Volunteering isn’t about filling time for Julianne — it’s about showing up for others, and in doing so, discovering a renewed sense of purpose.
Julianne volunteers with The Village Co, a South Australian charity supporting vulnerable new mums and their babies. While she has been volunteering for six months, her connection to the organisation runs deeper, shaped by years working in health and seeing firsthand the difference practical support can make during the earliest days of parenthood.
“Working as a midwife, I had the opportunity to give out some of The Village Co’s bags to new mums in vulnerable situations and it’s how I first became aware of the great way they do,” says Julianne.
Today, she volunteers in the organisation’s western suburbs warehouse, helping prepare hospital care packs that are distributed to new mums across South Australia. When she arrives for her two-hour shift, the work is practical and hands-on, but deeply meaningful.
“Our bags provide mums and babies in vulnerable situations with products that help set them up for the first few weeks of life,” she says. “We help them feel supported and cared for, especially when those first days can feel overwhelming.”
Founded in 2018, The Village Co was created to provide tangible, practical support to new parents experiencing vulnerability, including homelessness, domestic violence, mental health challenges or financial strain. Founder and CEO Stephanie Malan says volunteers are the backbone of the charity.
“It takes a village to be a village,” she says. “Last year alone, we supported around 3000 new mums, and we rely on at least 600 volunteers each year to pack and deliver bags across South Australia.”
And the need is growing, with research suggesting there are closer to 10,000 mums each year who could benefit from The Village Co’s support.
To get there, Stephanie says she needs to significantly increase her volunteer base. “We are aiming to double the number of volunteers in the next year.”
For Julianne, volunteering has also become a form of self-care.
