Volunteering in Sydney: Fun, meaningful and a great way to learn more about your team members

Taking an obligatory team selfie: Kevin, Ian, Julie, Auvik, Hannah, Celia and Michelle

On an unseasonably cold, windy and rainy day at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, Seven of our volunteers had the absolute joy of taking part in an improv day made possible through an introduction from TekFoundation (and the amazing Joni) and what a full on few hours it was.

Hosted by Julie from Playful Purpose, Ted from Anima Learning and Raymond from F-act Training Coaching, the workshop was designed to help train facilitators "in applying the insights and practices of skilful improvisation in other non-theatrical settings" helping build our team connection.

That meant jumping in, saying yes, getting a little silly, thinking on our feet, and laughing a lot more than we expected. It was playful, surprising, and full of laughter, but it also reminded us of something important: volunteering teaches you how to work with people in the real world.

Julie the "tree" and Kevin the "apple"

Volunteering is often talked about as a way to help others, but it is also a brilliant way to have fun, learn new skills and connect with people from all walks of life.

What made the day so special was how quickly improv breaks down barriers. It gets people out of their heads, into the moment, and connecting with each other in a way that feels playful, energising, and surprisingly freeing. There’s something powerful about being invited to take risks, back each other up, and just have fun without worrying about getting it perfect.

For anyone considering volunteering in Sydney, this is a great reminder that volunteering is not only worthwhile because of what you give. It is worthwhile because of what you learn too. It helps you grow in confidence, build stronger people skills and experience the joy that comes from doing something meaningful with others.

A huge thank you to Joni at TekFoundation for making the introduction, and to Playful Purpose for creating such a warm, engaging, and joy-filled experience. We came along as the practice crowd, but left with a real appreciation for how improv can build confidence, connection, and a whole lot of fun and a wonderful reminder that volunteering can be joyful, practical, and one of the best ways to learn how to work well with people from all kinds of backgrounds.

If this was the training ground, we can only imagine how amazing these facilitators are going to be!

What we aimed for...

What we ended with...