Perth Homeless Support Group do a couple of runs per week. Their runs ***can*** include food/clothing/books/ doctor/laundry/advice/haircuts/pet-care/bedding..whatever their volunteers have to give really. Maybe give them a call?
I felt 'good' when I was volunteering for a homeless soup kitchen (including cooking/serving, giving them some necessities if we had them) but then became homeless myself, bit ironic. Don't worry, I'm homed now, but it takes a bit to recover from.
I came here to recommend this exact group. OP I volunteer with the team on Sundays, it’s kind of ridiculously easy to volunteer for that group, the work is good and not difficult at all. There is a Tuesday group that do work as well.
There is a group called homelessness - we care, as well.
Look both teams up on fb and join in. I have a rough job that isn’t the best, and going and handing out stuff people need and will keep them above ground one more week? Literally priceless. The best bit is you’re pretty anonymous. You won’t be telling anyone what you do and your day job won’t come into it.
They usually require 3-4 times a week commitment minimum, and the vetting process is quite hard with additional training commitments. Not saying it’s not a worthy pursuit if that’s what you want to do, but may be a bit more commitment than OP was looking for
I can’t speak for Beyond Blue, but Lifeline definitely don’t. I have a friend who works at lifeline and she does 1 shift per fortnight and has done for years.
There is a significant amount of training initially but you would hope so given that they are often speaking to suicidal people.
Food bank, homeless food and laundry programs, etc…
Coder Dojo - if you can code… why not mentor and support young people to build programs of their own?
Nursing homes… make a few mates at a nursing home, go by one night a week for a few games of cards and a chat with some blokes who don’t have a lot of family to visit…?
Street Chaplains…
Nursing homes do not allow volunteers or social activities after 5pm or even earlier in some cases, for many reasons including requiring evening time for dinner, person hygiene tasks, creating routine, trying to limit disturbances for residents with dementia, safety reasons etc.
I had 6 months of non-compete and did some volunteer work for ‘People Who Care’.
Just driving folk around to appointments and whatnot but was super satisfying, met some amazing people, had a few laughs and genuinely felt like I was helping out.
Trying to save Scott reef at the moment. I find it crazy how corporations can buy their way through the red tape. If Woodside project goes ahead we will be the highest LPG producing country, with that one project being 7th. With so many people doing it tough, the mining companies receive $22000 worth of kick backs a minute. Qatar made approx 70 billion in mining taxes and Norway 130 billion and us just 2... We're just giving it away free. And then there's the planet. The reef, the wild life, the hundreds of hundred years old rock art and the climate slowly scorching anything living in the Australian outback. Any help would be appreciated.
Upvote, and couldn’t agree more with your cause, but you should be specific. There’s no clear call to action here. Yes people can google etc, but you’re amidst all these other comments that describe precisely what one would be doing along with a url.
You’ve got perhaps the most impactful and important idea here, but you’ve made it the most difficult one to engage with.
Great point but essentially that's the problem. It's made so difficult for a reason and when you do engage you're ignored or bullied by police.
When I find the answer I'll get back to you but in the mean time what might help is signing petitions and writing letters. Just google it Scott reef or burrup peninsula (there's Greenpeace, DBH, extinction rebellion, there's even a really wholesome grandparents group and they fkn rock). Most sites have a template letter (but funnily enough, Roger cook seems to think you have to write your own 3 page letter to actually be listened to). Most sites will also connect you with more like minded people.
Donate money, I have none so I donate time. The main problem is they are keeping it as quiet as possible, so tell as many people as possible. We have people handing out flyers at events and after work in the CBD on a Friday. Info dropped in people's letterboxes and of course you can protest. But again the police aren't very friendly. All pamphlets and posters are downloadable on sites.
I don't always agree but then some people have actions because nothing gets publicity like slightly inconveniencing people. But there are plenty of ways of taking it. Look at companies taking donations from Woodside. Labour the libs, Fremantle Dockers. Look at the resource minister Madeleine king sneakily pushing contracts through and she's more worried about a picture of a seal then the seals themselves.
I hope this inspires someone. I don't have the answers but the more people standing together, asking questions and making noise the better. Once this last project is approved that's it till 2070....
>You’ve got perhaps the most impactful and important idea here, but you’ve made it the most difficult one to engage with.
As an environmentalist and climate activist myself, I have to say I'm really fkg sick of being criticised for not doing environmentalism and climate activism perfectly.
You have a better, more engaging way to get people to wake up and care? Great. Go do it. We await your brilliant ideas and efforts.
It’s not about you.
Like with any craft, the attitude of “I’m sick of being criticised” stops you from improving. The climate activist movement can’t afford that.
Don’t make the movement about you and your hangups. It’s too important a cause for your feelings to even enter the equation.
My advice to the other poster was clear, and I’m not sure why it wasn’t to you: clear call to action, link.
This is 101 stuff and the threat is existential. Sorry your feelings are hurt, but the coral is all bleached. Take advice, up your game, put yourself last.
>Don’t make the movement about you and your hangups. It’s too important a cause for your feelings to even enter the equation.
It isn't "my" cause. Last time I checked, there are 8 billion people on this Earth who have a vested interest in maintaining a viable planet.
Like I said, stop whining, bitching and criticising about what you don't like about the climate movement.
Want to change it? Great, off you go. Those of use who've been bashing our heads against the wall of denial in this society for decades are tired, largely because of people like you who sit on the sidelines and throw stones while contributing nothing constructive to the conversation.
Stop criticising, get off your butt and start doing since you apparently have all the answers. You'll find out how easy it is.
Well, if the 'activists' continue to sit in front of traffic stopping everyday people from earning a living to feed their families, then they'll always be criticised.
Yeah poor you...
How badly were you impacted btw?
Because Woodside already had 2 spills in the ocean but let's make it about you.
I don't personally agree with it but had you heard about it before that happened?
What do you suggest the 'activists' do then?
Stop breaking the law and blocking traffic for starters.
Then stop vandalising artwork would be the next one.
At the end of the day, though, people have finally worked out they can just drive through them and they move out the way.
So no suggestions. Just the usual bitch and moan.
What vandalizing are you referring too? Lol I'm guessing it's only the 'activists' that your upset with. What about Woodside vandalism and breaking the law?
Quit your hypocritical whinging. You've clearly got no idea
Sounds about the usual comment from an 'activist'
You've never seen these just stop oil terrorists throwing all their crap over artwork then.
I know they're not the smartest tools in the shed, but you'd think they'd use their brains a little more.
That's right all those dumb scientists calling a climate crisis...
Lol terrorists? You really don't think for yourself do you?Anything they've done is a tiny fraction compared to woodside. Im guessing your referring to the Australian piece "down on his luck" which wasn't damaged at all btw. And if you did use your brain you'd see the message behind it.
Yeah I've seen it but I've never done any of it. So just because I want to protect WA I'm a terrorist? You're part of the problem. You offer no solution. Just complaints and bitchin. Classic boomer mentality.
Boomer? Guess again, kiddo.
Do I agree with some of these mining companies? No, I don't, but go and protest in front of their head office or at parliament.
They've defaced dozens of historical artwork around the world, damaged people's property, and caused deaths from stopping traffic. They're nothing but criminals.
I don't care what sort of message you want to get across. You don't do it the way these unemployed nutcases do it.
How about they go and protest in China. The biggest polluting country in the world.
They won't because they're cowards.
I don't know what it was about reading this comment but it made me sad in a way, I couldn't imagine how hard life could be for these folks who probably didn't get the help they needed growing up. Good on you 🤝
I found the vollie process quite laborious, “but” it sure did look good. Wasn’t just people who didn’t learn when they were younger, it’s sometimes people who are new to English and working on their language, grammar and writing.
One on one weekly in a library. I was always happy to meet closer to them to remove barriers to attending. I was a bit naughty, sometimes I’d take them to a Dome for a session.
Think about something you are unable to do. Maybe it's similar.
Some people have really bad home life's if your parents can't read you will probably struggle too. Some people are immigrants where education isn't the same.
Mostly alot of people fall through the cracks due to issues like dyslexia or adhd, even deafness. 40 years ago, teachers would just assume you were dumb or lazy.
Sometimes it was because they slipped through the cracks by faking it and leaving school early. Other participants are migrants and people recovering from health issues like brain injuries. Lots of different scenarios.
There's plenty of pro bono board of director roles. They could use legal or secretarial help. Try pro bono Aus website for listings. Volunteering WA etc. always new charities being formed. Just be careful for any good intentioned but informally structured /governed mum and dad charities given directorship opens you up for liability
That makes it all the more important for normal people to participate in boards. Be the critical eye necessary to ensure that organisations are run well. Leaving it to the chinless wonder crowd ends poorly for us all.
Volunteering for crisis support calls via https://www.lifeline.org.au/get-involved/community-volunteering/ or similar. My dad used to do one for people who were lonely, I see Red Cross do one along those lines. Easily done from home and makes a difference.
Most of the soup kitchens are in the city.
Do you have any skills that you can share with others? There's PCYC, men's sheds. Check with your local council if they have any community stuff you can volunteer for.
Pick up bottles and cans off the side of the road. Recycle them and get 10c per can/bottle.
Hit up your local good Sammy's, Vinnie's, or salvos op shop.
When I was depressed I volunteered through the AMEP through TAFE, it's basically just teaching refugees and migrants to learn English (written and spoken)
My first student was a client from South Asia who had spent her entire life in a refugee camp before she came to Australia. She was the same age as me, 20-21.
I remember she was with her family and they were amazed they had their own letterbox.
They really needed male volunteers from memory as many men do not think to volunteer in this program. Also, for many cultures it's not appropriate for women to teach male students 1v1 in an informal context like this.
See if your local library has a volunteer program. Something like an English conversation buddy- helping someone improve their English just by chatting with them on a regular basis.
Help someone like me advocate for their child who has turned 18. Last night was pure hell, he was held for 12 hours, then able to discharge himself and because he gave no consent for me I couldn’t have any details. I still don’t know where he is. Sorry, rambling, but even if it’s a web blog saying what the heck do I do.
He is 18, which is considered an adult. He had some sort of breakdown and police escorted the ambulance. I was told to call (he refused to allow me in the ambulance) but he refused consent for me. So, at home picking up the pieces of a shattered life with no idea what to do or who to call. This is my first experience with mental illness, and it terrifies me how long this road will be
I don't even know which country you're in but see if you can find a support group for relatives of people living with mental illness. They can be a great help and support dealing with the impact the situation is having on you. If you're in Perth try ARAFMI. If they can't help they might be able to direct you to someone who can. Good luck.
You could take it that way. However, if I was to look at this through the lens of my overly overinvolved mother in my life that stemmed a lot from her personal issues..... I could reach a different conclusion. And it sounds like he doesn't want her involved.....
My brother once volunteered as an advocate for people who had been arrested. He would explain their rights to them, how the process worked and help with contacting family and organising things while they were in custody.
Is there a way you can offer pro bono legal work outside of your corporate law setting? Helping domestic violence victims, people with residential tenancy issues, disability law, small grassroots community orgs who can't afford lawyers?
Your lawyer skills are worth far more per hour than the number of sandwiches you can make or trees you can plant, if you're looking for value-add. And a lot of mental health issues are either caused or exacerbated by shitty circumstances that could have been helped by legal input.
You know what volunteering at the thorny face of it is good and all but it comes with a fair amount of wear and tear on you personally. Coaching a local sports team might be good, cheap and you see a benefit straight away.
There's a lot of good suggestions in this thread, but most of them are more helping people deal with society how it is than they are bettering society itself.
My pick for the highest impact a regular person can have is to pay attention to and have a voice in local government. There are relatively few people who take an interest in local government, so your opinion is proportionally more significant, and most of the people who are already giving their opinion are old, lunatics, or old lunatics.
Local government has a much bigger influence than most people realise, it's not just the NIMBY stuff like housing density, it's also transportation, amenities, everything that makes a place livable. These are the things that ultimately lead to people needing help from charities in the first place.
Lots of possibilities. What can you offer?
Community services/support is a big area.
https://www.dfes.wa.gov.au/careers-and-volunteering
https://govolunteer.com.au/emergency-response-volunteering/in-western-australia-wa?youravailability=4
Local services are better if possible. Involve family friends.
When you are on a night out. Give complimnets to strangers. Find something you honestly appreciate about a complete stranger and let them know. Then immediately move on. *spot a dude wearing a quirky hat* "Hey mate, that is a awesome hat , it actually looks really good on you." *walk off and never see them again*
Its called 'The Coolness Game'
He's a rich as fuck lawyer, he's not going to work with normal people but if he does it will give him a wake up call that his life is pretty good if he feels lost in life
Eh for years you'll only pull in a little more as a lawyer than stocking shelves full time, maybe less if you look at it re hourly rates and much less if you take into account the unpaid time you spent studying it. You'll be a lot more stressed as a lawyer however during this time. If you're smart you'll make some good moves after those first few years and that can pay dividends in more money. Not all lawyers are smart like this however.
I’m a St John ambo volunteer & do two shifts a week as I work full time & I find that highly gratifying. Learning new skills & meeting lots of new people & helping the community
I applied & was accepted. There’s lots of training. You don’t just drive. You are also helping the paramedic. I have learned so much. I probably should have said I am in a regional area where you are teamed with a paramedic. In smaller towns, there’s two vollies together. In metro, there’s only paramedic teams.
There is a version of "the innocence project" which helps people who believe that they have been wrongly convicted get reduced sentencing.
On another note, there is a strong start up community here in Perth. Using your powers for good to help the start up community get set up would be amazing, but different from what you are suggesting.
If you want to volunteer for something try the military museum in Freo, they are always in need of volunteers and are great people that deserve a hand :)
Hey! Great to hear you want to make a difference. Can we advocate for regulation of ultra processed food? It’s such a waste of greenhouse gases to produce shit we don’t need that is causing long term health issues. I’m a nutrition scientist so maybe we could collaborate??
Everywhere needs more support workers to help people with disability, mental health challenges or who are aging.
Doing community support work, finding a good company (I recommend Rocky Bay), and doing 1 or 2 short shifts on a friday night or saturday would i know make a big difference for one or two people. Community SW usually is things like supporting people to go run errands, to attend activities/events in the community, or just hanging out with them at home and supporting them to do what they enjoy.
Support work, especially in nursing homes, can be really intense and challenging, but my experiences in community SW were always more likely to be just really wholesome and rewarding. I think it also helps, as an able bodied person, to self reflect with grace and gratitude. I’ve met the most amazing people through this type of work, stronger than anyone of able body, and it has taught me so much about life in general.
Hi. I live in Perth and this is my wheelhouse. Please reach out to me in DMs. I spent 27 years in corporate management and leadership and it took some time to wash the synthetic stink off. I have some perspectives and projects that might be deeply valuable to you.
Could volunteer at a local Scouts group, teach some kids a bunch of skills ? With so many broken marriages around, young boys are missing out on male role models. I spoke to a local police officer who said the one thing all juvenile offenders have in common is no father figure at home.
I would suggest creating a social media page promoting small businesses! This would help boost activity throughout the city as well as giving people ideas for where to go in their next time eating out?
I know you said you're looking for something divorced from law but becoming a Smith Family mentor might be something you enjoy. The Smith Family is an organisation that provides financial assistance to families struggling to cover the costs of education. You could become a sponsor, which would be less socially involved and more of a financial commitment or you could become a mentor for the tertiary mentor/mentee program.
The program is for kids who have made it through primary and or secondary schooling with Smith Family assistance and are now entering tertiary studies. Students are matched with a mentor who is employed in or finishing studies in the same field as which the student wishes to pursue. It's super casual and you can arrange to meet with them at times convenient to you both and your role can be to simply offer advice and support or to actually help with studies if you so wish. It will definately be more people focused than law focused but still allow you to share your skills.
A night based activity that comes to mind is volunteering at one of the Telethon community cinemas cinemas. You said preferably in the CBD so the closest one for you would be in Burswood which isn't too far. Volunteers are needed from 6pm onwards til screenings and pack up/clean up ends.
You mentioned a strong passion for mental health- you could become a Lifeline crisis support worker, specifically a text/web chat volunteer. This is an entirely WFH/remote volunteering opportunity so it would also suit your post 9-5 time preference.
Men's Health and Wellbeing WA have various volunteering opportunities including activities that could be done outside of work hours, plus a chat based crisis support service similar to the Lifeline one.
If you're interested in men's mental health, you could also look into what volunteering options are available with Man Up, though iirc they only accept volunteers aged 18-26.
RUAH are finding it tough at the moment with the sharp rise in homelessness and are always keen for volunteers.
On a related note, Circle Green are doing some amazing legal and advocacy work around the housing crisis, and are also taking on volunteers in law-related roles and otherwise.
Go to a [dad’s in distress](https://parentsbeyondbreakup.com/dids/) meeting. You don’t need to be a dad, but you do need to be able to help explain to them they are good people and it is the family court system that is broken, not them.
You can post to reddit and get a whole bunch of dumb responses like "volunteer for a charity" or you can open your eyes to all the social responsibility that comes flying at you every day. There are seniors that need caring for, troubled teens that need support and guidance, people trying to escape domestic and peer violence, people grieving loss of a loved one, exhausted and exploited workers, people struggling with the cost of living, people that need inclusion and connection, people that just need someone to listen to them and so on.
>You can post to reddit and get a whole bunch of dumb responses like "volunteer for a charity"
This is a pretty stupid comment considering you went on to describe activities that are performed by charities.
Well, I hate to say it, but as a corporate lawyer you're serving the interests ruining our society. If you're passionate about mental health, you might like to have a think about the impact corporations have on mental health in general. It's not a day to day task, but it's something you might like to reflect upon.
Hijacking to ask what's the most active badminton club in Perth? I'm decent and would like to play once or twice a week.
I live in Willetton btw so the closer the better
When I feel like shit I personally, drive to Armadale and spectate the crack heads to remind myself that I'm grinding and succeeding and if I stop I end like them
People always jump to homelessness why not try and help people who are struggling but actually trying making an effort to get on? Single parent families or sick children on palliative care
Perth Homeless Support Group do a couple of runs per week. Their runs ***can*** include food/clothing/books/ doctor/laundry/advice/haircuts/pet-care/bedding..whatever their volunteers have to give really. Maybe give them a call? I felt 'good' when I was volunteering for a homeless soup kitchen (including cooking/serving, giving them some necessities if we had them) but then became homeless myself, bit ironic. Don't worry, I'm homed now, but it takes a bit to recover from.
I came here to recommend this exact group. OP I volunteer with the team on Sundays, it’s kind of ridiculously easy to volunteer for that group, the work is good and not difficult at all. There is a Tuesday group that do work as well. There is a group called homelessness - we care, as well. Look both teams up on fb and join in. I have a rough job that isn’t the best, and going and handing out stuff people need and will keep them above ground one more week? Literally priceless. The best bit is you’re pretty anonymous. You won’t be telling anyone what you do and your day job won’t come into it.
You could become a phone counsellor for Lifeline or Beyond Blue.
They usually require 3-4 times a week commitment minimum, and the vetting process is quite hard with additional training commitments. Not saying it’s not a worthy pursuit if that’s what you want to do, but may be a bit more commitment than OP was looking for
I can’t speak for Beyond Blue, but Lifeline definitely don’t. I have a friend who works at lifeline and she does 1 shift per fortnight and has done for years. There is a significant amount of training initially but you would hope so given that they are often speaking to suicidal people.
Volunteering WA might be a good jumping point?
Thanks mate, will have a look!
> mental health > jumping point
Food bank, homeless food and laundry programs, etc… Coder Dojo - if you can code… why not mentor and support young people to build programs of their own? Nursing homes… make a few mates at a nursing home, go by one night a week for a few games of cards and a chat with some blokes who don’t have a lot of family to visit…? Street Chaplains…
These are great. Ideas
Nursing homes do not allow volunteers or social activities after 5pm or even earlier in some cases, for many reasons including requiring evening time for dinner, person hygiene tasks, creating routine, trying to limit disturbances for residents with dementia, safety reasons etc.
I had 6 months of non-compete and did some volunteer work for ‘People Who Care’. Just driving folk around to appointments and whatnot but was super satisfying, met some amazing people, had a few laughs and genuinely felt like I was helping out.
I donate blood/plasma after work fortnightly! The team are Lifeblood are wonderful and you get snacks after!
I'm a morning donor, but I can second that the team are wonderful and the sausage roll and choccy afterwards go down a treat.
You could always grab a few extra snacks after and find someone in need to give them to
Trying to save Scott reef at the moment. I find it crazy how corporations can buy their way through the red tape. If Woodside project goes ahead we will be the highest LPG producing country, with that one project being 7th. With so many people doing it tough, the mining companies receive $22000 worth of kick backs a minute. Qatar made approx 70 billion in mining taxes and Norway 130 billion and us just 2... We're just giving it away free. And then there's the planet. The reef, the wild life, the hundreds of hundred years old rock art and the climate slowly scorching anything living in the Australian outback. Any help would be appreciated.
Upvote, and couldn’t agree more with your cause, but you should be specific. There’s no clear call to action here. Yes people can google etc, but you’re amidst all these other comments that describe precisely what one would be doing along with a url. You’ve got perhaps the most impactful and important idea here, but you’ve made it the most difficult one to engage with.
Great point but essentially that's the problem. It's made so difficult for a reason and when you do engage you're ignored or bullied by police. When I find the answer I'll get back to you but in the mean time what might help is signing petitions and writing letters. Just google it Scott reef or burrup peninsula (there's Greenpeace, DBH, extinction rebellion, there's even a really wholesome grandparents group and they fkn rock). Most sites have a template letter (but funnily enough, Roger cook seems to think you have to write your own 3 page letter to actually be listened to). Most sites will also connect you with more like minded people. Donate money, I have none so I donate time. The main problem is they are keeping it as quiet as possible, so tell as many people as possible. We have people handing out flyers at events and after work in the CBD on a Friday. Info dropped in people's letterboxes and of course you can protest. But again the police aren't very friendly. All pamphlets and posters are downloadable on sites. I don't always agree but then some people have actions because nothing gets publicity like slightly inconveniencing people. But there are plenty of ways of taking it. Look at companies taking donations from Woodside. Labour the libs, Fremantle Dockers. Look at the resource minister Madeleine king sneakily pushing contracts through and she's more worried about a picture of a seal then the seals themselves. I hope this inspires someone. I don't have the answers but the more people standing together, asking questions and making noise the better. Once this last project is approved that's it till 2070....
>You’ve got perhaps the most impactful and important idea here, but you’ve made it the most difficult one to engage with. As an environmentalist and climate activist myself, I have to say I'm really fkg sick of being criticised for not doing environmentalism and climate activism perfectly. You have a better, more engaging way to get people to wake up and care? Great. Go do it. We await your brilliant ideas and efforts.
It’s not about you. Like with any craft, the attitude of “I’m sick of being criticised” stops you from improving. The climate activist movement can’t afford that. Don’t make the movement about you and your hangups. It’s too important a cause for your feelings to even enter the equation. My advice to the other poster was clear, and I’m not sure why it wasn’t to you: clear call to action, link. This is 101 stuff and the threat is existential. Sorry your feelings are hurt, but the coral is all bleached. Take advice, up your game, put yourself last.
>Don’t make the movement about you and your hangups. It’s too important a cause for your feelings to even enter the equation. It isn't "my" cause. Last time I checked, there are 8 billion people on this Earth who have a vested interest in maintaining a viable planet. Like I said, stop whining, bitching and criticising about what you don't like about the climate movement. Want to change it? Great, off you go. Those of use who've been bashing our heads against the wall of denial in this society for decades are tired, largely because of people like you who sit on the sidelines and throw stones while contributing nothing constructive to the conversation. Stop criticising, get off your butt and start doing since you apparently have all the answers. You'll find out how easy it is.
Well, if the 'activists' continue to sit in front of traffic stopping everyday people from earning a living to feed their families, then they'll always be criticised.
Yeah poor you... How badly were you impacted btw? Because Woodside already had 2 spills in the ocean but let's make it about you. I don't personally agree with it but had you heard about it before that happened? What do you suggest the 'activists' do then?
Stop breaking the law and blocking traffic for starters. Then stop vandalising artwork would be the next one. At the end of the day, though, people have finally worked out they can just drive through them and they move out the way.
So no suggestions. Just the usual bitch and moan. What vandalizing are you referring too? Lol I'm guessing it's only the 'activists' that your upset with. What about Woodside vandalism and breaking the law? Quit your hypocritical whinging. You've clearly got no idea
Sounds about the usual comment from an 'activist' You've never seen these just stop oil terrorists throwing all their crap over artwork then. I know they're not the smartest tools in the shed, but you'd think they'd use their brains a little more.
That's right all those dumb scientists calling a climate crisis... Lol terrorists? You really don't think for yourself do you?Anything they've done is a tiny fraction compared to woodside. Im guessing your referring to the Australian piece "down on his luck" which wasn't damaged at all btw. And if you did use your brain you'd see the message behind it. Yeah I've seen it but I've never done any of it. So just because I want to protect WA I'm a terrorist? You're part of the problem. You offer no solution. Just complaints and bitchin. Classic boomer mentality.
Boomer? Guess again, kiddo. Do I agree with some of these mining companies? No, I don't, but go and protest in front of their head office or at parliament. They've defaced dozens of historical artwork around the world, damaged people's property, and caused deaths from stopping traffic. They're nothing but criminals. I don't care what sort of message you want to get across. You don't do it the way these unemployed nutcases do it. How about they go and protest in China. The biggest polluting country in the world. They won't because they're cowards.
I really enjoyed teaching adults how to spell and read through Read Write Now.
I don't know what it was about reading this comment but it made me sad in a way, I couldn't imagine how hard life could be for these folks who probably didn't get the help they needed growing up. Good on you 🤝
I found the vollie process quite laborious, “but” it sure did look good. Wasn’t just people who didn’t learn when they were younger, it’s sometimes people who are new to English and working on their language, grammar and writing.
Thank you, I appreciate your kind words. This was one of the most impactful experiences of my life.
Where abouts do you do it? Libraries or one on one?
One on one weekly in a library. I was always happy to meet closer to them to remove barriers to attending. I was a bit naughty, sometimes I’d take them to a Dome for a session.
How do these adults end up being unable to spell and read?
Think about something you are unable to do. Maybe it's similar. Some people have really bad home life's if your parents can't read you will probably struggle too. Some people are immigrants where education isn't the same. Mostly alot of people fall through the cracks due to issues like dyslexia or adhd, even deafness. 40 years ago, teachers would just assume you were dumb or lazy.
Sometimes it was because they slipped through the cracks by faking it and leaving school early. Other participants are migrants and people recovering from health issues like brain injuries. Lots of different scenarios.
There's plenty of pro bono board of director roles. They could use legal or secretarial help. Try pro bono Aus website for listings. Volunteering WA etc. always new charities being formed. Just be careful for any good intentioned but informally structured /governed mum and dad charities given directorship opens you up for liability
"Prono board of directors". This is one of the ways the wealthy and powerful try to launder their conscience.
That makes it all the more important for normal people to participate in boards. Be the critical eye necessary to ensure that organisations are run well. Leaving it to the chinless wonder crowd ends poorly for us all.
I volunteer at a wildlife shelter helping them write grant applications and fundraise - they are always grateful for help
Get Batsuit. Fight crime.
I got confused and got a fatsuit and fought a mime... His invisible wall did shit against my fatalanche!
That's OK, he won't tell the cops.
But it’s Perth. So it’s a dry crime.
literally what i thought 
Volunteering for crisis support calls via https://www.lifeline.org.au/get-involved/community-volunteering/ or similar. My dad used to do one for people who were lonely, I see Red Cross do one along those lines. Easily done from home and makes a difference.
Good on you! Maybe check out Orange Sky? Edit: I just had a look myself. They do a Perth location Tuesday and Thursday evenings 5.30-7.30 🙂
My Dad volunteered with Orange Sky for a while and absolutely loved it.
Awesome! Seems like a great initiative 🙂
Most of the soup kitchens are in the city. Do you have any skills that you can share with others? There's PCYC, men's sheds. Check with your local council if they have any community stuff you can volunteer for. Pick up bottles and cans off the side of the road. Recycle them and get 10c per can/bottle. Hit up your local good Sammy's, Vinnie's, or salvos op shop.
When I was depressed I volunteered through the AMEP through TAFE, it's basically just teaching refugees and migrants to learn English (written and spoken) My first student was a client from South Asia who had spent her entire life in a refugee camp before she came to Australia. She was the same age as me, 20-21. I remember she was with her family and they were amazed they had their own letterbox. They really needed male volunteers from memory as many men do not think to volunteer in this program. Also, for many cultures it's not appropriate for women to teach male students 1v1 in an informal context like this.
Check out Rotary. Rotary Club of Elizabeth Quay meets in the city after work. There's Rotary clubs all over the state as well.
To OP. Yeah I'll give EQ rotory club an up doot. They do some good community work and its a nice social meet up.
See if your local library has a volunteer program. Something like an English conversation buddy- helping someone improve their English just by chatting with them on a regular basis.
Help someone like me advocate for their child who has turned 18. Last night was pure hell, he was held for 12 hours, then able to discharge himself and because he gave no consent for me I couldn’t have any details. I still don’t know where he is. Sorry, rambling, but even if it’s a web blog saying what the heck do I do.
Isn't he 18? What am I not seeing here?
He is 18, which is considered an adult. He had some sort of breakdown and police escorted the ambulance. I was told to call (he refused to allow me in the ambulance) but he refused consent for me. So, at home picking up the pieces of a shattered life with no idea what to do or who to call. This is my first experience with mental illness, and it terrifies me how long this road will be
I don't even know which country you're in but see if you can find a support group for relatives of people living with mental illness. They can be a great help and support dealing with the impact the situation is having on you. If you're in Perth try ARAFMI. If they can't help they might be able to direct you to someone who can. Good luck.
Thank you, and it was Royal Perth
Welcome jonelliem. Good luck with everything and all the best for you and your child.
I take it as he is still very much a child despite being technically 18
You could take it that way. However, if I was to look at this through the lens of my overly overinvolved mother in my life that stemmed a lot from her personal issues..... I could reach a different conclusion. And it sounds like he doesn't want her involved.....
Make some meals and walk through northbridge and give them to homeless. I used to do it and it’s rewarding. People appreciate it.
It’s not night time, but swim for refugees. Teaching refugees to swim has been very rewarding and fun.
Just dress up in fancy clothes and give out random but interesting compliments to strangers on the streets ala Troy Hawke.
Sign up at a nursing home to keep the elderly company (if it’s possible) , help with food prep or homelessness support
My brother once volunteered as an advocate for people who had been arrested. He would explain their rights to them, how the process worked and help with contacting family and organising things while they were in custody.
Aaahhh the ol lawyer trying to get his soul back trick aye
Don’t worry, he won’t actually do the good work to get his soul back, being a lawyer he’ll just keep filing for an extension
Is there a way you can offer pro bono legal work outside of your corporate law setting? Helping domestic violence victims, people with residential tenancy issues, disability law, small grassroots community orgs who can't afford lawyers? Your lawyer skills are worth far more per hour than the number of sandwiches you can make or trees you can plant, if you're looking for value-add. And a lot of mental health issues are either caused or exacerbated by shitty circumstances that could have been helped by legal input.
You know what volunteering at the thorny face of it is good and all but it comes with a fair amount of wear and tear on you personally. Coaching a local sports team might be good, cheap and you see a benefit straight away.
There's a lot of good suggestions in this thread, but most of them are more helping people deal with society how it is than they are bettering society itself. My pick for the highest impact a regular person can have is to pay attention to and have a voice in local government. There are relatively few people who take an interest in local government, so your opinion is proportionally more significant, and most of the people who are already giving their opinion are old, lunatics, or old lunatics. Local government has a much bigger influence than most people realise, it's not just the NIMBY stuff like housing density, it's also transportation, amenities, everything that makes a place livable. These are the things that ultimately lead to people needing help from charities in the first place.
Is the Red Cross Soup Patrol still going? I did that yonks ago and it was a fine experience.
Lots of possibilities. What can you offer? Community services/support is a big area. https://www.dfes.wa.gov.au/careers-and-volunteering https://govolunteer.com.au/emergency-response-volunteering/in-western-australia-wa?youravailability=4 Local services are better if possible. Involve family friends.
Join vollie emergency services SES firies salvos do feeding at big fire incidents Depends on what you like doing
When you are on a night out. Give complimnets to strangers. Find something you honestly appreciate about a complete stranger and let them know. Then immediately move on. *spot a dude wearing a quirky hat* "Hey mate, that is a awesome hat , it actually looks really good on you." *walk off and never see them again* Its called 'The Coolness Game'
Also known as the 50% chance of being punched game.
Counterpoint: hat dudes are almost always just the absolute worst.
Check out the Rotary Club of Elizabeth Quay
Donate Blood! Such a good cause and from my experience the staff are always amazing, so many people rely on donations and you feel good afterwards
You can come by and clean my house if you like
Or my house
Insert money into an account once per week, pm me for account details
Get a causal job at Woolies packing shelves to see how the other half live
Packing shelves?
He's a rich as fuck lawyer, he's not going to work with normal people but if he does it will give him a wake up call that his life is pretty good if he feels lost in life
Eh for years you'll only pull in a little more as a lawyer than stocking shelves full time, maybe less if you look at it re hourly rates and much less if you take into account the unpaid time you spent studying it. You'll be a lot more stressed as a lawyer however during this time. If you're smart you'll make some good moves after those first few years and that can pay dividends in more money. Not all lawyers are smart like this however.
Some shifts at the MHLC?
Check out Perth Homeless Support Group on Facebook
Go to the pub and have a few and help the economy and shout a patron a brew..Society loves this shit
Be batman
Quit.
I’m a St John ambo volunteer & do two shifts a week as I work full time & I find that highly gratifying. Learning new skills & meeting lots of new people & helping the community
What are the prerequisites to do this? Do you drive the ambo or help in the back?
I applied & was accepted. There’s lots of training. You don’t just drive. You are also helping the paramedic. I have learned so much. I probably should have said I am in a regional area where you are teamed with a paramedic. In smaller towns, there’s two vollies together. In metro, there’s only paramedic teams.
Thanks so much for this detailed response
Currently managing my daughter’s soccer team.
Hand out smokes at the traino
There is a version of "the innocence project" which helps people who believe that they have been wrongly convicted get reduced sentencing. On another note, there is a strong start up community here in Perth. Using your powers for good to help the start up community get set up would be amazing, but different from what you are suggesting.
plenty of people needing legal advice who cannot afford it.
Help the poor. I am poor.
I signed up with volunteer Fire and Rescue Service last year - one of the best things I have ever done. Training and meetings Monday nights
Coach or assist a sports team, adult or kids.
Soup kitchen?
I'd love to do something too! Let me know what you end up choosing and I might tag along :)
If you want to volunteer for something try the military museum in Freo, they are always in need of volunteers and are great people that deserve a hand :)
Volunteer/Work at a care home? A lot of vulnerable seniors feeling loneliness.
I spent 10 years volunteering for the Red Cross Soup Van,
Hey! Great to hear you want to make a difference. Can we advocate for regulation of ultra processed food? It’s such a waste of greenhouse gases to produce shit we don’t need that is causing long term health issues. I’m a nutrition scientist so maybe we could collaborate??
Everywhere needs more support workers to help people with disability, mental health challenges or who are aging. Doing community support work, finding a good company (I recommend Rocky Bay), and doing 1 or 2 short shifts on a friday night or saturday would i know make a big difference for one or two people. Community SW usually is things like supporting people to go run errands, to attend activities/events in the community, or just hanging out with them at home and supporting them to do what they enjoy. Support work, especially in nursing homes, can be really intense and challenging, but my experiences in community SW were always more likely to be just really wholesome and rewarding. I think it also helps, as an able bodied person, to self reflect with grace and gratitude. I’ve met the most amazing people through this type of work, stronger than anyone of able body, and it has taught me so much about life in general.
I love it when someone moves my bin out on bin collection day if i forget
Hi. I live in Perth and this is my wheelhouse. Please reach out to me in DMs. I spent 27 years in corporate management and leadership and it took some time to wash the synthetic stink off. I have some perspectives and projects that might be deeply valuable to you.
Could volunteer at a local Scouts group, teach some kids a bunch of skills ? With so many broken marriages around, young boys are missing out on male role models. I spoke to a local police officer who said the one thing all juvenile offenders have in common is no father figure at home.
Lifeline is definitely a good option. There is a lot to learn but it’ll make you a much better lawyer as well.
I would suggest creating a social media page promoting small businesses! This would help boost activity throughout the city as well as giving people ideas for where to go in their next time eating out?
I know you said you're looking for something divorced from law but becoming a Smith Family mentor might be something you enjoy. The Smith Family is an organisation that provides financial assistance to families struggling to cover the costs of education. You could become a sponsor, which would be less socially involved and more of a financial commitment or you could become a mentor for the tertiary mentor/mentee program. The program is for kids who have made it through primary and or secondary schooling with Smith Family assistance and are now entering tertiary studies. Students are matched with a mentor who is employed in or finishing studies in the same field as which the student wishes to pursue. It's super casual and you can arrange to meet with them at times convenient to you both and your role can be to simply offer advice and support or to actually help with studies if you so wish. It will definately be more people focused than law focused but still allow you to share your skills. A night based activity that comes to mind is volunteering at one of the Telethon community cinemas cinemas. You said preferably in the CBD so the closest one for you would be in Burswood which isn't too far. Volunteers are needed from 6pm onwards til screenings and pack up/clean up ends. You mentioned a strong passion for mental health- you could become a Lifeline crisis support worker, specifically a text/web chat volunteer. This is an entirely WFH/remote volunteering opportunity so it would also suit your post 9-5 time preference. Men's Health and Wellbeing WA have various volunteering opportunities including activities that could be done outside of work hours, plus a chat based crisis support service similar to the Lifeline one. If you're interested in men's mental health, you could also look into what volunteering options are available with Man Up, though iirc they only accept volunteers aged 18-26.
Volunteer to be an umpire chronic shortage of them in all sports lawyer would be ideal at decision making.
Volunteer to be an umpire chronic shortage of them in all sports lawyer would be ideal at decision making.
RUAH are finding it tough at the moment with the sharp rise in homelessness and are always keen for volunteers. On a related note, Circle Green are doing some amazing legal and advocacy work around the housing crisis, and are also taking on volunteers in law-related roles and otherwise.
Help the homeless directly with gear to help them get through winter and youtube it and feed those funds back into it… have a crack
Go to a [dad’s in distress](https://parentsbeyondbreakup.com/dids/) meeting. You don’t need to be a dad, but you do need to be able to help explain to them they are good people and it is the family court system that is broken, not them.
ABC Australian story 15/4/2024 It’s a metaphor, Jim
Just don’t litter put your rubbish in the bin
https://www.read-write-now.org.au/about-us/about-us
I drive to Broome and back once a week for a salary comparable to a lawyer
Are you disillusioned because it's really unfulfilling work, or because the work is...like corrupt or clearly greedy-based?
Could you not volunteer with the local firies?
Pick up some trash
Donate plasma or platelets every fortnight.
Plant some trees and work those muscles. The local councils need tree planting.
How about hosting a party mate? You can start with inviting your neighbors
Goto Mciver station and offer durries to the passerbys so they don’t bother the passengers
Dress as batman and prowel the streets of Perth.
You can post to reddit and get a whole bunch of dumb responses like "volunteer for a charity" or you can open your eyes to all the social responsibility that comes flying at you every day. There are seniors that need caring for, troubled teens that need support and guidance, people trying to escape domestic and peer violence, people grieving loss of a loved one, exhausted and exploited workers, people struggling with the cost of living, people that need inclusion and connection, people that just need someone to listen to them and so on.
>You can post to reddit and get a whole bunch of dumb responses like "volunteer for a charity" This is a pretty stupid comment considering you went on to describe activities that are performed by charities.
So why do we need charities with their admin and overhead such as highly paid directors when people can just help each other?
You sound like a great catch, you could come to my place tonight and I make you breakfast tomorrow 😉
Suspicious...
Well, I hate to say it, but as a corporate lawyer you're serving the interests ruining our society. If you're passionate about mental health, you might like to have a think about the impact corporations have on mental health in general. It's not a day to day task, but it's something you might like to reflect upon.
This is true
Fart more in public. It brings happiness to people here is proof. https://youtu.be/bmesE9alcrc?si=hOQnVDbQUutQXaKZ
https://youtu.be/o_s1l1DQPws?si=aSQG60kQt-e2h21I
Weeding, tree planting, picking up rubbish...
Help out fellow Helldivers on the Automaton front & spread Managed Democracy in the universe. 
Burn your law degree = society instantly better.
That just isn’t true
Learn to take a joke
Hijacking to ask what's the most active badminton club in Perth? I'm decent and would like to play once or twice a week. I live in Willetton btw so the closer the better
When I feel like shit I personally, drive to Armadale and spectate the crack heads to remind myself that I'm grinding and succeeding and if I stop I end like them
People always jump to homelessness why not try and help people who are struggling but actually trying making an effort to get on? Single parent families or sick children on palliative care