THE extraordinary Hawkesbury service which gives hope and help to mothers or other carers of young children, has a new co-ordinator as well as several openings at the moment where keen volunteers can lend a hand.
Julie Smith of Kurrajong Hills has just taken the reins to co-ordinate the 24 volunteers currently on the books.
“I’ve been a LINCS volunteer for three years, and I’ve only just finished a Bachelor of Social Work and this role came up,” she said. “It’s a really good opportunity to work in my own community. I can really see the need for this service, but a lot of people don’t know about it, it’s really bizarre.”
LINCS has been operating in the Hawkesbury for nearly two decades, sending trained volunteers into family homes to help mums cope with the burden of looking after small children, and offering a sympathetic ear and advice.
Ms Smith said when she was volunteering she would mind children while the mother went to appointments, or when visiting with the mother there, play with the children while mum had a shower, or hang out the washing or provide other help as needed.
“You definitely develop a commitment to a family,” she said. “It’s very professionally run, with all volunteers undergoing police and working with children checks. We will be training new volunteers in February, which involves three days [in total] over three weeks.”
Trained volunteers then visit client families for two hours a week,
The LINCS AGM is on September 14 at 10am at the St John of God at North Richmond’s education centre at 177 Grose Vale Road.
Positions will be open, with hands particularly needed for the position of publicity officer.
Retired men are very welcome to help with the service too. There are two male volunteers at present, John Godsell and Derek Scott, and LINCS secretary Carolyn Byers said they were a godsend.
“With one family, the father had died and John Godsell did the most fantastic job with the boys,” Ms Byers said. She said the men do ‘blokey things’ with the boys, kicking the footy, making things and providing a kindly male role model which some boys may not have in their lives for whatever reason.
To enquire about receiving a volunteer or becoming one, ring 4570 6291.
