Meet Gayle, a Wildlife Hospital Volunteer Manager and Education Coordinator at Currumbin Wildlife Hospital – National Trust of Australia Queensland, whose leadership is built on presence, connection, and compassion. In this Share Your Story – Volunteer Managers Edition feature for International Volunteer Managers Day (IVMDay), Gayle reflects on how confident, caring leadership inspires commitment, strengthens community, and keeps wildlife care thriving — even in times of crisis.
Why Bold Leadership Matters in Volunteer Management
I’m not sure “bold” is exactly the word I’d use, but I do think confident leadership is really important in volunteer management. Being a present and approachable leader makes a huge difference. I always make a point to stop by and say hello, check in with my volunteers on their shifts, and make sure they feel supported.
I also think it’s important to be clear and upfront about expectations. When I’m recruiting, I don’t sugar-coat what the role involves. Our volunteer roles are very hands-on and husbandry based, and while many people want to help wildlife, that kind of work isn’t for everyone. I believe in being open about what’s required so volunteers know exactly what they’re signing up for. It helps maintain commitment and consistency across the team and also saves us from constantly recruiting and retraining.
Back during the Christmas storms of 2023, I got to see firsthand just how dedicated my Volunteer team really is. Many of us were without power or phone signal, including the wildlife hospital, and yet a huge number still showed up to help. We were inundated with injured and displaced wildlife, but the care they received never wavered, with many thanks to our Volunteers.
Our Volunteers jumped in wherever they were needed, even if it wasn’t their usual role. Some stayed for much longer shifts than normal, while others made sure everyone who was onsite was fed and hydrated by delivering meals and snacks throughout the day.
With no power, we couldn’t wash the mountain of dirty laundry piling up. Volunteers who did have power just started taking loads home to wash with no fuss or hesitation. And if you’ve ever smelt some of our soiled linen, you’ll understand why that absolutely blew our minds! They knew it needed doing, and they did it, all for our sick and injured wildlife!
We had to switch to paper-based records, which took hours to manage, but the team worked together to keep everything organised and our Volunteers helped tremendously with this task. Once power was restored, the same Volunteers came back to painstakingly enter all the data into the system.
Proudest Achievement as a Volunteer Manager
I’ve never been prouder to lead such a dedicated, passionate group of volunteers. They really stepped up during one of our toughest times.
One piece of advice for fellow Volunteer Managers
(I have more than one!)
Be interested in your Volunteer’s lives.
Celebrate milestones and birthdays. I never miss a birthday or volunteer anniversary. (even if it’s the weekend and I’m not working, or when I’m on AL).
Take down notes of when they go away as to where they are going, so you can ask them about their trip when they get back. With 140 volunteers, it’s hard to keep track of who goes where all the time.
Make sure you keep checking in with them when they get sick, or their partner gets sick.. it goes a LONG way!
Find the good balance of communication – too much and they ignore the emails… not enough and they won’t look at them either.
View the full collection of our Share Your Story series and be inspired by the many ways Volunteer Managers are leading with courage, care, and creativity.
