Meet Mid Coast Outreach Incorporated

Tell us about Mid Coast Outreach Incorporated. What is your mission?

Mid Coast Outreach Incorporated (MCOI) supports anyone in crisis across the Mid Coast LGA, covering 90,000 square kilometres. Its mission is to relieve poverty and distress in rural and regional communities, especially during personal or environmental crises.

Tell us about Mid Coast Outreach Incorporated.

MCOI helps rural and isolated people impacted by the 2019 bushfires, floods, and the COVID pandemic. It offers food relief, clothing, household items, free counselling, referrals, and recovery support.

What are your programs and initiatives?

Programs include home visits, COVID-related deliveries, and a community drop-in centre providing refreshments, internet access, washing facilities, and general support for vulnerable people.

Other initiatives:

• Buddy System
• Fresh Food Friday hampers
• The Garden Exchange
• Bush Library
• Time Out
• Disaster relief
• Grants and referrals
• Laundry services
• Government and NGO connection

Volunteers also reach isolated communities where no welfare facilities or recovery help is available to those impacted by disasters. These services are provided by local community volunteers overseen by Mid Coast Outreach Incorporated Head Office.

How do your volunteers make a difference in the community?

MCOI is 100% volunteer-run, including a charity Op Shop that helps to fund operations and supplies. MCOI is only operational due to the commitments of volunteers – everyone from Head Office to the newest recruit.

MCOI likes its rural outposts to be run by volunteers from that community. Every rural community has different needs, and only those living there truly understand them in order to deliver true community support in that area.

All volunteers are approachable and trusted community members who are dedicated to helping those in need. When living in rural areas, if you do not have money for food, you would certainly not have money for petrol to get help. The volunteers bring help, in the shape of MCOI, to them.

Do you have any stories from your volunteers?

One volunteer joined after surviving domestic violence and a housefire. MCOI was the only group that helped. Volunteering rebuilt their confidence and helped them return to work and support others – including those going through similar experiences.

What resources and services from The Centre for Volunteering have supported your volunteer involvement?

The Centre for Volunteering has been a vital support and like a big brother to MCOI, offering legal referral advice, adding MCOI’S volunteering positions to its Find a Volunteer webpage, and providing general guidance. It has helped MCOI grow and manage volunteers more effectively.

Why did your organisation become a member of The Centre? What benefit has it brought?

As MCOI rapidly expanded due to repeated disasters, it needed expert support. The Centre for Volunteering helped guide policy, procedures, confident decision-making and provided valuable advice to manage volunteers effectively.

What have you learned about the value of volunteering and volunteer management?

Volunteers have diverse motivations and capacities. MCOI focuses on supporting them to grow in confidence and capability through ongoing encouragement.

What would you say to someone thinking of volunteering?

Volunteering is deeply rewarding. It is not always measured in spoken words of thanks, but in the comfort of community members moving on, being independent and successful in life.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MID COAST OUTREACH INCORPORATED

Membership

The Centre is proud to support organisations like Mid Coast Outreach Incorporated, doing important work in the community.

The Centre for Volunteering has been a vital support and like a big brother to Mid Coast Outreach Incorporated, offering legal referral advice, adding our volunteering positions to its Find a Volunteer website page, and providing general guidance. – Mid Coast Outreach Incorporated