Strong Voices

Whether it’s supporting the elderly or advocating for the disabled or the environment, Hamish Gilbert is determined to show up.  

Hamish’s weeks are busy. He balances multiple volunteering commitments on top of his job as a Bunnings team member.

Once a week, you’ll find Hamish helping people sort their recycling as part of Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s programme ‘Sustainable Hawke’s Bay’. It’s an educational role aimed at making sustainability practical and easy.

He also volunteers at the Gracelands Retirement Village in Hastings, where he assists in the café and kitchen and generally lends a hand to the residents when needed.

And, as of January this year, Hamish has added ‘Champion’ to his volunteering schedule. The Champions Bus Crew is a new initiative run by the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s GoBay buses. Volunteer ‘Champions’ assist passengers to navigate the new bus routes.

Partly inspired by airline cabin crews, the Champions are easily identifiable by their t-shirts, caps and badges. They can explain timetables, how to top up travel cards and generally make sure passengers get where they need to go.

While the Champions are partly about encouraging public transport use – a definite priority during the current fuel crisis – Hamish says it’s also about making public transport easier to navigate, especially for the elderly and the disabled.

Volunteering on the buses doesn’t stop at the end of a shift either. Even when he’s riding the bus as a passenger himself, the work continues. “People recognise me as one of the Champions and know they can ask me for assistance,” says Hamish. “So, I’ll help with getting people on or off the bus, especially if someone needs help with the ramp.”

Hamish also attends regular Hastings Disability Advisory meetings where he helps advocate for greater accessibility.

The old adage says, “if you want something done, ask a busy person” and earlier this year, Hamish took on another role: Ambassador for the IHC Online Friendship Programme.

Volunteer Ambassadors work alongside Volunteer Coordinators around the country, sharing their experience to help create a more inclusive Aotearoa.

As the Online Ambassador, Hamish plays an important leadership role in encouraging people to be part of an online community, helping them build safe and meaningful digital connections, and supporting others with intellectual disabilities to feel confident, included and valued online.

He’s leading by example and in March he presented at “The Big Connect” an annual online event for World Down Syndrome Day.

For Hamish, there is one common factor in each of his volunteer roles that keeps him energised – the people. Lots of new friendships have grown out of his busy life.

“Volunteering connects me to something bigger,” he says. “It makes me feel worthwhile.”

When asked what he’d say to others with an intellectual disability thinking about volunteering, his answer is simple: “There are lots of opportunities out there. Get out and do it.”

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Image: Hamish as a GoBay bus champion.

IHC Ambassador-in-Training Leadership Programme

The IHC Ambassador-in-Training Leadership Programme supports people with intellectual disabilities to develop leadership skills, speak up for themselves and others and actively contribute to their communities.

Contact Hannah Verry for more information: hannah.verry@ihc.org.nz