A sense of purpose and belonging

Rhea volunteers as a Marketing Assistant with Circability

Why did you decide to volunteer?
I moved to Auckland in October 2017 and had time on hand before I was eligible to work in the country. As someone who was new to the city, I found it important to understand and align myself with Kiwi culture.

I was looking for a forum in which I could meet people, stay active and contribute towards a purpose. I discovered the Volunteering Auckland website and searched for opportunities to make an impact on the local community.

Why did you choose this particular organisation?
I came across the marketing assistant volunteer role at Circability Trust. Browsing through Circability’s website I found out about their vision, core values and programmes. Since I had a marketing degree and relevant work experience I thought it would be a great fit for me.

The aim is for people with disabilities to develop social and personal development skills through circus while creating a safe, inclusive and well-aware society. Circability promotes inclusivity within the community by encouraging all ages and all abilities to learn and share circus skills.

To me, that was truly representative of Auckland as a city where diversity is celebrated and inclusivity is endorsed. I got in touch with the founders of Circability, Frances Kelliher and Thomas Hinz and expressed my interest in joining their volunteer team.

What is it you really enjoy about your role and volunteering?
I did not have much knowledge about Circus before I joined Circability but today I can list the circus skills we teach, the benefits they provide and what our organisation has achieved. As with any marketing or advertising role I had to familiarise myself with the services Circability provides and the people who make it all possible.

While this was a new challenge for me, it has also proven to be a rewarding experience. I’ve enjoyed the marketing and planning meetings as much as I’ve loved to see people have fun at our community circus events. By being a part of the Circability Whanau, this volunteer role has helped me develop a sense of purpose and belonging here in Auckland.

What difference do you feel you are making to the organisation and the people you are supporting?
As a part of the team, I have been able to improve the level of planning and organisation required for marketing our programmes and events. I have contributed towards the creative process of developing event posters, managing Circability’s social media accounts and redesigning our website.

Circability continues to develop new ideas for events that allow people from all walks of life to socialize and learn circus skills. This past summer we successfully co-hosted Circus in the Park with many participants and received inspiring feedback from them to host in 2019 again. Circability is proud of its ability to stay true to its vision of inclusivity and we see people it in the weekly programmes and the events we organise every term.

Find out more about volunteering at Circability Trust