By Parker McKenzie
Annika Ernest first volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in 2015 and hasn’t looked back.
“It was through my school, which is affiliated with the organization. We used to actually fight to get on the bus,” she said.
“We would all receive an email sent out by the school, and we would have to respond as quickly as possible to secure a spot.”
Despite graduating in 2017, Ms Ernest has continued to support and assist Habitat for Humanity as she left school and entered the workforce.
Ms Ernest said volunteering with the organisation is about community building for her personally.
“It’s about engaging with people from all backgrounds and supporting the development of sustainable housing solutions for those people who can’t access support,” she said.
“It’s incredible to sort of be able to join together with friends and other community members who really just want to promote that sort of adequate housing and whatnot for all people.”
Habitat for Humanity partners with people in the community to help them build affordable, safe and secure housing. Alongside their affordable housing program, they also help with house repairs and disaster recovery.
Ms Ernest said her volunteering took her out to the Dandenong Ranges to help those in need of support after bushfires and the June storms.
“Bushfire clearing, I think they would call those days as in the Dandenong Ranges,” she said.
“We just worked together to cut back some of the fallen trees which have really impacted people’s living situation.”
Habitat for Humanity Victoria is a part of a global organisation working in 70 countries. It was established in 1976 to provide housing and improved shelter for low-income people in need.
Ms Ernest said Habitat for Humanity Victoria’s programs are run by supportive and engaging people.
“I think that really adds to the success of the program. It’s having that fantastic leadership from above,” she said.
“It’s certainly something that you do get addicted to. You might end up clearing a schedule to make sure you can make it to one of the volunteer days.”
Aside from disaster recovery and building homes for those in need in Victoria, Habitat for Humanity also provides support to families in Cambodia through their Home for a Home initiative. Every time a house is built in Victoria, the organisation builds one for a family in need in Cambodia.
Ms Ernest said anybody who is thinking about volunteering with Habitat should give it a go.
“The opportunity to go out, make some new friends and help out is very rewarding,” she said.
“You’ll 100 per cent leave the day, with probably a bit of dirt on your knees, maybe a bit of paint on your shirt, but certainly a very big smile on your face.”
You can find out more about Habitat for Humanity Victoria at www.habitatvic.org.au
