Nationwide Volunteer Week 2025: Alyce’s Story
This Nationwide Volunteer Week, WIRES is celebrating the unimaginable efforts of volunteers who’re connecting communities by care, compassion and dedication to wildlife. The 2025 theme, Connecting Communities, highlights how each act of volunteering brings individuals collectively to create lasting change.
Alyce, a volunteer from our Illawarra department, has been with WIRES for over 5 years. Her journey exhibits how wildlife rescue and training can strengthen neighborhood connections and make a distinction for our native wildlife.
How Alyce acquired concerned with WIRES
After returning to Australia from dwelling abroad, Alyce felt a powerful connection to the landscapes and wildlife she had missed. Having supported conservation efforts for a few years, she determined to take a extra energetic position.
“I needed to take a hands-on position in rescue, rehabilitation, and training; following within the footsteps of my inspiring Aunties Suzanne and Judith, who’ve devoted their lives to caring for animals and other people.”
Alyce joined her native WIRES department and accomplished a variety of species programs “I used to be lucky to be welcomed into an unimaginable department of skilled and passionate carers, at all times prepared to share their data and help each other”
Rescuing and caring for native species
Over time, Alyce has rescued and cared for a wide range of species together with birds, possums, kangaroos, bats and reptiles.
At house, she and her companion—now the Tawny Frogmouth Coordinator for his or her department—have centered on rehabilitating Tawny Frogmouths. Their property has develop into a secure and quiet house for these distinctive nocturnal birds to recuperate.
Sharing data with the neighborhood
With a background in instructing, Alyce now volunteers as an Schooling Officer for her department.
“I [have] naturally discovered my place as a volunteer Schooling Officer for our department, mixing my love for wildlife with my ardour for instructing,” she says.
“Whether or not it’s facilitating interactive rescue state of affairs walks and studying by music with children, or operating hands-on workshops with area people teams, I discover a lot pleasure in constructing connections, sparking curiosity, and empowering individuals to make a distinction for our unimaginable wildlife.”
Recommendation for brand spanking new volunteers
Alyce encourages new WIRES volunteers to take their time and continue learning.
“Wildlife rescue is as a lot about studying as it’s about serving to. Each animal, scenario, and problem will train you one thing new—be affected person, keep curious, and embrace each expertise.”
She additionally reminds folks that WIRES provides some ways to get entangled. “WIRES is greater than rescues; training, advocacy, and neighborhood engagement are simply as very important. Wildlife conservation is deeply related to individuals, environments, and systemic challenges—no matter your energy, use it, as a result of each contribution issues”
Considered one of greater than 4000 volunteers
Alyce is certainly one of greater than 4000 WIRES volunteers throughout Australia who’re connecting communities by their look after native wildlife. Her story displays how every volunteer brings distinctive strengths, life expertise and function—and collectively, they assist shield what makes Australia wild.
