It’s a long-time problem which has plagued charities for as long as their doors have been open – attracting enough volunteers to their ranks.
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And, during this year’s National Volunteers Week Forster Lifeline shop is sending out a call to arms.
We are in need of truck drivers and truck driver assistants to help with collection and delivery of donations, Lifeline Mid Coast Forster store manager, Peita Dent said.
We also are in need of warehouse assistants to move things around the warehouse, help with general maintenance in warehouse and or the store, repair or clean furniture, restore old furniture, and test or repair electrical appliances and computers, Peita said.
She said the role would ideally suit someone who liked meeting people and had skills to share.
“We can never have enough male volunteers.
“We have 80 volunteers, but there is always room for more.”
The Forster Lifeline Shop plays an important and vital role in the community, raising much needed funds for suicide prevention.
The Lifeline suicide prevention hotline relies on community support, and all monies raised in the Mid Coast area remains local.
It costs the charity about $5000 to train a hotline counsellor, and approximately $23 per phone call to assist clients, Peita said.
“If we don’t have the driver, we don’t get the stock and we don’t have the stock to make money.”
Seventy-four-year-old Harvey Haworth is one of the outlet’s five permanent, part-time drivers.
“I like to give back a little to the community and being with people” Harvey said.
With expertise in management, Harvey also has happily passed on his staff training skills.
Harvey has been a volunteer with the Forster shop for the past five years.
“Anything that prevents suicide has got to be a good thing.”
While the bones are still working, I’ll not stop with my work, Harvey said of his intention to continue volunteering.