National Volunteer Week 2025: Volunteer spotlight!
20 May 2025
It’s National Volunteer Week in Australia, and as the largest annual celebration of volunteering we want to celebrate by shining the volunteer spotlight on Sami Jenkins, one of Satellite’s amazing young volunteers.
Sami began volunteering with Satellite recently as a new external Program Supporter. She currently works in marketing and also runs a beautiful meetup community in Melbourne for both introverted and extroverted young people.
You can learn more on her Instagram account here.
Why do you volunteer?
I volunteer because I want to make an impact. I’m passionate about mental health, creativity and young people. I feel like the intersection between creativity and mental health; there’s so many opportunities for healing and improving your wellbeing. And I think it’s really amazing what you guys are doing here at Satellite.
What is it about Satellite Foundation’s purpose that appeals to you personally?
I wish I knew about Satellite Foundation when I was younger. I think creativity, community workshops and everything that you guys do here is so important to a young person’s mental health. Having spaces like Satellite Foundation, the ripple on effects for a young person’s wellbeing and everyone around them is incredible.
I am a strong believer as well in wellbeing practices that don’t need to be clinical. I feel like this isn’t talked about enough.
What have you/do you enjoy most about volunteering at Satellite?
I really enjoyed meeting the team. Everyone here has been so welcoming and really willing to share their knowledge and experience with me. That’s been really cool.
I’m really excited to go on a camp and meet some young people. The other day was really fun packing some resources for one of the camps. I really enjoyed packing some snack boxes and writing a little message and a little doodle on each of the participants bags. Knowing that it’s going to a young person and that they’ll get to enjoy it, that was really cool.
Where do you see yourself five years from now?
I want to be more informed about mental health and what it’s like working with young people. I’d love to one day have maybe my own social enterprise and help to support young people while advocating for mental health.
I’d love to be able to facilitate and even design some workshops. Knowing that something I’ve built has given back somehow.
How has volunteer work had an impact on your life?
Volunteer work has been extremely healing for me. Just being able to meet people and hear different perspectives has been really rejuvenating. Volunteer work has helped me realise that I’d love to work more in this space. And volunteers are so integral to helping organisations like Satellite.
What would you say to someone else thinking about volunteering?
I would say, if you’re thinking about it, do it. It’s an incredible opportunity to meet new people, learn new skills and find out what you’re interested in. Volunteering at an organisation like Satellite Foundation, you can have such a big impact, even in the seemingly smallest tasks.
I think it’s like incredible, what you can learn in such a short period of time. I’m really excited for to grow and for more opportunities within this organisation to help young people.
