This exciting program is available to all campers attending LionsCamp Kookaburra. It allows young people to extend their time in Australia, with no accommodation costs. Best of all it gives the chance to have fun and maintain the friendships established at Camp while experiencing the satisfaction of making a useful contribution to your host community. 

At the Camp there will be young people from about 20 different countries, and long term friendships can be expected to result. 

At the end of the Camp, the Voluntary Community Service Program starts. Campers are allocated to a group of 2 to 6 people who spend each week day for 2 weeks doing something interesting and useful together.  Camp friendships are maintained and strengthened by working together and social activities arranged by host families. 

Accommodation is provided by Lions Clubs in the area, at no charge to the campers. 

The jobs are allocated based on the preference of the young person concerned and availability of programs.

In 2009, 2010 and 2011 the campers did things such as working at an Australian animal and bird sanctuary, feeding them, cleaning their enclosures, and repairing and building homes for an endangered species of duck. Other groups worked with Landcare to plant trees and remove weeds from parks and reserves. Two girls went to a Primary school for deaf children, to read and play with them and help the teachers. The girls found it a very fulfilling experience. There were others who liked to entertain with music and there was a champion dancer who was a big hit at  schools she visited.

2007 Campers experiencing LIONS VCS DAVAADORJ (Mongolia) and CHRIS (Austria) building a hutch for endangered Freckled Ducks at Shortland Wetlands. Breaking News: The hutches have resulted in the first ducklings hatching at the centre.

The work hours vary with the activity, but are about 20 hours per week.

There is a questionnaire which you should use to tell us about the things you would like to do.

While a bed and meals are provided during the Voluntary Community Service Program, campers will need enough  money to pay their own way for entertainment and meals out.

 

Examples of 2012 Voluntary Community Service Projects

AGED CARE  Older folk in a retirement village or in their own home, love to meet somebody new for a chat, or some entertainment. There are opportunities to help these people with simple jobs such as delivery of meals, and assisting a charity looking after them.

ANIMAL CARE is an opportunity to work with Australian animals in a variety of settings. Within our Lions District there are a number of animal sanctuaries that welcome voluntary support.

CHILD CARE Child care opportunities in 2012 may be limited as our program coincides with local school holidays. Early childhood (0-5years) child care centres will be operating and some places may be available for LionsCamp Kookaburra community service volunteers.

LANDCARE is an Australian wide network of community groups who care for the environment by undertaking voluntary project work to assist repairing and managing natural resources.

These people undertake soil salinity and erosion work, rehabilitate and conserve rivers and waterways, care for beach dunes and marine creatures, plant trees, shrubs and grasses, restore and maintain wildlife habitats, including the homes of endangered and threatened animals, birds and flora.

Australia is one of the world’s leading countries in this field, and while Landcare has achieved much, there is still plenty to be done.

As Lions care about the environment, and preservation of natural resources, arrangements have been made for a limited number of Campers to experience the thrill of this work with Landcare .

For more detail about Landcare projects go to their webpage: