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Meet Volunteer Robyn

This National Volunteer Week, we will introduce you to our volunteers from across the organisation, giving you a better understanding of the incredible contributions they make and what being a volunteer means to them.  

This week, we especially encourage you to take a moment to thank our volunteers, because without them, the work we do would not be possible.  

Meet Robyn Boyd.  

A volunteer at the Guide Dog Centre, Robyn is an integral part of the team, providing on-the-job training for other volunteers and assisting with special events. 

How long have you been volunteering with Guide Dogs NSW/ACT? 

Since 2019, so this is my seventh year of volunteering. 

What initially inspired you to start volunteering with us? 

I’ve always  done volunteering work, and I was looking for something different. I had previously been volunteering with the Cancer Council at a hospital, and it was great, but it’s very intense. I used to give information to cancer families, and while it was worthwhile, it was very full on.  

So, I started thinking what I was going to do next, and I don’t even know how I came upon it, but I went on the Guide Dogs website and I saw the volunteering page. So, I sent an email along, and then I went for an interview with Naomi.  

I love dogs and wanted something a bit more hands-on, so it was a perfect fit. It is so worthwhile doing something that contributes in the long run to helping people with low vision or blindness. So that is the reason I love volunteering.  

Can you share a memorable experience from your volunteer work that’s had a significant impact on you? 

A huge part of what we do in intake is helping the Puppy Raisers coming in with their dogs that they’ve raised since eight weeks old. These incredible families (also volunteers) have to give their dogs away that they have raised since they were eight weeks old. They become family members, and returning these puppies can be very emotional. We often have people crying, and their children are crying, and sometimes we’re sort of crying because it’s so sad. What they do is so important, so you can understand why it is so hard for them, but they know the impact they are making too.  

The other person that has had an impact on me during my time as a volunteer is Naomi Moore. She cares about her volunteers so much, organises functions and morning teas for the volunteers, and ensures that everyone there is very valued, and it’s like being a real part of the team—we’re not just volunteers. She will often have guest speakers, and that’s where we really see the difference Guide Dogs make to actual people. It’s great to meet the Puppy Raises and to help the dogs settle in and treat them, pat them and walk them. But to actually see them in the community, what they do, and the difference they make for people with low vision or blindness is unbelievable. And you see the difference of them getting out of the house and building confidence to go out by themselves—it’s just so incredible.  

How has Guide Dogs supported you in your volunteering role? 

Oh, well, there’s always been great training and communication. I think that’s down to Naomi. And like I said, those morning teas, where we meet people with low vision or blindness and see our impact. It is nice to know we are making a difference. 

What would you say to somebody who is considering volunteering but hasn’t taken the first step yet? 

Well, anyone who wants to volunteer just needs to find something that matches their interests and fits in with their life because you’re not going to do something 100% if you’re not interested in it—I am just lucky because I love dogs.  

Want to get involved like Robyn? Find out how you can start volunteering with us.