Dugan’s Story | Telethon Speech & Hearing

Dugan’s Story

“While volunteering at Telethon Speech & Hearing I have met amazing people who have a passion for their job, the clients they help, and a sense of common purpose towards making a difference in the lives of both children and adults with hearing difficulties.”

To celebrate our 50th year anniversary, Telethon Speech & Hearing (TSH) will be showcasing 50 stories of people who have been a part of our organisation’s history since 1967.

 

Today’s highlighted story is from volunteer turned Front of House Coordinator, Dugan Dallimore.

 

Q: When did you start volunteering with Telethon Speech & Hearing?

D: June 2016

 

Q: Which program(s) did you volunteer for?

D: I volunteered for the Adult Audiology clinic, as well as the Better Hearing TSH clinic which are now headed by Jay Krishnaswamy who has over 40 years’ experience in Audiology.

 

Q: How long were you a volunteer for?

D: I volunteered for just under 4 months total, at which point I applied for a TSH role advertised in a different department and now work for TSH.

Q: What motivated you to apply as a volunteer at TSH?

D: I was applying for Masters programs at the time and looking to gain much needed work experience.

 

Q: What were your activities and tasks as a volunteer?

D: I began as a Customer Service Officer. This was quite a varied role, supporting the audiologists in an administrative role as well as assisting the public with queries about hearing through the Better Hearing Program. I was also given the opportunity to attend fundraising events, and get out on the mobile bus clinics to assist with health screen checks for children.

Q: Have you learnt any new skills while volunteering?

D: It’s certainly improved my communication with a wider variety of people. There have been also been a lot of situations which I never would have been exposed to if I hadn’t come here. For example I was able to assist the audiologists by keeping the children entertained while having their hearing tested. This could be something as simple as making funny faces, or blowing bubbles. I’ve gotten really good at blowing bubbles.

 

“It’s certainly improved my communication with a wider variety of people. There have been also been a lot of situations which I never would have been exposed to if I hadn’t come here.”

 

Q: What is one thing that surprised you/you did not know prior to working with TSH?

D: How big TSH is. Hidden behind Lake Monger there is a whole school dedicated to supporting young children with hearing, speech and language impairments. Children at the school will spend a few days each week at TSH, and families are supported by a variety of different allied health specialists all in one place. There is also a number of separate venue hire rooms which are regularly used for a large variety of events so there is always something going on at TSH. It’s an exciting place to work at.

Q: Tell me about some of the people you’ve met while volunteering.

D: While volunteering here at TSH I have met amazing people who have a passion for their job, the clients they help, and a sense of common purpose towards making a difference in the lives of both children and adults with hearing difficulties. I enjoyed working with the people here so much that I decided to change my career path and work alongside the teams here rather that returning to the focus of my profession as a teacher.

 

“I enjoyed working with the people here so much that I decided to change my career path and work alongside the teams here rather that returning to the focus of my profession as a teacher.”

 

Q: Would you recommend volunteering with TSH?

D: Yes. Particularly if you are studying or considering a career in Allied Health. Volunteering at TSH is something I would strongly recommend as university courses and jobs in general are becoming increasingly competitive to get into. Volunteering at TSH has given me a tremendous amount of multi-disciplinary experience which otherwise is very difficult to obtain. It has exposed me to many aspects of allied health I never considered. There are a great bunch of people who work here, and they made me feel incredibly welcome. For anyone with some spare time I would recommend giving volunteering a try at TSH simply to see what amazing programs are here.

“Volunteering at TSH has given me a tremendous amount of multi-disciplinary experience which otherwise is very difficult to obtain. It has exposed me to many aspects of allied health I never considered. For anyone with some spare time I would recommend giving volunteering a try at TSH simply to see what amazing programs are here.”

 


Telethon Speech & Hearing recognises National Volunteer Week (NVW), an annual celebration to acknowledge the generous contribution of our nation’s volunteers.

 

About Dugan

Dugan Dallimore is our Front of House Coordinator and has been with Telethon Speech & Hearing since 2016.

Are you interested in volunteering at TSH? Then click here for more information.

 

 
Telethon Speech & Hearing is committed to upholding the rights and safety of all children and young people. This includes being a child safe organisation where children, young people, families, and community members can feel that their culture, abilities and identities are respected. Telethon Speech & Hearing acknowledges the Traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Custodians of the land on which we work, live and build stronger communities for children and families to thrive. We recognise their continued custodianship and connection to land, waters and community and pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We extend this respect to all First Nations people present today and welcome all Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal families to our centre and school.

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