Interview with Mary

Q.1 Current use of time

My week is pretty busy. I look after my two grandchildren on Tuesdays and Wednesdays while
my daughter works. I suppose that could even be considered volunteering. On Thursday and
Friday mornings I do the trolley at !a"areth #ouse$ which is a home for the elderly. The rest of
the time I cook and clean and potter in the garden. My son has separated from his wife and he is
living with me for now$ so I look after him too.
Q.1a Feelings about current time use?
How do you feel about your time use now? Does it fit with your goals? Are there other things
youd like to fit in?
I really en%oy my time at !a"areth #ouse because a few of my friends volunteer as well and we
can catch up. Its pretty fle&ible and friendly. If I cant do my turn on the trolley$ one of my
friends can usually do it for me so it doesnt feel too much like a burden$ %ust so long as we
organi"e it efficiently it gets done. I havent really thought about my goals but I think I would
like to travel a bit more but my commitments make that a bit tricky.
Q.2 Time use ten years on
lease think ahead! to your life ten years from now. How does your use of time look then?
"#hat will your goals be then? #ill you be em$loyed? #hat will you do when you are not
working%?&
Ten years from now' I dont think that far ahead. Ill probably be on the other end of the trolley
by then( I hope to keep volunteering for as long as I can and Ill always want to be involved in
my kids and grandkids lives)not too involved though)
Q.2a Feelings about future time use?
Does it fit with your goals? Do you e'$e(t to have enough time to do what you want to do?
I suppose I could always make time to travel) my kids are always telling me to take some trip
or other but sometimes I feel like I have too many responsibilities to %ust take off. I think I will
have enough time to do what I want to do but as I get older I probably wont be able to do as
much.
Q.3 Volunteer work means?
)olunteer work* what does that $hrase mean to you?
I guess its work that you dont get paid for. *nd it usually involves helping the community in
some way.
Q.4 Volunteering experience
Have you done any volunteer work?
+es I have been volunteering for the past five years at a nursing home.
#hat did you do! and when?
Well I use to do Meals On Wheels in the late ,-./s and for past five years I have been at the
nursing home.
How was the e'$erien(e?
Meals On Wheels was fine but the friend I worked with got very ill and couldnt do it anymore
so I sort of lost interest)that sounds terrible doesnt it' The thing is$ you have to have a social
reason to do it. Otherwise sometimes you feel why are you doing this$ youre %ust a tiny drop in
the bucket.
#ould you do more in future?
+es I like to keep busy.
Q.5 !at sorts of people "olunteer?
*ll sorts of people I suppose. I guess most people who volunteer are retired and have the time to
spend on it. *lthough my son is still working and volunteers at the local cricket club so I suppose
you dont have to be older. Where I volunteer there are many women like me who had relatives
0my Mum was there1 at the nursing home and visited regular)When their relatives passed away
they continued coming to help out$ maybe %ust to keep in touch. Many of us are widows and we
en%oy the social side of volunteering.
Q.5a Typical volunteer worker?
+an you des(ribe a ty$i(al volunteer?
2robably someone who has time and is financially secure enough that they can work without
making money. One typical worker is probably the older woman in her 3/45/s. They are the ones
that I have most involvement with. Many of us also spend time looking after grandkids but that
doesnt get recogni"ed much. +ou wouldnt call that volunteer work would you 6 %ust Mums
there(
*nother type are those people who volunteer for things like the Olympics and 7ommonwealth
games$ they seem to come from all age groups but I dont know any of them personally. I think
they are marvelous and they make the events go smoothly. They probably get more publicity
than other volunteers 6 and they get more out of it$ free tickets and that.
I suppose like my son$ there are 8uite a few men who volunteer for sporting clubs$ usually when
they have kids that are playing. I think that is great too. The kids love having their 9ad around
and the 9ad gets to spend a bit of time with the kids. I suppose women do it too but it doesnt
seem as common$ or maybe not noticed 6 theyre %ust there$ washing up in the kitchen(
Q.# $ewar%s for "olunteer work
#hat do you think motivates volunteers? "#hat do they get out of it?&
Well for me there is the social side of seeing my friends and also feeling good about helping the
older people we work with. *lso it is a connection with my Mum who I still miss. The nursing
home isnt %ust an institution it is where my lovely Mum spent her final years$ so I guess I have a
personal attachment. +ou often hear about people who have had an illness or lost a child or
whatever$ they end4up volunteering for a related cause. My friends daughter lost a baby and now
she volunteers for a group that helps these poor parents cope.
Q.6a Incentives for volunteering?
#hat in(entives should be offered for volunteering?
Well I know money isnt appropriate but I think there should be more public recognition for the
work that volunteers do. Maybe if youre a registered volunteer you should have concessions for
things like transport.
If you were volunteering your time! how would you like to be thanked?
The :isters at the nursing home put on a morning tea to thank all the volunteers and that is really
lovely. +ou know theyre not taking you for granted.
Do you think volunteers should be $aid for their (osts?
Well I dont really have any costs but for people who have to travel and use petrol they should be
compensated$
Q.& images of "olunteers
Id like to show you some $hotos of volunteers at work. ,or ea(h! $lease give your thoughts
about the situation and the $eo$le! what you think of their (ontributions and of their motivations.
Interviewer* show Images of )olunteers (ard.
Q.a !onservation in "ri #anka
-our thoughts about .ouise and her volunteer work?
I think it is great to see young people helping out in these poor countries. I often wonder how
they do it financially. I think they are very brave and should be congratulated. ;ut then they see
it as adventure$ dont they' 2robably dont reali"e how risky these places are.
Q.b $ousing in $on%uras
-our thoughts about /oss and the work he is doing?
<ike <ouise in the photo above I think its great that young people give their time to these
pro%ects. :ometimes I wonder why all this wonderful work is done overseas' I guess$ for young
people$ volunteering at home isnt as e&citing' !o adventure in it' I dont mean to sound critical$
but would they help in a nursing home here'
Q.c Foo% program in &elbourne
-our thoughts about 0atie and her volunteer work?
Well =atie is more in my age bracket it looks like she is working at a homeless shelter. It is
marvellous that there is someone to look after these people. I would be a little frightened to work
in a place like that because you never know who you will meet. :ome of the people off the street
can be pretty aggressive and unpredictable. :he looks happy though$ good on her.
Q.' ()out yourself
lease fill in the following details*
+our gender' Female
+our age' 3/>
+our current %ob' ?etired
9o you e&pect to be employed in ,/ years time' !o
+our highest level of education' :econdary
#ave you ever done volunteer work' +es
9o you currently do any volunteer work' +es
If you have done volunteering$ what sort of
organi"ation have you volunteered for'
Meals on wheels and !a"areth !ursing
#ome.
What sort of an organi"ation would you most like to
volunteer for'
I like working with old people so$ aged
care or some such. :ome place that
recogni"es you$ youre a person to them$
not %ust the Tuesday lady.