Peter Batcheler: Volunteer Tour Guide with the ABC
"I get an enormous amount of satisfaction from the role of Tour Guide at the ABC. I am providing a service that would not necessarily be available for the community and am working with like-minded people. I like being active and involved, keeping my mind sharp, imparting knowledge, meeting and talking with people – no real pressure, just plain having a good time".
After I retired, I did some travelling overseas and had an interest in sailing. That was about 1996/97. As I was very active during my working career and had finished painting the house, I found I had plenty of time on my hands, so I decided to apply for a volunteer pre-Olympics position as a trainer for ORTA and later followed this with another job as an National Olympic Committee driver for the Indonesion Chief de Mission as well as their team members. I enjoyed the both these experiences even though the hours were extremely long.
After the Olympics, I read an article in an Olympic publication that said there were lots of volunteering positions available. I noticed that Wesley Mission was looking for volunteers. It said something like "what happens after the games?" I volunteered at Wesley for four years and was recognised and earned a Volunteer of the Year Award. Then I had about nine months off before ringing The Centre for Volunteering.
During my working career, I was involved in senior management. Initially I applied for a driving position, but the interviewer I spoke with had different ideas. While working as a volunteer with Wesley Mission, I reported to the manager of volunteering services and his assistant. In the beginning, my role was to assist in the interviewing of prospective volunteers and placing them. However, later I prepared statistics, performed research and developed procedures. As well, I assisted in the distribution of aid and drove cars.
I found my current role as a Tour Guide with the ABC by visiting The Centre for Volunteering website and completed an online application form. The Centre returned my phone call the same day and, from memory, the caller proposed the role at the ABC and said it might be a suitable and interesting position for me. I commenced work at the ABC in October 2005.
We are rostered to work one day per week and the primary duty is to conduct one or two tours a day around the facilities of the ABC. Secondary duties of the team of volunteers sharing this role include ensuring the smooth running of the program by assisting with some of the administrative tasks such as making up tour bags, printing name tags and checking tour routes for safety.
Did Peter inspire you to volunteer? Find out how you can become a volunteer.