Brigid King

During my first year of university I volunteered for a youth group called the Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC). As a member of the Schools Team, it was our job to run presentations in schools, as well as coordinate workshops and summits that helped educate students on climate change and sustainability. I met a lot of inspirational people through this experience.

This experience added to my employability through the opportunities to improve my public speaking skills at many school presentations. I learned how to communicate with young people in a way that was engaging and entertaining whilst still communicating the message. During the second half of the year I held a leadership position within the AYCC, which involved coordinating a group of mentors. The experience afforded me the opportunity to develop my leadership skills further while learning how to work efficiently as part of a team. I also mentored a school environment group, which was a lot of fun and very rewarding. One achievement of this group was to launch a school environment program now called “Switched on Schools.”

I am passionate about the issue of climate change and I think that schools are very good at educating students on the issues but it is sometimes difficult for students to determine initiatives that are possible within a school structure. It was our role to inspire students to take action within their school community. I think it’s important to seek out volunteer opportunities, both for personal growth and the chance to share your skills and passions with others.

Also, I volunteered at the Royal Brisbane Children’s Hospital for about a year. This has been my absolutely favourite volunteer position. Our job is to go in once a week for a few hours and play with the kids! The best part about this role is that it is instantly rewarding to see the children smile and know that you might have had some small part in helping them cope with their situation. The position has been challenging at times but I have met supportive and caring people through this role, as well as developed my teamwork skills and my ability to communicate with people from diverse backgrounds. As I will be studying medicine next year it is beneficial to gain experience in a hospital environment. I now have a similar position at the Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital.