VOLUNTEERING, CAMPS &

VOLUNTEERING, CAMPS & RECREATION VOLUNTEERING AND CAMPS PROGRAM Hello to all our beautiful volunteers. Winter is coming, and with the cooler weather, often comes other changes. It is important to adapt and change and where possible, go with the flow. Life is like a wave, always flowing, shifting and changing and it is important to try and ride and move with it. For me, there is a significant change imminent: I have made the difficult, (and I mean difficult), decision to leave MSWA after nine and a half years! I have loved working with this organisation and supporting you, our volunteers. I will miss you all, and I will hold all of you dear to me. I was so humbled to see so many of you, and the staff, at my farewell and let us just say it isn’t a goodbye but a ‘see you later’. I am off on a new adventure as a hiking guide and will be fortunate to explore WA a bit further, especially Karijini and the Kimberley. I am sure the next Volunteer and Camp Coordinator will do a brilliant job and bring a breath of fresh air with them. I trust you will be in good hands. The National Volunteer Luncheon in May will have been celebrated by the time you receive this Bulletin, and for those who attended, I am sure you will have enjoyed the banter, the great food, and the company. I received volunteering data back in February which stated the volunteering industry nationally is not snapping back even though restrictions are lifting. I know some organisations are struggling, as the statistics state that two out of three volunteers stopped volunteering during the height of the pandemic in 2020, which equated a total loss of an estimate 12.2 million hours per week across Australia. However, we have been so fortunate here at MSWA, as most of our volunteers came back and we have regular enquiries from people wanting to volunteer every week. We are truly blessed as an organisation. I have been on two camps since the last Bulletin. We had the carer’s retreat at Rottnest and the Client camp at Woodman Point. Both were great fun in different ways, and everyone enjoyed the venues, food, and most of all the stories and company. These camps only run so well because of both our volunteers and the staff who volunteer over and above their standard work hours. I wish to say a big thank you to Emma, Rosalind and Ashleen for getting down and dirty with us at Woodman Point. Without you the camp would not have been a great success. The new Volunteer Coordinator’s details will be circulated as soon as the appointment has been made. For any queries about camps please contact Sandra Wallace, by email sandra.wallace@mswa.org.au or call 6454 3171. Take care, farewell, and I hope to see you all again one day. DAWN BURKE COORDINATOR OF VOLUNTEERS AND CAMPS 26

DO YOU WANT A SAY IN MSWA’S FUTURE DIRECTION? MSWA is proud of the work we do to support Western Australians living with a neurological condition. Our collective efforts enable us to continue to build state-of-the-art Services Centres and high-support accommodation units across regional and metropolitan WA, contribute significant funding to neurological research in Australia and internationally year-on-year and, of course, provide ongoing services and support to you, our Clients. As a Client of MSWA, you have the right to Membership at MSWA. MSWA Membership gives you voting rights, which means you have a say in MSWA’s direction for a continued successful future. Each year at our Annual General Meeting, all paid Memberships will be able to vote on any issues raised. If you’re interested in MSWA Membership, or would like more information, you can visit mswa.org.au/membership or call 6454 3122 ANNUAL MSWA CLIENT FORUM – SAVE THE DATE A great opportunity to hear from specialists in their fields and exciting MSWA-funded researchers. Date: Wednesday, 15 September 2021 in Wembley. More news next edition! 27