Dandenong-based support service Wellsprings for Women’s groundbreaking volunteering project for migrant and refugee women has been crowned with a statewide award.
The service was recognised with the Inclusive Volunteering award at the State’s 2023 Volunteering Awards at Government House on 27 February.
Wellsprings general manager Robyn Erwin said its award-winning project aimed to increase the numbers of women from refugee and migrant backgrounds “gaining the benefits of volunteering”.
“Many women arrive in Australia with strong workplace and resilience skills but face many barriers to finding ways to apply these skills and meet their goals to contribute to society.”
Wellsprings’s team included 10 women who had settled in Australia and had volunteering experience themselves.
One of the key staff behind the program was Amina Rezayiee, who came to Wellsprings to learn English several years ago and returned as a volunteer.
Wellsprings itself has about 50 volunteers who support its programs each week. More than 80 per cent are born overseas – “a win-win situation”, says Erwin.
“Wellsprings gains by having volunteers able to assist with communication with participants, understand cultural needs and provide inspiration to participants of what they can achieve.
“The volunteers, many of whom also attend classes at Wellsprings, gain local experience and continue to gain confidence and new skills.”
Wellsprings currently has five other staff who also began at the organisation as volunteers.
The co-design team for the Pathways to Volunteering project included: Fahima Safi, Yaneth Orellana, Milagros Lopez, Araig Mohamed, Qamaria Habibullah, Patricia Martin, Tamara Penaloza, Mahjabeem Azim, Fakhria Balkhy and Irosha Gamage.
They shared their challenges, successes, insights and experiences to help co-design and pilot a seven-session program.
It aimed to increase understanding of the range of volunteering roles available, how to value your existing diverse skills and how they can be used in volunteering.
Participants learnt how volunteering can help them reach “life goals” such as re-discovering self-respect, finding a job, further study or social connection.
Wellsprings also delivered a workshop for volunteer organisations to understand the many benefits brought by women from diverse backgrounds and how to reduce barriers to participation.
“This can be as simple as having application options that don’t require computer skills,” Erwin said.
The service also developed resources for other groups such as videos in several languages to promote the benefits of volunteering.
These are found on YouTube under the subject Pathways to Volunteering for Migrant & Refugee Women.
The resources are found on the Wellsprings website Resources Hub wellspringsforwomen.com/pathways-to-volunteering-resources or from robyn@wellspringsforwomen.com
The program received an Emerging Stronger grant from the State Government.
