef Check Australia. Reef Check Australia volunteers regularly monitor and report on reef health around Australia and the Indo-Pacific and all information is used to design and implement ecologically sound and economically sustainable coral reef management.
Other NRM projects include the Threatened Bird Network, World Wildlife Foundation Australia, the Threatened Species Network, and Waterwatch. You can access information on these projects as individual organisations or by simply logging on to the Natural Resource Management site.
For more information visit these sites:
Conservation Volunteers;
conservationvolunteers.com.au
Volunteering Australia;
volunteeringaustralia.org
The Centre for Volunteering;
volunteering.com.au
Natural Resource Management;
nrm.gov.au
Care in a time of crisis
By Claudia Baxter
The state of Queensland, much like the other Australian states and territories, is experiencing a dramatic shortage in carers for the disabled, young and the vulnerable. Problems are highlighted by carers moving out of their careers because of obvious job dissatisfaction. With state-wide shortages, now is the time to come to the assistance of those who need your help the most.
Caring for someone else during retirement can be a choice, not something that is imposed upon you. If you live a healthy and active lifestyle and are financially secure, looking after others is viable and gratifying. You will also be helping to ease the strain on the already fragile government care system. It is such an important part of society, we cannot afford for it to break down completely.
Depending upon your age and existing family commitments, foster care can perhaps be the most rewarding carer path to follow. You have the opportunity to show a child who can no longer live with their own parents invaluable love and security. The Department of Child Safety highlights other virtues of taking a child (or children) into your home: Helping children and young people to reach their full potential, using your skills and life experiences for the benefit of others and enhancing your own parenting skills and knowledge. [1]
Challenges obviously exist and there will be moments when you doubt your abilities but, as with all experiences in life, the good always outweighs the bad.
“When we realised there was a need for fostering, the idea appealed to our hearts. As a family we saw a chance to help the world and to provide opportunities to young children who may not otherwise receive them.
While not perfect parents, we thought we’d give it a go. As caregivers we have experienced a lot of joy and satisfaction in being able to provide a good home and stable environment for children.
“Our own children have had to adjust to the changes within the family unit, which at times has brought out both the best and worst in them. Overall, however, it has been a rewarding and loving experience for our children as well as for the foster children.
“It is an unpredictable vocation and you sometimes think you just can’t do enough to help, but there is a team of people (both from the Department of Child Safety and other carers) behind the scenes providing support.” A Foster Care couple. [2]
There is also a very much needed avenue opening up in respite care. This may be a more attractive option for a more mature couple or an individual, or those with part time work commitments. Respite is care for the carers. It may be in the form of lending your ear to a carer over a cup of tea, or looking after the individual in care while the carer has some time off. Times are usually flexible; weekends tend to be popular of course.
“I have been a foster carer for almost a year. In that time I have been privileged to meet some wonderful children. I provide respite and emergency care for children who are in long-term care and I work with their foster family, their family, service providers and Child Safety staff in a partnership of caring. I believe in the saying that it takes a community to raise a child and I am happy to contribute in any way that I can. At the moment, that takes the form of weekends whenever possible and emergency care whenever needed.
The arrangement is flexible and I do what I can when I can. As a full-time worker and part-time student, respite and emergency foster care enables me to have some work-life balance and contribute to the community in a practical and nurturing way.” A Respite Carer. [3]
To become involved, or even just to find out a bit more before making a commitment, visit your state or territory child safety website, or contact Carers Australia (details below) for guidance on what is expected of carers be they full time, part time or voluntary. Caring is a big commitment and the process of becoming involved can be a little invasive and drawn out. To guard the continuing safety of the children carers need to hold a blue card and will have to undergo various safety tests and approvals. This little inconvenience will no doubt be forgotten as soon as you begin giving your time to others.
Contacts:
Carers Australia
www.carersaustralia.com.au
0800 242 636 The Government Department for Health and Aging
www.health.gov.au
(Please be aware the website is currently undergoing changes to reflect the new government’s policies)
www.childsafety.qlg.gov.au
Article provided by The Retiree Magazine