16 March 2017

Volunteer Spotlight – Andrew 

I’m 46 and have been living in Brisbane for 12 years after emigrating from the UK and with my lovely wife Jenny. We’re raising two great kids who are now 14 and 12.

Ten years ago our son was diagnosed with Autism and with that, like so many other families in our position, the course of our lives took a dramatic change as we were forced to re-evaluate many of our preconceptions of parenthood.

It really was a journey into the unknown and we have been extremely fortunate to have access to some wonderful programs run by some amazing people whose dedication and compassion have been truly inspiring.

Looking back, we have come so far, but we still have a long way to go to provide a framework to allow our son to achieve a level of independence and purpose in his life. After all, isn’t that part of what every parent wants for their child?

On our journey we have met countless people who have given their time freely for our benefit.  They weren’t experts in our son’s condition, they were like you and me, ordinary people who just wanted to give their time to a cause that meant something to them.

Having been on the receiving end of so much generosity of spirit got me thinking that it was time to balance up the scorecard a bit and give something back. Giving is receiving as they say and everyone seemed to be having a good time in the process.

I chose to support Youngcare because their cause is close to my heart. Young people with high care needs whether mental of physical are in need of assistance to achieve a level of independence and fulfilment that most people would take for granted. Unfortunately, that level of support is not readily available and Youngcare are doing some great work in this area.

[pull-out title=”Join our volunteer family” content=”Without volunteers, Youngcare could not continue our work to help young Aussies in desperate need.” marginTop=”0″]Click HERE to join![/pull-out]

Wanting to get involved, I contacted Youngcare and they couldn’t have been nicer.

The volunteer co-ordinators are well organised and friendly. I have been kept well informed of all the events and although I didn’t end up helping out nearly as often as I would have liked, Youngcare haven’t been demanding in any way.

Just recently, we all had a great time at the Story Bridge Cockroach races raising funds and awareness for Youngcare. The public were really receptive to the Youngcare cause, giving generously. It was nice that Anthony the CEO was there and came around and chatted and thanked us for being part of it all.

I’d urge anyone thinking about getting involved to put your hand up, get your red t-shirt on and join the vollie team at Youngcare. It’s rewarding and fun!