Bec Casey

Bec Casey

Name: Bec Casey

Age: 21

Interests /achievements:
I love outdoor activities, anything adventurous; Snowboarding, abseiling, white water rafting, canoeing, go-karting, sea-biscuiting, sky diving, paragliding. I’ll pretty much give anything a shot, just for the experience! I’ve climbed Mount Kosciuszko, amazing!

How did you find out about Interchanges: I had a friend who used to volunteer when we were at school. All of her ‘camp stories’ sounded like heaps of fun, so as soon as I got around to it – there I was!

How has volunteering affected your attitude to life?: Volunteering opened my eyes to the world of disability. So frequently you return from a camp absolutely exhausted, and hand over a child to wonderfully relaxed parents Previously I’d never considered how physically draining it can be to be a carer, 24 hours a day. These families thoroughly deserve and appreciate the break that they get, because quite often, it’s the break that keeps them going. It’s interesting to often consider how tired you are after a day, a weekend, or a week of volunteering – you gain so much more respect for families.

The children you volunteer alongside also will often have so much to teach you; how to laugh when things get tough, how to smile through anything, how to respect everyone, and how to get your point across when you really want something, but don’t have the words to say it.

Volunteering is a two-way street. You’re helping the kids to enjoy themselves and become active members of their community, while they’re helping you realize what’s important in life.

What do you like about being an Interchange volunteer: Being a volunteer is unbelievably fun. It’s an opportunity to do all the fun child things again; giant swings, flying foxes, mini-golf, roller-skating, farms… but of course you get the wonderful thrill of sharing these activities with children, whose delight makes everything worthwhile. There’s never a dull moment, as every day spent volunteering is a day you’ll recall later with a smile.

What is your funniest story about an activity you have done with Interchange: Grantville camp, January 2009. One of the kids was refusing to eat, claiming he wasn’t hungry. It went on for a bit and became quite concerning but the more we pushed him to eat, the more upset he became. At dinnertime, another volunteer, Brad, had to leave the room. I suggested to the child, “Hey, wouldn’t it be really funny if you ate Brad’s meal while he’s gone?! He’ll come back and be so confused, and hungry!!!” Well that was it; the child was in hysterical laughter while woofing down Brad’s meal. From then on, it became every meal…

“I’m not hungry” “Alright. Don’t you dare eat my lunch then!”

Every meal of that camp had us all in stitches watching him gulp down any meal that was unattended, even for a second. Rest assured, he ate plenty

Tell us about the friendships you have made through Interchange: I’ve made some amazing friends through volunteering that I wouldn’t have made otherwise. The volunteers are all so laid back and easy going, it’s hard not to click with a few. We all share common interests, and can spend hours reminiscing hilarious moments from past camps and day activities.

Has volunteering with Interchange changed your direction in life? What are your future aspirations: I’ve been volunteering and working for Interchange concurrently for a few years now. Being involved with Interchange has made me realize that it is the disability field which I am passionate about, and I will continue to experience as much in this field as I can. Although I’m no longer working at Interchange, I can’t help myself and come back to volunteer on a regular basis – I’d miss it too much if I didn’t!

Why do you think other people should volunteer for Interchange?: The experiences you’ll have as a volunteer at Interchange simply cannot be replicated. Even working at Interchange isn’t the same. It’s the atmosphere, the people, the activities, and the amazing feeling you get that makes volunteering worth it. It will broaden your perspectives, and leave you waiting anxiously for your next volunteer activity. There’s really nothing more fun, and worthwhile, that you could do with your time!

Final words: I cannot put into words how amazing it is to volunteer through Interchange. Thinking about the kids, the vollies, the staff, the campsites, the activities, and the fun of it all… only 5 sleeps until my next camp! Yes! Do it, you’ll never look back.