This year’s theme for National Volunteer Week was "Something for Everyone", which recognised the many different talents and passions that people bring to volunteering. We know that across all of our programs, this is very much the case here at Doncare with 219 volunteers using their expertise as counsellors, community support workers, retail assistants, warehouse workers, family violence recovery mentors, social support volunteers and in administration.

At Doncare’s 55^th Anniversary Celebration and Volunteer Recognition event, Board Chair, Andrew Asten announced the nominations for the Volunteer of the Year.

• Ruth Rankin – Administration
• Stan Pasztetnik – Social Support
• Ange Bishop – Counselling
• Carole Poole - DAWN
• Maree and Frank Quattrocchi – Op Shops

Doncare congratulates the 2025 Volunteer of the Year Award recipients, Maree and Frank Quattrocchi from the Op Shops and Ange Bishop from the Counselling program.

Ange Bishop WINNER

Angela started as a student on placement from ACAP in Feb 2023 after completing her Grad Diploma in Counselling. After completing her placement in August 2023, she continued to volunteer as an established counsellor while completing her Masters in Counselling and Psychotherapy.

Ange travels by bus to Doncare from across the city two days a week. Even though she is an established volunteer counsellor, she still comes to Doncare two days a week as opposed to only the one day required.

Ange has provided more than 350 hours of client counselling sessions with many of her clients being seen for over 50 sessions. Not only does this generate income for Doncare but it shows the exceptional professional counselling work that Ange provides.

She continues with her professional development attending webinars and training and then generously shares resources with all the other counsellors as well as providing support and mentorship. She has also recommended Doncare to her peers.

One of her clients provided a glowing feedback report on her counselling experience with Ange with quotes that included things such as "I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have had the privilege of working with such an outstanding counsellor, whose impact on my life has been nothing short of transformational'

Frank and Maree Quattrocchi WINNERS

Maree and Frank Quattrocchi, a couple with a heart for service, have been steadfast volunteers with our op shop program for over half a decade. They are not only pillars of our Templestowe team, but they consistently outperform the standard expectations of an op shop volunteer. Frank, a retired electrician still accredited, willingly lends his skills, performing free electrical work across our Op Shops, building shelves, clearing roof gutters, waterproofing. clearing rubbish and ensuring the safety of our customers and volunteers. Frank and Maree were there every day after the Templestowe flood, tirelessly working to mitigate the loss of stock and ensuring no further damage was caused by the carpet dryers. They have been key contributors to Templestowe's financial success and dedicated countless hours helping set up the Tunstall Square shop. I also want to acknowledge the contributions of Malcolm, John, Bruce, Lyn, and my father, Brian Corbett. Whilst all but Brian have been previously been awarded Volunteer of the Year, I cannot really nominate my Dad! Love you Dad!

In addition to supporting the Tunstall Square opening, Frank also helped with the Mitcham store's closure, uninstalling our security system, and assiduously vacuuming the premises. Maree exemplifies the spirit of a devoted op shop volunteer, always prioritizing customer service and staff safety, and stepping up to fill shifts regardless of her personal circumstances. As I reflect on their selfless dedication, I cannot think of two more deserving nominees for this year's Volunteer of the Year award.

Nominees

Ruth Rankin commenced as an Admin volunteer in 2024. Ruth is enthusiastic in investigating better ways we could capture and analyse data. She is willing to research different platforms to try and find the best method of actioning things. Her insight into volunteering is appreciated. Ruth is happy to assist with other programs and activities as they arise.

Charles Chung has volunteered with the program since 2021, offering his active support and valuable time to our weekly Chinese Walking Group. Charles is a very reliable, committed, and enthusiastic volunteer who recognises and appreciates the value of his role. Charles is always happy to put his hand up when extra assistance is needed. Charles communicates regularly with the Social Support Team and contributes valuable insights into program review and planning. Charels also provided the team invaluable advice as he helped to explore a new vehicle that was fit-for-purpose for the Social Support and ACVVS program.

Stan Pasztetnik has volunteered with Doncare since 2021, supporting our weekly Friday Friends Group. Stan is highly regarded by the Social Support Program team and is recognised for his reliability and commitment to the program. Stan commits his time every week without fail and is always ready to perform his volunteer duties. Stan provides vital transport and social interaction to our socially isolated participants, contributing to the popularity of this group and to the obvious satisfaction of the participants.

Carol Poole has supported 3 DAWN clients. We are nominating Carol for Volunteer of the Year in recognition of her outstanding dedication to her DAWN clients. Carol has gone above and beyond in supporting her DAWN clients, providing not only practical assistance but also emotional support and empowerment to help her clients in family violence recovery.

Carol is compassionate and committed to fostering genuine recovery. She brings a unique blend of skills and empathy, offering person-centered support that respects her client’s individual journey. She understands the complex dynamics of family violence and prioritizes creating a safe, respectful environment. Carol takes a quiet, easy-going, and compassionate approach that helps her clients feel valued, respected, and motivated to move forward, even through the most challenging circumstances. Carol has also played an important role in guiding new volunteers by sharing her experience. Her commitment to ethical practices, and dedication to continuous learning have made a lasting impact on her clients. Carol embodies the compassion and empathy needed and exemplifies the spirit of volunteerism that we aim to foster.