CHILDREN’S cancer charity Camp Quality is putting an urgent call out for 50 new volunteers to sign up in Western Australia to coincide with National Volunteer Week (11 – 17 May).
There are 575 children on Camp Quality’s books in WA but only 166 volunteers.
The charity, which runs resilience-building camps across WA, offers one-to-one support for each child living with cancer in the form of a camp companion – a volunteer tasked with making the child feel optimistic and confident after cancer has knocked their self-esteem.
Companions are gender-matched (so boys with men, girls with women), meaning the charity needs 30 men and 20 women in WA to help the 30 boys and 20 girls living with cancer awaiting a camp companion.
In addition, Camp Quality WA requires the support of fundraising volunteers in the Perth metro and Margaret River areas to help organise and coordinate fundraisers such as quiz nights, bingo nights and casual clothes days at their workplace.
Registered doctors and nurses are encouraged to volunteer at camps so children can attend despite their medical needs.
“At Camp Quality, we’re an organisation that relies heavily on our amazing volunteers to deliver our programs for us and support our fundraising so we can reach more kids living with cancer,” Camp Quality volunteer advisor Tegan Davies said.
“When you sign up, you’ll be expertly trained and supported.
“Some think helping kids with cancer is a sad role when, in fact, the opposite is true.
“You’ll have the time of your life at our camps, creating wonderfully special, life-long memories for these kids.”
The charity has over 2,500 volunteers nationwide.
Together those volunteers donated approximately 300,000 hours to Camp Quality in the past year.
The charity has just over one hundred staff so volunteers help it to save considerably on costs, as they outnumber staff members by 23:1.
This means every donated dollar goes right back to where it’s needed the most: to the kids.
Camp Quality relies heavily on volunteers and currently receives no ongoing government funding.
To support Camp Quality to help create a better life for every child living with cancer in WA, go to campquality.org.au for info on donating or volunteering.
