Last week I had the opportunity to attend the Zonta Club’s International Women’s Day breakfast with our Head Girls, Allysah and Nylah.
Zonta is a global organisation of people creating positive change in women’s lives all over the world through service and advocacy.
During the event, seven very worthy applicants for the Young Women in Public Affairs Award were recognised for contributing to their community and others, including those overseas, through volunteering and other acts of service.
Volunteering is spending time willingly to help someone else without being paid. It can be formal or informal. Informal volunteering includes helping friends and family with things like babysitting, home repairs or caring. Formal volunteering usually takes place through a charity or other not-for-profit or community organisation.
At this week’s assembly, I spoke to the girls about the benefits of volunteering. The purpose of volunteering is obviously to help others but there are also benefits for the person volunteering. Health Direct, a government-funded service which provides online health advice states that volunteering can:
give you a sense of achievement and purpose
help you feel part of a community
help you feel better about yourself by improving your self-esteem and confidence
help you share your talents, learn new skills and create a better work-life balance
help combat stress, loneliness, social isolation and depression
help you meet new people, which can help you feel more connected and valued
It can also strengthen ties between you and your community and provides access to people with similar interests. Volunteering also gives individuals the opportunity to practise and develop their social skills.
On Tuesday, we had our first student council meeting for the year and I spoke to our senior student council about the importance of developing meaningful initiatives that contribute to the school and our programs.
Each year Zonta International asks for nominations from young women aged between 16 and 19 years of age for the Young Women in Public Affairs Award. I would like to encourage our student council representatives and any other interested students to consider volunteering activities to include in student council discussions. It would be wonderful to see our Girls Grammar girls nominated for such a meaningful award.
Nadine Kelly
Acting Deputy Principal - Students
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