Charlotte Monardo

Why do you feel it’s important to volunteer? 

Volunteering is important as it offers much needed support to not-for-profit services, people in need, and the wider community we live in.

How does volunteering benefit you? 

Doing good for others and the community, creates a natural sense of accomplishment and a sense of public pride. Being retired, volunteering keeps me engaged with my roots in children’s mental health and allows me to keep connected with my community. 

Research shows that volunteering provides for a sense of purpose and benefits physical and mental health.

The theme for this year’s National Volunteer Week is ‘Volunteering is Empathy in Action’. What does that statement mean to you? 

The theme “Volunteering is Empathy in Action” affirms for me the strong connection between volunteerism and empathy. Volunteers at Rebound Child and Youth Services demonstrate empathy in all they do, and every volunteer activity contributes to Rebound’s strategic action plan to best serve children, youth, and their families of Northumberland County.

Have you learned anything about yourself from being a volunteer? About others? About the world? 

I’ve learnt that when you volunteer not only are you contributing to the welfare of the community but my responsibility as a volunteer, enhances the lives of others and to me personally. Understanding others, helps me understand myself, and the community around me.

In a world where we expect to be compensated (paid) for the work we do, what value is there to volunteering? 

Helping others is a compassion to those who are in need and should not have a monetary value.  Compensation comes from a job well-done to help others.

What advice would you give someone who is thinking about volunteering?  

When considering volunteering, weigh up the interest of the organization, the services it provides to its clients, that you have the skills, time and commitment and the reasons why you are offering yourself to volunteer.