At Red Nose Australia, we often speak with deep appreciation for our dedicated Peer Support volunteers, those compassionate individuals who answer calls on our 24/7 Grief and Loss Support Line, every day of the year. But we also recognise that not everyone is ready to support others in this way, especially in the early days after their own loss.

That’s why Red Nose offers a range of meaningful volunteering opportunities, because giving back looks different for everyone.

One such volunteer, Julia, brought her professional skills to Red Nose, helping to train members of our leadership team in crisis preparedness.

 

Volunteering In loving memory of Georgia

Julia’s beautiful daughter, Georgia, sadly died shortly after being born at 30 weeks. Georgia had been diagnosed the day before she was born with a severe case of hydrops, which couldn’t be treated. Julia and her family were introduced to Red Nose soon after, receiving support through our Hospital to Home programme.

“I wanted to give back to an organisation that had helped me and my family so much. The Hospital to Home programme really did help me reintegrate into ‘normal life’ after losing Georgia. I wanted to help other women, but I wasn’t quite ready to provide peer support—at least not yet. Contributing to the corporate side of the organisation made a lot of sense to me.”
— Julia

 

Julia generously shared her expertise in crisis response, delivering training to Red Nose’s senior staff . Even co-opting one of her colleagues to assist. The training was tailored to Red Nose to ensure we are well prepared in the event of a major crisis.

“As the new CEO, this training was invaluable. It’s something we hope never to need, but the opportunity to practise and hone our skills was incredibly important.”
— Amy Cooper, Red Nose CEO

Volunteers like Julia remind us that there are many ways to make a difference, and that every contribution, big or small, helps us support more families when they need us most.

Julia and beautiful Georgia