Lifeline’s retail outlet in Wollongong. The organisation is looking for volunteers for its new seven-day-a-week shop in Kiama. Photo: Region Illawarra.
Lifeline South Coast is opening a new retail store in Kiama later this year, the group’s first outlet to operate seven days a week.
The organisation has put out the call for volunteers to work in the shop and CEO Renee Green said there were a variety of roles and days to suit everyone.
“No previous retail experience is required, just a passion for helping others,” she said.
“We’re looking for about 30 or 40 volunteers and there are a range of roles. That can include working in our dock area receiving donations, it can be around sorting and pricing donations and we also have volunteers who work in the shops, doing customer service.
“We’re aware that most volunteers choose to volunteer one day a week so that’s one reason we need such a big team to enable people to volunteer in a way that suits their lifestyle and all their other commitments.”
All funds raised in Lifeline shops stay locally to support services in the Illawarra, Shoalhaven and South Coast.
Lifeline had operated a small shop in Kiama many years ago, but Renee said it was closed when it was no longer a sustainable model. It was also difficult to support and supervise volunteers.
“We’re now at a stage where the demand from our community for our services just continues to grow,” she said.
“An opportunity came up in Kiama for us to open a lovely big shop where we’ll have a large volunteer team and they’ll be supported by a team leader on-site.
“We’re ordering all the shop fittings and things we need and getting the shop stocked and ready for opening on 1 July.
“Our other shops are busy sorting and holding on to stock for us ready for opening, but in terms of the ongoing sustainability of the shops, we will be looking to the local community for donations.
“When we’re up and running we will certainly be sending a call out to the community for their donations.
“We’re after anything that people would look at and think they’d be happy to give that to a friend or a neighbour, so things that are still of good quality, in good condition.”
The new shop, at 116 Terralong Street opposite Kiama Leagues Club, has a dock area at the rear where people will be able to drop off donations.
The store won’t be taking furniture or electrical goods.
Renee said the demand for Lifeline’s services continued to grow and the organisation was in the process of expanding and introducing new support options.
“Our phone services are seeing increased levels of demand; we’re regularly taking over 2500 calls a month,” she said.
“Funds raised from our shops go towards making sure our volunteers on the phones are really well trained, supported and supervised in their role.
“We’re also offering a new service, called Connect Hubs, which takes what we do on the phones to an in-person service so people can drop in.
“There’s no appointment needed, no referrals needed. They can come in and have a chat to somebody about whatever it is that’s causing them worry or distress. We can chat with them about how they move through that, which might include referrals to local services, or it might be that just a chat is enough.”
The Connect Hub is currently on Thursdays at Wollongong Library from noon to 3 pm. From Thursday 4 June, a new hub will operate at Stockland Shellharbour.
“Our hope is that we’ll continue to expand those hubs throughout our geography over the coming years,” Renee said.
“We also have our Eclipse support groups, which is a support group for survivors of suicide attempt and later in this year, we’ll be starting a bereavement support group, a drop-in support group for people who have been impacted by the loss of a loved one.”
Five information sessions will be held in May for volunteers to learn more about roles in the new shop, starting on Tuesday 12 May. Click here to register your interest. For more information about Lifeline’s services and operations in the Illawarra and South Coast, click here.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can contact Lifeline’s 24-hour crisis support line – 13 11 14, or Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467.
