![\"1011873_10151738342755090_1864259126_n\"](\"http:\/\/ezramag.files.wordpress.com\/2013\/07\/1011873_10151738342755090_1864259126_n1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nVoluntary Inspiration<\/span><\/h2>\nWords by Simon Ruppert<\/h6>\n
When the corporate bigwigs at Ezra Towers came to me and asked for a story of inspiration I was not quite sure where to start. Pleasing these media moguls who sit behind tinted glass in executive suites is not always easy. The task may have been simple but at this stage there was no subject.<\/span><\/p>\nIn researching this article I spoke to various people. Each and every time the person who inspired them was famous. Not necessarily from present day, but well-known nonetheless.<\/span><\/p>\nIn life it is easy to look to popular culture to draw inspiration. In fact most do, however more often than not people whose actions are inspirational are not celebrated in mainstream media. The office girl who helps an old lady cross the road on her lunch break, the man who mows his elderly neighbours lawn, the anonymous donor, these are all people whose actions could inspire.<\/span><\/p>\nIn the end it was an innocuous comment that lead me to the right person for the interview. On a warm, windy autumn day in the leafy Adelaide suburb of Magill I was busy trying to angle my laptop in a fashion that would allow me to see what I was typing. I was failing miserably. The sun was already forcing me to squint before it reflected off the windows behind me turning my screen into a mirror. As good as I looked that day I needed to see what I was doing and could not. Luckily this was a group project and my colleagues were also eager to call it a day.<\/span><\/p>\nAs I sat there picturing the journey all the way back to the car and wondering just how I would finish my work in the measly week I had left pleasantries were exchanged and people began to go their separate ways. At this point I overheard someone saying that before they could even start their work they would have to endure walking home for an hour before beginning a shift volunteering for meals on wheels. All of a sudden my 5 minute walk and relaxed week to work on this project seemed quite luxurious.\u00a0 That comment stuck with me and I decided to ask this girl if she would be happy being interviewed and she kindly accepted.<\/span><\/p>\nNina Karadzi\u0107<\/span><\/a> is an 18 year old undergraduate studying a double degree in Journalism and Creative Communication at the University of South Australia and works part-time. This would be enough of a commitment for most people, but despite her busy schedule Nina finds time to help people less fortunate than her.<\/span><\/p>\nWhy did you get involved in charity work?<\/b><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n“I always had a burning desire to do something for the community and it\u2019s nice to know you\u2019re doing something good. People can be self-centred nowadays but if I was in that position I couldn\u2019t imagine what it would be like without people to help.”<\/span><\/p>\nWho do you volunteer for and what does it entail?<\/b><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n“I have been volunteering for Meals on Wheels<\/b> in Burnside, SA since February of this year. I generally work from 7.15 until 10am on Thursdays. I work in the kitchen preparing food and cleaning. I also get to socialise with some really nice people. We\u2019ve got a great team but could always use more help.\u00a0It is a great organisation that really does help people who are disadvantaged. It is not just the elderly but also people who can\u2019t go to work, people who can\u2019t walk or have other disabilities.”<\/span><\/p>\nHow did you hear about the position?<\/b><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n“I had lots of free time in the holidays and wanted to keep myself busy so I decided to look into volunteering. I found Meals on Wheels<\/b> by searching on Google for places that needed help.”<\/span><\/p>\nIs this the first voluntary job you have had?<\/b><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n“During years eight and nine of school I volunteered for Oxfam<\/b> in Marion, SA. And I will be volunteering at Canteen Australia<\/b> who recruit people to help with events to help children with cancer have better lives. I plan to volunteer for Save the children<\/b> however I may have to defer that due to time constraints as I try to balance work and study. Hopefully by the holidays I will have some spare time for them.”<\/span><\/p>\n“I am also an animal lover and I am very passionate about their welfare. I\u2019m completely against the unethical treatment of animals and actively campaign against cruelty through such events as the live export rally. I am a member of Animal Australia<\/b> and try to promote them through social media to help their cause. I was inspired by Lynn White (who is now the campaign director for Animal Australia) and the fantastic work she\u2019s done to promote this issue. As part of this I have been looking to help out at the RSPCA<\/b> shelter in Wingfield, SA. They have emailed me today so hopefully I will be doing some work there too in the future, however as I don\u2019t currently have my license and it is a bit far away I may have to defer that too.”<\/span><\/p>\nHow can someone go about volunteering for meals on wheels?<\/b><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n“Just phone or go onto their website and there is a form to fill out, they then contact you to attend an induction day. You are introduced to how it operates and get to meet other volunteers. They will then call to offer you a position as and when they need someone.\u00a0With Oxfam<\/b> I was referred by a friend, however simply contact the store directly if you want to help.”<\/span><\/p>\nWhat would you say to someone who is thinking about becoming a volunteer but is not sure?<\/b><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n“I don\u2019t know! If you\u2019re really passionate about something, nothing should stop you. There should not be any barriers. Just go for it! If it\u2019s something you enjoy why not. From my experience I feel I come away with better values and become a more rounded person. I feel that it builds character which is something that I appreciate.”<\/span><\/p>\nIs volunteering more important than simply donating money?<\/b><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n“I\u2019m not sure. It depends on the individual and how involved they want to be. Obviously you need money to donate, but you can volunteer even if you don\u2019t have money. It\u2019s important to get involved in the way that is best for you.”<\/span><\/p>\nVolunteering is available to anyone who wants to help the less fortunate. What meeting with Nina showed me was that there are many ways in which you can do something good for society. There\u2019s a good chance there is something you are passionate about. There\u2019s an even better chance that at some point in your life you will receive help from a volunteer. Even if it\u2019s just for one morning a week you can make a big difference to someone\u2019s life.<\/span><\/p>\nIf you would like to help a charity by donating or volunteering your time a quick Google search will point you in the right direction. Don\u2019t wait for an excuse.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\nUseful Links for volunteering in your country:
\nAustralia<\/a><\/span>
\nUnited States<\/span><\/a>
\nEngland
\n<\/a>France<\/a>
\nItaly
\n<\/a>New Zealand
\n<\/a>Canada<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In life it is easy to look to popular culture to draw inspiration. In fact most do, however more often than not people whose actions are inspirational are not celebrated in mainstream media. The office girl who helps an old lady cross the road on her lunch break, the man who mows his elderly neighbours lawn, the anonymous donor, these are all people whose actions could inspire.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2819,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[119,246,754,803,862,971,994,1185,1213,1214,1215],"class_list":["post-2764","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-animal-australia","tag-canteen-australia","tag-meals-on-wheels","tag-music-advert","tag-oxfam","tag-rspca","tag-save-the-children","tag-university-of-south-australia","tag-volunteer","tag-volunteering","tag-volunteering-australia"],"yoast_head":"\n
INSPIRATIONAL - Just Go For It - ezramagazine.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ezramagazine.com\/?p=2764\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"INSPIRATIONAL - Just Go For It - ezramagazine.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In life it is easy to look to popular culture to draw inspiration. In fact most do, however more often than not people whose actions are inspirational are not celebrated in mainstream media. 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In researching this article I spoke to various people. Each and every time the person who inspired them was famous. Not necessarily from present day, but well-known nonetheless.<\/span><\/p>\n In life it is easy to look to popular culture to draw inspiration. In fact most do, however more often than not people whose actions are inspirational are not celebrated in mainstream media. The office girl who helps an old lady cross the road on her lunch break, the man who mows his elderly neighbours lawn, the anonymous donor, these are all people whose actions could inspire.<\/span><\/p>\n In the end it was an innocuous comment that lead me to the right person for the interview. On a warm, windy autumn day in the leafy Adelaide suburb of Magill I was busy trying to angle my laptop in a fashion that would allow me to see what I was typing. I was failing miserably. The sun was already forcing me to squint before it reflected off the windows behind me turning my screen into a mirror. As good as I looked that day I needed to see what I was doing and could not. Luckily this was a group project and my colleagues were also eager to call it a day.<\/span><\/p>\n As I sat there picturing the journey all the way back to the car and wondering just how I would finish my work in the measly week I had left pleasantries were exchanged and people began to go their separate ways. At this point I overheard someone saying that before they could even start their work they would have to endure walking home for an hour before beginning a shift volunteering for meals on wheels. All of a sudden my 5 minute walk and relaxed week to work on this project seemed quite luxurious.\u00a0 That comment stuck with me and I decided to ask this girl if she would be happy being interviewed and she kindly accepted.<\/span><\/p>\n Nina Karadzi\u0107<\/span><\/a> is an 18 year old undergraduate studying a double degree in Journalism and Creative Communication at the University of South Australia and works part-time. This would be enough of a commitment for most people, but despite her busy schedule Nina finds time to help people less fortunate than her.<\/span><\/p>\n Why did you get involved in charity work?<\/b><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n “I always had a burning desire to do something for the community and it\u2019s nice to know you\u2019re doing something good. People can be self-centred nowadays but if I was in that position I couldn\u2019t imagine what it would be like without people to help.”<\/span><\/p>\n Who do you volunteer for and what does it entail?<\/b><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n “I have been volunteering for Meals on Wheels<\/b> in Burnside, SA since February of this year. I generally work from 7.15 until 10am on Thursdays. I work in the kitchen preparing food and cleaning. I also get to socialise with some really nice people. We\u2019ve got a great team but could always use more help.\u00a0It is a great organisation that really does help people who are disadvantaged. It is not just the elderly but also people who can\u2019t go to work, people who can\u2019t walk or have other disabilities.”<\/span><\/p>\n How did you hear about the position?<\/b><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n “I had lots of free time in the holidays and wanted to keep myself busy so I decided to look into volunteering. I found Meals on Wheels<\/b> by searching on Google for places that needed help.”<\/span><\/p>\n Is this the first voluntary job you have had?<\/b><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n “During years eight and nine of school I volunteered for Oxfam<\/b> in Marion, SA. And I will be volunteering at Canteen Australia<\/b> who recruit people to help with events to help children with cancer have better lives. I plan to volunteer for Save the children<\/b> however I may have to defer that due to time constraints as I try to balance work and study. Hopefully by the holidays I will have some spare time for them.”<\/span><\/p>\n “I am also an animal lover and I am very passionate about their welfare. I\u2019m completely against the unethical treatment of animals and actively campaign against cruelty through such events as the live export rally. I am a member of Animal Australia<\/b> and try to promote them through social media to help their cause. I was inspired by Lynn White (who is now the campaign director for Animal Australia) and the fantastic work she\u2019s done to promote this issue. As part of this I have been looking to help out at the RSPCA<\/b> shelter in Wingfield, SA. They have emailed me today so hopefully I will be doing some work there too in the future, however as I don\u2019t currently have my license and it is a bit far away I may have to defer that too.”<\/span><\/p>\n How can someone go about volunteering for meals on wheels?<\/b><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n “Just phone or go onto their website and there is a form to fill out, they then contact you to attend an induction day. You are introduced to how it operates and get to meet other volunteers. They will then call to offer you a position as and when they need someone.\u00a0With Oxfam<\/b> I was referred by a friend, however simply contact the store directly if you want to help.”<\/span><\/p>\n What would you say to someone who is thinking about becoming a volunteer but is not sure?<\/b><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n “I don\u2019t know! If you\u2019re really passionate about something, nothing should stop you. There should not be any barriers. Just go for it! If it\u2019s something you enjoy why not. From my experience I feel I come away with better values and become a more rounded person. I feel that it builds character which is something that I appreciate.”<\/span><\/p>\n Is volunteering more important than simply donating money?<\/b><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n “I\u2019m not sure. It depends on the individual and how involved they want to be. Obviously you need money to donate, but you can volunteer even if you don\u2019t have money. It\u2019s important to get involved in the way that is best for you.”<\/span><\/p>\n Volunteering is available to anyone who wants to help the less fortunate. What meeting with Nina showed me was that there are many ways in which you can do something good for society. There\u2019s a good chance there is something you are passionate about. There\u2019s an even better chance that at some point in your life you will receive help from a volunteer. Even if it\u2019s just for one morning a week you can make a big difference to someone\u2019s life.<\/span><\/p>\n If you would like to help a charity by donating or volunteering your time a quick Google search will point you in the right direction. Don\u2019t wait for an excuse.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Useful Links for volunteering in your country: In life it is easy to look to popular culture to draw inspiration. In fact most do, however more often than not people whose actions are inspirational are not celebrated in mainstream media. The office girl who helps an old lady cross the road on her lunch break, the man who mows his elderly neighbours lawn, the anonymous donor, these are all people whose actions could inspire.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2819,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[119,246,754,803,862,971,994,1185,1213,1214,1215],"class_list":["post-2764","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-animal-australia","tag-canteen-australia","tag-meals-on-wheels","tag-music-advert","tag-oxfam","tag-rspca","tag-save-the-children","tag-university-of-south-australia","tag-volunteer","tag-volunteering","tag-volunteering-australia"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nAustralia<\/a><\/span>
\nUnited States<\/span><\/a>
\nEngland
\n<\/a>France<\/a>
\nItaly
\n<\/a>New Zealand
\n<\/a>Canada<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"