By Sahar Foladi
Greater Dandenong SES has welcomed three new volunteers to its ‘family’.
Keysborough resident of 19 years, Gerald McKinnon said he decided to join SES now that he’s closer to the retirement age and has more time in his hands.
“With the kids all grown up and now moved away, I had more time in my hands which is a change.
“I wanted to do something in the community but also rewarding.
“I took a look into few different organisations but SES provides a good opportunity to improve my skill set things like using a ladder the proper way and first aid,” Mr McKinnon said.
“There are plenty of courses to complete which can build on the skillset.”
Yen Ung, another local resident, says it’s a great way to give back to the community.
“I’ve started with SES not long ago but I know there will be many stories that I can take away with SES.
“It serves a sense of purpose and belonging. Everyone in the unit is so warm and welcoming, it feels like a second family.”
Alessandra Cavuoto is not just new to SES but also the Greater Dandenong community as she made the move just last year.
“I’ve never seen such a diverse place and felt such a sense of community as I’ve felt here.
“I know all the people in my street, they’re such lovely people.
“It was such a shock to experience such positivity to be honest because a lot of people say Dandenong has a negative reputation. Which is very sad because this is a new Dandenong, it’s very different.”
Ms Cavuoto had previously lived in Kew and Burwood East which are no match for the multicultural setting of Dandenong.
The 37-year-old, who is an orthoptist, said her friend, who is also a volunteer, planted the seed in Ms Cavouto’s mind to join SES.
“What prompted me is that I wanted to do something to help the community and play my part.
“I didn’t know anything about SES until I spoke to someone who is a volunteer with SES.
“I didn’t think about it for a while but I eventually put my name down.”
According to the trio, who’ve now completed their training to go out on jobs, the skills and training provided by SES is rewarding in the long run.
“Every Monday night we have a different training night. We learn a lot but also have fun and that’s what drives it.
“As a volunteer there’s no expectation that you have to go to every single job that comes up.”
Volunteers have an app which alerts them to any jobs that require their assistance.
“If you were home and not doing much and if it was a really important job alert such as a missing person search, you’d think this is more important than going shopping.
“You just do whatever you can, there’s no expectation,” Ms Cavouto said.
“Some people have gone through having kids and growing their family and they still stuck at it and it’s so incredible to see that.”
The VICSES provides emergency assistance to thousands of Victorians every year. From floods, storms, natural disasters, search and rescue and much more the volunteers make a valuable contribution to assist the community.
“Personally I feel that my satisfaction has increased because I’m helping out, it feels like I’m part of something bigger,” Ms Cavouto said.
Monica Ghirxi, deputy controller of members, said volunteers are the “backbone of the organisation.”
“Volunteers are the backbone of our organisation and come from all walks of life, ages and cultural backgrounds.
“It’s a rewarding experience where you will meet like-minded people, enjoy being part of a friendly team, receive recognised and accredited training, participate in new experiences, and most importantly help your community in their time of need.”
Although there’s vast scope for progression in SES, she wants to focus on her role as a crew member and plans to continue with SES for the long term, similar to other volunteers.
“I would like to put my time into SES as I grow older and potentially towards retirement I could spend more time in it,” Mr McKinnon said.
To enquire about volunteering visit https://www.ses.vic.gov.au/join-us or email greaterdandenong@ses.vic.gov.au
