Time is a Gift

Hannah Weickhardt

Two values I see demonstrated regularly in our community are welcoming and inviting everyone into our community and helping each other where we can. I see these demonstrated in the vast array of volunteers we host.

Regardless of their background, level of experience or time commitment, many different people engage as part of the volunteer team. Everyone is welcome. Some people have been here for years - feeding stomachs from the kitchen, 'shazamming' the shop, assisting with upgrades to the building. Some people only help out for a couple of weeks - they stay in temporary accommodation, aren’t in paid work and would like something to do with their time. Some people come in as part of a corporate group and serve hot drinks, chat to community members and walk away energised after doing practical work for a day.

Volunteering is also a space where people help when they can and how they can. It can be one day a year, one day a month, one day a week or even multiple days each and every week. It can involve food preparation, shop organisation, cleaning, decorating, etc.. The volunteers bring such different skill sets and levels of experience that combine to form what is known to so many as Sydney Streetlevel Mission.

Seeing how volunteers work and interact is also an important reminder that our time is not always our own, it can be a gift to others. This kind of gift far exceeds the gifts that come in December as it is a gift that can be given all year round.