GivingTuesday: Profiles in compassion and community spirit from the Award Force team

by Lindsay Nash | Dec 3, 2024 | Articles, Blog

Happy GivingTuesday! Our team at Award Force considers this day one of our favourites throughout the entire year, a chance to take a break from the hustle and bustle of regular life and give back to our communities across the globe.

As a fully remote, globally distributed company, we work from all corners of the globe—from Sydney to Seoul, from Paris to Porto, from Seattle to Sri Lanka. And, while giving back is part of our company ethos, GivingTuesday is a timely reminder and opportunity to give both our time and financial resources to causes important to each of us—and our communities across the world.

What’s GivingTuesday?

GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of radical generosity. First started in 2012 as a day to encourage people to do good, the idea has grown into a year-round global movement inspiring hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.

No act of giving or kindness is too small, and our company encourages everyone to get involved. But we also have a few team members who give generously of their time and resources to help their communities.

“For me it feels good to help others,” said Kanishka Sameera, a DevOps engineer at Award Force. “I receive a lot of satisfaction from my volunteerism. And I believe it brings a whole new understanding of what life is really all about.”

More than 40 “Jedi” (as we call ourselves) took part in this year’s GivingTuesday, giving more than AU$12,000 to various causes. But for some members of our team, giving back takes place all year round, and is a regular part of life. Here are just a few of the people working to better their communities and world, serving as an inspiration to all of us.

Award Force profiles in giving back

Kanishka Sameera

Team: DevOps
Location: Sri Lanka

How he volunteers: For the past few years, Kanishka has personally teamed up with a few of his friends, and together, they support families by providing groceries, educational supplies, and any other assistance they might need. They focus on rural areas and struggling people in the local community, delivering the items directly and ensuring they receive the help they require. Kanishka also sponsors rescued disabled dogs in a local animal shelter, providing meals for 5-6 dogs per month.

One of his favourite volunteering moments: A few years ago, with the aid of Creative Force, Kanishka donated a computer to an underprivileged student whose father was a cancer patient in critical condition. He later found out that the student was selected to a government university, though, sadly, his father passed away.

“In Sri Lanka, even though we have a free education system, only a small portion of students are able to secure admission to government universities because of the limited spots available. I felt really glad to have the opportunity to do that volunteer work because it allowed me to see the smile of that innocent boy, which was just priceless.”

Advice on getting started with volunteerism: You can reach out to churches, temples, mosques, or other religious centers in your local community because they often have outreach programs or know of individuals and families in need of support. Or, look for community centers, non-profits, or local groups in your area that align with your interests.

“It doesn’t matter where you start,” Kanishka said. “Whenever you get an opportunity to make an impact in others life just go for it. You won’t regret it.”

Diya Singh

Team: Client success
Location: England

How she volunteers: Diya has been a volunteer with an NFP organisation called GoodGym for over ten years.

GoodGym combines doing good while getting fit — honestly the most brilliant concept I’ve come across!” Local groups ask GoodGym for help and volunteers sign up for when they can spare time, taking on tasks ranging from painting school halls to planting trees, from cleaning graffiti on the streets to helping charities move premises.

“And we do it with a smile and a laugh! GoodGym is wonderfully social and I have made many friends since moving to Maidenhead in 2018.”

A lesser-known side of GoodGym is a befriending program where keen volunteers pay social visits to isolated elderly on a weekly basis. “Loneliness in the elderly is a sad thing to witness and knowing one hour of your time can brighten someone’s week is both humbling and rewarding. It was through visiting elderly people that I came across a concept called Cycling Without Age (CWA) and I have now launched the Maidenhead chapter. CWA offers free rides to the elderly on a safe trishaw—a wonderful way to hear their stories and show them the changing landscape at a slow pace. This too, is hugely rewarding. And fun!”

Why she does it: “I moved to England in 2015 to help grow the Award Force company. Being the only employee in the UK meant I had to work from home. Being alone at home all day, living in a new country without friends or family (in the long winter months) can be soul crushing! I needed social interaction and hit upon the idea of volunteering. I couldn’t commit to something long term when I was still finding my feet and volunteering gives you the space to do what and when you can. This was exactly what I needed.”

A favourite volunteering moment: “My most favourite thing about my volunteer work is the diversity of tasks I can get involved in. This summer, I was a helper to a giant paper mache mascot (well, it was a man on stilts wearing the mascot costume!). I had to make sure the giant mascot did not step on children as he danced and strutted about!”

“Then there are the winter tasks in the pitch dark; where, with head torches and breath misting in the light, we get to work – whether it’s a steaming pile of wood chips or shovelling shingle to fill potholes, it’s all part of the fun.”

“My meaningful moments come from my time with the elderly; whether it’s seeing their faces when they are out in the sunshine on my trishaw bike or when I visit them at their home and they’ve started the kettle knowing I’ll be coming along shortly and we’ll chat over a cuppa.”

Diya’s advice on getting started with volunteerism: “Acknowledge it might feel daunting and give yourself permission to be unsure. But go anyway. You won’t know anyone and you might not know what to do. But that’s ok. Take a friend, go as a couple or a family even. Google / ask ChatGPT about opportunities. It might help to reflect on an area(s) that interests you – children, animals, outdoors, retail, elderly, food – and then start your search.”

“Once you start on the volunteering path, it fills you with hope that this world is not just doom and gloom; there are so many people doing good things. And now you are one of them 🙂 “

Narelle Neville

Team: Sales
Location: Mexico

How she volunteers: Narelle currently supports two organisations: the Esuubi Foundation which is an orphanage and school in Kyabirwa, Uganda, where she is the remote volunteer coordinator; and the Second Chance Ranch animal shelter in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where she helps walk dogs and coordinate occasional events.

“Giving service has amazing benefits for everyone. There is a lot of good that can be done in the world and it gets me out of myself and focused on what I can do to contribute and do for others.”

Favourite volunteering experience: “I spent some time in Australia volunteering for a migrant relocation program assisting new refugees to settle into their new home in Australia. The refugees had been living for years in camps and had just been granted refugee status. They were completely starting over – typically fleeing unsafe and hostile environments and coming to Darwin, Australia for a new chance at a life where war and violence was not a daily reality.”

Advice on getting started with volunteerism: “Find something you are passionate about, and be prepared to put work in to demonstrate you will be an asset and can be trusted by the organisation and be open to learn. Think about the skills you have and how they can be best used in the organisations you want to support.”