Hannah has been volunteering in the Fundraising team at Mercy Community (MC) Head Office for a short amount of time, however had a pivotal role in our recent event, Family Roast. Family Roast was our inaugural International Day of Families event, where we invited people from different parts of the community to come together for a meal and to talk about how we can come together to support vulnerable families in our community.
Hannah is studying Event Management as part of her university degree, a dual Bachelor in International Hotel and Tourism Management and Arts, and has taken a special interest in Fundraising. Hannah had been planning to move into managing sports events or wedding planning, but after doing some work in the Fundraising space, she has decided she will be aiming to work in that space.
Hannah is enjoying her work at a not-for-profit organisation, saying that having a purpose behind her work at MC has been fulfilling. Working in the Fundraising team means Hannah’s work directly improves the lives of the people supported by MC. She enjoys knowing that her day-to-day work has a special purpose.
At MC, we receive a lot of support from all of our volunteers, but we also ensure the volunteers are getting as much as they can out of the experience. Hannah finds the hands-on experience she is getting at MC to be valuable, as it is a different experience to what she is learning at university. She also enjoys being part of a team and getting experience working in an office.
Hannah’s manager at MC can testify to the value she brings to the Fundraising team, saying that “Hannah had an integral role with the planning and preparation of our Mercy Community Family Roast. Her assistance was vital to the organisation, implementation and success of the event.”
Hannah’s usual day at MC starts with her making a cup of tea (one of the most important parts of her day!). She then supports the Fundraising team by making phone calls and sending out emails for upcoming events. She will then help out with odd jobs for the team, and will sometimes assist with EDMs and other marketing collateral.
One of the highlights of her last month at MC was going out to visit the Romero Multicultural Hub, a centre that offers support to refugees and people seeking asylum. Hannah found this visit opened her eyes to the issues people seeking asylum are facing, and the supports Romero offers to them.
Hannah recommends volunteering to everyone, saying she gets a lot of value out of her role here at MC. She believes that, in order to get the most out of volunteering, your heart has to be in it, and you should be ready to give as well as gain.
Mercy Community is celebrating National Volunteer Week by highlighting the wonderful work of just some of our many volunteers.
Thank you, Hannah, for choosing to volunteer with us, and for helping to make a world of difference in our Mercy Community.
