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As washing machines whir in the mobile laundry van, 75 year old Dave Paulsen sits and chats.
He's been volunteering with not-for-profit organisation Orange Sky in the Northern Rivers since 2019, offering free laundry services and showers to people experiencing homelessness or hardship.
"It gives them that boost for the day, they can come and feel like they're like normal people who are able to wash their clothes every day, or have a shower every day. Whereas some of these people, at times we've had people come who haven't been able to wash their clothes for two or three weeks."
More than 122,000 Australians experience homelessness on any given night..
Mr Paulsen says as well as providing a safe space where people can come and look after their cleanliness, the mobile laundry also offers a chance to connect with others.
"While their washing is being done- it usually takes around an hour, an hour and ten minutes. They'll wash and dry them- they can sit and chat and tell us their story, or just discuss general world events. And quite a lot of people will just sit and talk. Quite a lot of them don't even get their washing done. They know we're going to be at a place on a day every week, and they'll come along just for a bit of conversation."
Creating opportunities for connection is also at the heart of 19 year old Rheanca Lincoln's work as a volunteer in her community in Toowoomba.
Along with a group of other young people, she founded We Are Not Alone, which brings young people with disability from regional towns together for workshops and social events.
"I think loneliness right now is at the highest prevalence in young people, and I think that volunteering can be a really creative way to combat that. Because for me, it really allowed me to break out of my 14 year old shell and see the world from a different perspective, and it really shaped the journey I'm on now."
For Stephanie Harvey, a Bidjara woman from central Queensland and the CEO of First-Nations-led organisation Community First Development, volunteering is all about these reciprocal relationships.
The organisation brings skilled volunteers - from lawyers and builders to engineers and teachers - together with First Nations communities to work on various projects.
Ms Harvey says the bonds that form between volunteers and communities are key to what makes their projects work.
"Volunteering in First Nations communities, when it's done the right way, it's not about giving, it's not about welfare, and it's certainly not extractive. It really is about connection and genuine relationships. Our volunteers don't help, they work alongside community members, learning from each other and building relationships. It really is that two-way exchange, where volunteers share their skills and experience, but also gain a deeper understanding of culture, respect and connection."
While around a fifth of Australia’s formal volunteers are involved in community services, welfare, and homelessness, another sector where volunteers make major contributions is emergency and natural disaster response.
Harmandeep Singh Sidhu from Coffs Harbour is a volunteer with the Rural Fire Service.
He was recently awarded for saving the life of another crew member during a bushfire in the Clarence Valley in 2023.
Mr Sidhu told SBS Punjabi about his own decision to support his community to cope with and recover from natural disaster- something he plans to do for as long as he is able to do so.
"I joined the RFS in 2020 when I only thought of dealing with the fires around my farm/residence. But later I liked the services that they provide in dangerous and vulnerable situations. I have also served during the Lismore floods in 2022. After that, I decided to join this service forever. "
These are just some stories from the nearly 6 million Australians who volunteer every year.
While Volunteer Week celebrates the significant contribution volunteers make to Australian society, CEO of Volunteering Australia Mark Pearce says numbers of volunteers have been dropping.
"There's been a long term decline in the rate of what we would term formal volunteering. That is people who volunteer their time through organisations and into community. Percentage wise, there are less volunteers than there were three years ago, five years ago and ten years ago."
Barriers to participation such as out of pocket costs, and reliance on volunteers to deliver essential services without adequate training are some of the reasons Volunteering Australia identifies for this decline.
Mr Pearce says more funding is needed to ensure those who dedicate their time to helping others can do so in a sustainable and supported way.
"Volunteering is fundamental to the health and wellbeing every community. As a consequence, the Federal, as well as State and Territory governments have a responsibility to remove the burdens from people who put up their hands and say "I have a commitment to my community."
He says this Volunteer Week is a chance to stop and think about the stories of dedication and commitment to change behind every volunteer.
"They give you a sense of what can be done. They give you a sense of what can be done. From time to time we can all feel a bit helpless, volunteering is somewhat unique in giving us the agency to do things that matter to us, to stop that feeling of helplessness and give us an opportunity to be involved. And the stories reflect that."
