Going for Gold: Interview with Sydney Airport's Gold Ambassador Rhonda Miller
By Vanessa McQuarrie
Travelling to Australia can be stressful and airports must be one of the most exciting, albeit emotional, places on earth. Yet visitors to Sydney Airport can rely on help from a team of dedicated volunteers, the Gold Ambassadors, if things aren't quite going according to plan.
These smartly-dressed men and women in their gold-coloured clothing provide general information about check-in, transport, airport facilities and accommodation. If travellers are lost and feeling fragile after a long flight, they are politely assisted with the correct information.
Rhonda Miller, a Gold Ambassador for the past five years, finds the job highly satisfying and stimulating. "It's a constant learning curve because every day is different," she explained. "You get different problems all the time and, if you can't solve them, you have to know where to send people so the problem will be solved."
The volunteers see it all – people who have lost their passports, had their flights cancelled or just need directions. Often travellers arrive expecting to be picked up at the airport but find nobody there to meet them.
"They come in with no contact details of anyone and there's no one there to meet them, and they can't speak any English. So, we find someone who can speak the language, console them, do a bit of social work."
These new arrivals are often placated by having someone calm to talk with. Rhonda said: "We can give them a cup of coffee and tell them things will be all right."
It's certainly a job for you if you describe yourself as a 'people person'. "If you don't like people, forget it!" Rhonda laughed. "You've got to be prepared to 'jolly' people who might be a bit bristly to start with. You can't afford to get bristly back. You've got to calm them down."
Most of the Ambassadors are retired business people or people who have worked with the public. Rhonda applied for a position with the program after reading an article in a newspaper. She had recently retired from working as an interviewer with the Australian Bureau of Statistics. "I thought it looked like a nice job, working with people."
Clearly, Rhonda's not alone in this opinion. The Gold Ambassador Program was introduced before the Sydney Olympics in 2000, and has been highly successful. There is now a waiting list of people who want to be involved.
When accepted, Rhonda did a week's training and then started as a trainee, working alongside an experienced Gold Ambassador for three months. "Then you're on your own!"
The volunteers work in several venues at Sydney Airport. There's a desk in arrivals and two in departures. A Gold Ambassador is also available to direct people to transport options and domestic transfers. During busy times, they work in the arrival and departures area of the terminals, as well as the main sections.
Shifts average four hours and the Ambassadors commit to at least two, and sometimes three shifts, every week between 6 am and 10 pm. They vary their busy environment by working at each terminal and so they quickly become well acquainted with the 'human traffic' and the airport. The busiest time is the morning shift between 6am and 10am.
As well as representing the airport, the volunteers are ambassadors for Sydney. People who have a daylong wait between flights often approach Rhonda. "I always suggest they go to Circular Quay and walk around the Opera House. You suggest something they can do for the day and they're very grateful for that."
After each shift, the volunteers often meet. "We have a coffee and a bit of a debrief. Sometimes interesting things have happened, or you get caught up with people's emotions. The goodbyes, and problems … sad things happen, happy things happen."
Sydney Airport offers a First Aid course to the Ambassadors which, thankfully, they've never had to use. "And hopefully we never will!" said Rhonda. They receive free parking during their shifts, and are paid a $15 allowance daily to cover petrol and expenses. Those who take public transport to work have their fares reimbursed. Sydney Airport also hosts an annual dinner for the volunteers and a Christmas party.
Moreover, the daily rewards of meeting and helping people are great. "That's why it's one of the few volunteer jobs around with a waiting list," Rhonda said.
More information
To enquire about the Gold Ambassadors, please visit www.sydneyairport.com.au or
phone (02) 9667 9111.
The Centre
for Volunteering [ABN 28 002 416 024]
Level 2, 228 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000
T: 02 9261 3600 | F: 02 9261 4033 | E: info@volunteering.com.au
www.volunteering.com.au