Volunteer story by Rucha

Please share a brief overview on yourself:

I am Rucha with a background in Master of Public Health and an undergraduate degree in Dentistry – I am passionate about Oral Health and Public Health!

What inspired you to become a LiverWELL volunteer?

I have been looking for volunteer opportunities for a long time to enhance my skills in health promotion and public health in general. While looking for volunteering opportunities, I came across LiverWELL and found it an ideal opportunity to work with a reputed organisation. A positive and quick response from the team motivated me further to volunteer with LiverWELL. After joining this organisation I learned my friend had also volunteered there when it was called Hepatitis Victoria.

Do you have a particular interest in liver health?

I have been even more interested in the health promotion side of liver health since I attended an education session run by the LiverWell team. It was amazing to learn how health promotion principles were applied in real-life scenarios to address broader social determinants.

Please describe one of your favourite LiverWELL experiences or moments.

I enjoyed participating in the events and tasks I volunteered for during the past 6 months. Especially my first community engagement session at the Giong festival with Maddie (Health Promotion Officer) I learnt a lot of little things from Maddie, such as how to effectively communicate about Hepatitis to the community audience.

I also realised how powerful fun engagement sessions (like games and activities) can be in bringing awareness to the community.

What tips do you have for new volunteers?

I will just say to take as many opportunities to volunteer as you possibly can and give it 100%. Enjoy your time with lovely people, – they are the nicest bunch of people!

What’s next for you?

Presently I am searching for a job in the Health Promotion and Evaluation space. In the meantime, I intend to gain as much real-world experience as I can through volunteering.