It’s called the season of giving for a reason, and we are always so inspired by the members of our community who look for ways to generously give back over the Christmas period.

We know it’s not always easy to find opportunities for volunteering, donating and supporting those in need, so we thought we’d offer up a handy guide for giving back this Christmas.

Volunteering

Each year in the lead-up to Christmas, we are overwhelmed by the generosity and willingness to serve on display in our community.

Many people put their hands up to volunteer at this time of year, often for the first time.

It’s important to keep in mind that most organisations will have certain requirements for getting involved as a volunteer, which can’t always be rushed.

For example, you may be required to hold a current Blue Card for working with children.

This is a very common and important requirement for volunteers in Queensland.

It can often take several weeks for a Blue Card application to be approved.

If you don’t already have one and wish to get involved with Christmas volunteering, it’s important to start making inquiries and putting a plan in place.

Apply for a Blue Card

If you’re thinking about helping out with a local cause on Christmas Day, keep in mind that many Christmas events have been planned several months in advance, including volunteer recruitment and onboarding.

This is the case for HBNC’s Christmas Day Luncheon.

While we absolutely appreciate the willingness to serve that many in our community demonstrate, unfortunately we can’t accommodate “drop-in” volunteers on the day.

This is due to several essential considerations, including working with children checks, safe food handling and venue capacity.

To make things smoother, and to avoid disappointment, consider getting in touch with local organisations sooner rather than later.

This way, you can find out what help is needed and ensure all checks and compliance requirements are completed in time.

If it turns out you’re not able to help this year, it’s still great to make that connection and “get your name on the books”.

Most local organisations will also have plenty of suggestions for other ways you can help out.

To keep up-to-date with local volunteering new, and to have relevant opportunities delivered straight to your inbox, register for the Fraser Coast Heroes Volunteer Database.