The brave volunteers turning trauma into purpose

When Benn Lockyer reaches out to grieving fathers through his volunteer support line, he already knows there’s nothing he can say to “fix” what happened to them.

What it can offer is something else entirely: understanding.

The Victorian father lost his son James in 2017 after complications during birth led to brain damage in the newborn. James lived only three days.

Years later, after counseling and support groups helped ease his own pain, Mr. Lockyer found himself wanting to be the person he once needed to be.

“I need to give back to this community,” he told AAP.

“I’ve had years of support through Red Nose, and for me it’s ‘How can I give back, how can I provide support to other families?’ happened.”

As Australians prepare to celebrate National Volunteer Week May 18-24, stories like Mr Lockyer’s are central to this year’s theme: “This is your year to volunteer.”

Although volunteering is often associated with sausage sizzles, sports clubs and school fundraisers, many people become interested in volunteering after some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

For some, lived experience becomes the very thing that enables them to help others.

Mr Lockyer says joining a support group after James’ death was a turning point.

Mr Pearce says many volunteers underestimate what they can offer until they actually get involved.

Volunteers often tell him they feel like they have something to contribute, but they don’t know how to do it.

He reportedly was told, “‘I didn’t realize what a difference I could make until I actually started making that difference.'”

Volunteering can also help people rediscover a sense of belonging and connection after periods of trauma or isolation, she continues.

“When you walk away at the end of the day, night, or week, no matter the situation, you will feel a deep sense of belonging, contribution, and personal power.”

Mr Pearce describes volunteering as “almost the simplest human interaction”.

“’Do you need help with this?’” he says.

More importantly, he says, volunteering doesn’t always require large time commitments or certifications.

“Most of the time you don’t need to have formal qualifications. You just need to be there with intention,” he explains.

“It might be an hour a week. It might be less than an hour a week… but it’s about that connection.”

Australian Bureau of Statistics research reveals that by 2025, 42.8 per cent of Australians aged 15 and over will volunteer formally, informally or both.

More than 618 million hours were contributed through formal volunteering alone.

Men and women formally volunteer at similar rates: 22 percent and 23 percent, respectively. Adults ages 35 to 54 are more likely to volunteer.

For Mr Lockyer, who now balances working full-time as well as volunteering and raising two young children, the rewards far outweigh their time commitment.

“It’s important to me to be able to provide that support to other people, and so it’s time for me to want to do that,” he says.