Volunteering in Balgo Hills

We are here today to share the inspirational stories and accomplishments of some of our Lasallian volunteers. Volunteering is a great way for young adults to live out the Lasallian values of Faith, Service, and Community in their day-to-day life.

One unique service opportunity that is offered by the Lasallian Volunteer Program takes volunteers into the remote Balgo Hills region of Western Australia. Once in Balgo Hills, volunteers will get to know the underprivileged Wirrimanu Aboriginal Community. In a place such as Balgo, there are limited resources, recreational activities, and even work opportunities. This leads to a host of social troubles and difficult behaviors within the Balgo community, which volunteers will work to address. Volunteers will engage in food, sports, and educational programs, as well as cultivating relationships with the locals and getting to know Aboriginal culture.

But how, exactly, does the legacy of Lasallian volunteering in Balgo Hills live out our mission and values? For examples of the honorable results that have grown from our volunteering efforts in Balgo, we turn to our inspirational Lasallian volunteers who experienced this journey firsthand.

We were deeply moved by the reflections of Alice Hann, a Lasallian who credits her volunteer trip to Balgo Hills as the inspiration she needed to explore her passion for teaching children “somewhere it was truly needed”. She shares the story of young Delilah, a native to Balgo, who initially disliked school so greatly that she would run home early at every opportunity she got. Alice recounted a moving memory from her trip “Fast forward to my last few weeks there, and I was waving goodbye to her as she got on a tiny plane to head off to boarding school in Perth. I saw a photo of Delilah the other day at her Graduation Ceremony, having completed Year 12.” In the Aboriginal community of Balgo Hills where attending school is rare and finishing high school is even more rare, the accomplishments of Delilah who was directly inspired by Lasallian volunteer work are truly astonishing. Not only did Alice’s volunteering impact her future forever, but Alice was also able to change the lives of many children and young adults in Balgo Hills and beyond.

Other reflections and stories continue to highlight the work and values that are so often shared by Lasallians in Balgo. Pearl Bartlett recalls the many ways her life was transformed after volunteering in Balgo, saying that her experience opened “many new pathways” for her future. She was a teaching assistant at Balgo’s Luurnpa Catholic School, as well as working in the food room, and even helping at the Warlayirti Art Centre and the Kapululango Aboriginal Women’s Law & Culture Centre. As you can see through Pearl’s example, Lasallian volunteers don’t just stand at the outskirts of Balgo Hills and hope they might make an impact. They dive into the heart of Aboriginal culture and engage themselves in helpful, encouraging activities. They develop relationships with the people of Balgo, spreading the Lasallian Mission through attention and action.

Patrick Hurst, who worked for years as a Lasallian Youth Leader and is an alumni of St. Bede’s College, said he joined the Volunteer Program in Balgo Hills since it was “finally an opportunity to give back”. We are reminded of the words of St. John Baptist de la Salle, “the work of God is also our work”. Balgo is a place in great need, and it is also a place of culture and growth. Volunteering in Balgo Hills encouraged Patrick to return many times, truly highlighting this program as a place of action and inspiration.

We look back on the meaningful experiences of some of our many Lasallian volunteers and are touched by the courage and kindness that every one of them proceeded with. The Lasallian Mission thrives in these volunteer opportunities, and it is truly motivating to hear about the many Aboriginal lives that are changed by the application of our Lasallian values. Lasallian volunteers in Balgo Hills don’t just get to give back: they also receive impactful and valuable experienced in return.

Applications for the 2024 Lasallian Volunteer Program are now open. Click HERE for more information.