Arafmi Volunteer Profile: Julie As part of National Volunteer Week (19–25 May), Arafmi Communications Officer Lilly Provenzano sat down with one of our volunteers, Julie, to reflect on her experience as a carer support group facilitator. Can you tell us a little about yourself as a Volunteer for Arafmi? I’m a 54-year-old Mum to 3 beautiful, strong women in their 20s. I’ve been a single Mum for 20 years and have only just been able to buy my own unit. I might have to work for another 30 years to pay it off, but it will all be worth it!!! What inspired you to volunteer with Arafmi as a support group facilitator? I had been coming to the New Farm meeting for approx. 7 years. The meetings had been run by Ailsa Whitehead for a very long time but unfortunately she lost her eyesight (in her early 90s) after having a stroke and was no longer able to facilitate. She had mentioned prior to the stroke that she could ‘fall off the perch’ at any time and wanted to know that her beloved New Farm group would continue without her at the helm. I fell into this role never thinking

Arafmi Volunteer Profile: Helen As part of National Volunteer Week (19–25 May), Arafmi Communications Officer Lilly Provenzano sat down with one of our volunteers, Helen, to reflect on her experience as a carer support group facilitator. 1. What motivated you to become a support group facilitator at Arafmi?I had been attending support groups for five to six years, participating as a carer myself. I was inspired. I have much admiration for them and observed the facilitators and staff clearly during this time. They were so clever and kind navigating big groups and people in trauma. The opportunity arose so I put my hand up. 2. Can you describe what typical support group sessions look like?Typically, they are varied in age, gender and circumstance. At my group, we see parents, serving long-term partners, sometimes both parents – different dynamics. Every support group session has an informal welcome, a check-in for newbies and then the more practical things like name badges. We welcome people, there are beverages. We do an Acknowledgement to Country.We spend time explaining the guidelines that the two-hour conversations operate under. We may talk about the time that every person gets to share – that there is no interrupting.