National Volunteer Week 2023 – #TheChangeMakers
Last week, we celebrated National Volunteer Week with our wonderful team of volunteers.
We are so grateful for our dedicated and generous volunteer team, and the impact they create both collectively and as individuals.
Our volunteers support a range of Weave’s programs – they mentor students accessing our Tutoring Program, supervise learner drivers as part of the Driving Change Program, make sure our rooftop garden is always well watered and cared for, transport kids to Sunday morning Nippers, help us to deliver community events, share their skills, and so much more.
Last year, 230 incredible individuals volunteered almost 3,500 hours to support the work we do at Weave – amounting to a financial equivalent of nearly $150,000!
We were delighted to host a Volunteer Week Celebration to thank our volunteers and celebrate their impact. At this event, one of our incredible volunteers shared a few words about his experience with Weave. Nick has volunteered for both our Tutoring Program and Driving Programs. He has also used his IT skills to help our team with some behind-the-scenes admin.
Nick is the perfect example of how a little generosity can go a long way – read his reflections below to find out what volunteering with Weave means to him.
Find out more about volunteering with Weave here.
"The smallest of actions can yield the most profound of impacts."
“My name is Nick, I’ve been volunteering for Weave for close to a year now in our tutoring and driving change programs, and recently helping with some tech challenges. I want to talk about something that has been on my mind recently – the power of small changes. Before I started with Weave, I found myself regularly complaining about the injustice of the world, expecting some big change to happen overnight. Saying things like “Why aren’t people doing anything?” Then I realised something that, as a software engineer, I regularly have to remind myself, I am people! Often, we get caught up in the grand narratives of life, the giant leaps forward, the game-changing moments. But if my experiences over the last year have taught me anything, it is this – the smallest of actions can yield the most profound of impacts.
When we are tutoring, on the surface, an hour or two a week, a couple of maths problems, a few reading assignments, may seem minor to us. But in the grand scheme of things, these moments matter. These are the moments when a child, who may not have had anyone believe in their potential before, feels seen, feels heard, feels valued. These are the moments when a child realizes that their circumstances do not define them, that they can dream bigger, aim higher.
Similarly, teaching people to drive. It may seem like a simple skill – after all, millions of people around the world drive every day. But as our instructors know, the truth is, to someone who has never sat behind the wheel (and to their instructor), it’s a terrifying prospect. And yet, with each lesson, with each small success, with each fear overcome, you can see the change. Confidence blossoms, independence is fostered, and new opportunities are unlocked.
Each one of these actions, in isolation, may seem small. But, when you zoom out and look at the larger picture, the impact is enormous. These small changes have a ripple effect, extending far beyond what we can see. A child tutored becomes a child who believes in themselves, who goes on to excel at school, and maybe even become the first in their family to attend university. A young adult who learns to drive gains not just a license, but a passport to new opportunities.
So, as we move forward, I encourage you to remember this. Do not underestimate the power of small changes. Do not dismiss the value of the seemingly insignificant. Every tutoring session, every driving lesson – it all matters. It’s all part of a greater whole, a collective effort to create a better world, one small action at a time.
We don’t need to move mountains to make a difference. We just need to have the courage to take that first step, to make that small change. And as we do, we will find that it is these small changes, these seemingly minute actions, that have the power to transform lives, communities, and the world. So please give yourselves a massive round of applause.”
– Nick, Weave Volunteer
