Queensland Government
Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services

Rachel Watson

The holiday season is a time for giving and thinking of others — and what better gift to give than your time and experience. There are many people throughout Queensland who regularly give to their community. Here, three Queenslanders share their volunteering stories and how they will give their time over the holidays.

If you wish to volunteer over the holidays or in 2012, register your interest with Volunteering Queensland, the lead agency for coordinating Queensland’s volunteering efforts, phone 3002 7600 or find out more about the benefits of volunteering.

Getting in on the act

When Rachael Watson was too old to perform with the Cerebral Palsy League’s Screech Theatre Group, she stayed on as a volunteer working ‘behind the scenes’.

“I was disappointed that I couldn’t be in it anymore but I thought if I volunteer and help out I can still be part of it,” Rachael says.

Screech Theatre is a series of drama development workshops for high school students with and without physical disabilities, culminating in a performance for family, friends and the general public.

“A lot of the people either have cerebral palsy or are able bodied and we just work to provide some sort of avenue through the arts that mainstream programs wouldn’t offer,” Rachael says.

“I just really like to see everyone enjoying themselves and getting the opportunities through different programs.

“If we didn’t have the volunteers half of it wouldn’t be able to happen — I love doing this sort of thing.”

Rachael says she will help out with the Cerebral Palsy League’s programs over the summer holidays.

“If the theatre isn’t running programs I’ll look to other areas to see what I can do over the break — I definitely want to keep helping out,” she says.

To anyone thinking about giving their time over the holiday season, Rachael says, “get in there and give it a go”.

“You will find it’s really rewarding for yourself and for the people you will be helping — especially if you have nothing to do over the school holidays.

“It’s a great way to try different things and to see if the work is something you would like to do in the long-term.”

Rachael won a 2011 Queensland Young Volunteer Award.