Helen’s Story
Helen has been part of Involve for a long time – both as a participant and a dedicated volunteer with CRCS. Years ago, while enjoying a coffee at the Social Bean Café, she noticed that the space could use some more life. After chatting with the manager, her volunteer journey began, as she started creating beautiful flower arrangements at the Belconnen Community Centre – a project she continues today. Although it’s not an easy task, as she arrives early to ensure everything is ready for the day, Helen is committed and appreciates the positive feedback from her peers and CRCS employees. “Plants don’t always do what you would like them to,” Helen says, remembering a time when a snail visited and ate one of her beautiful blooms. Despite these little challenges, she always does her best.
Helen was first introduced to the Involve program by a friend during a difficult time in her life, and found that Involve offered her connection and a chance to build new friendships. Involve filled a gap and broadened her outlook and interests. Activities like the “Walkie Talkies” group left her feeling brighter and with a different attitude.
“It’s been an absolute blessing for me to discover it [Involve].”
Helen feels that through Involve she has grown as a person, stepping outside her usual circle to learn about the diverse cultures and perspectives in her community. Now, she finds herself starting up conversations with people experiencing homelessness, curious about their story, and talking to them without judgement.
For Helen, Involve is all about connection and belonging, and she even organises meetups outside of Involve to keep the friendships going.
“Involve means enjoyment and life. It’s like belonging to a bigger family and we all care and share our happy times or our sad times.”
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