It’s National Volunteer Week and here at DSV we are so grateful to have some of the most wonderful volunteers to help support our programs.
Here is an interview between Matt O’Neil, the Chair of Down Syndrome Victoria’s Advisory Network and the FitSkills Ambassador, and Matt’s FitSkills Partner, volunteer David Van Dieren. You can read the interview below.
If you have been thinking about volunteering with DSV, join us at one of our monthly volunteer info sessions: https://tinyurl.com/5vadzv4u
Matt: Welcome David and thanks for joining me today to talk about your role as a FitSkills volunteer.
David: Thanks for having me, Matt.
Matt: No problem. Can you tell me what made you become a volunteer?
David: Well, I saw FitSkills advertised on the Volunteers Australia website and it jumped out at me as being a really important program for a couple of reasons. One, that fitness and exercise are really important for everyone, for our physical health and mental health. But I also think that having access and opportunities to fitness is really important, so the FitSkills program stood out as something that would support that and I was right, I think that’s exactly what FitSkills does and it’s a lot of fun and I’m glad I got involved, and I met you very early in the process when I first heard about FitSkills, that was when I met you and you were a big reason why I thought this would be a great thing to do.
Matt: What brings you the greatest joy from this role?
David: I think it’s the social aspect of the role. FitSkills is a great bunch of people and we all work really hard together to fitness goals and exercise goals but then we get the opportunity to wind down and have a great time together and become friends so that’s really important to me. But I will say Matt, the greatest joy is being able to form a friendship with you. I really enjoy being your partner, we have a lot of fun and it’s the highlight of my week and it’s a real joy to be involved.
Matt: Sweet, good answer. What advice can you offer others who may be interested in becoming a volunteer?
David: I would say get involved and make volunteering part of your life, if it’s something you do every week or every month, because it’s a very rewarding thing to do and find something that interests you or challenges you so that you feel that connection with that volunteering program and then you can make it firmly part of your life.
Matt: What do you enjoy most about being involved with DSV?
David: That would be that it doesn’t feel like volunteering to me. It’s the highlight of my week, it really is. It’s something I get a lot out of and I hope that everybody else involved in the program gets a lot out of it too.
Matt: Can you share with us some reflections on the theme for National Volunteer Week – ‘Something is for everyone’?
David: ‘Something for Everyone’, for volunteers means that there are loads of opportunities out there, be it with DSV or other organisations, so no matter what your interests are, or your skillset is, there is something out there for everybody to get involved in volunteering.
Matt: Thanks so much for your time today David, and thank you for being my FitSkills Partner and volunteering with Down Syndrome Victoria.
David: Thank you, Matt. It’s a real pleasure and its fantastic to be your partner.