By KATH GANNAWAY
A GROUP OF Upper Yarra Secondary College students have found a way to make washing dishes fun!
The students, mostly girls, but with some boys also on the books, make their way to the Koha Community Cafe at Yarra Junction on Thursday nights to volunteer in the kitchen and the dining room.
Koha is a meeting and eating place for people of all ages, and that’s one of the things that the young volunteers say they love most – the community atmosphere.
Chelsea Bolsch, 17, says volunteering has brought her into contact with a broad range of “really lovely people”.
“It’s about meeting new people, making new friends and getting experience in lots of ways, including relating to people,” she said.
“It’s a very supportive atmosphere … like one big family.
She also volunteers with Holy Fools at their weekly barbecue in Yarra Junction each week.
Megan Bennett is 15 and started at Koha to fulfil the volunteer component of her Duke of Edinburgh Award.
She said she found it such a good experience, she has stayed on after completing the award.
Paris Jarvis is also 15 and shows no sign of getting bored with the job, even after three years.
“I guess I just like helping people out … and it’s fun,” she said.
She really doesn’t like doing dishes, but says working in a cafe setting can change how you feel about mundane jobs.
“It’s funny how working in a cafe atmosphere can change your view of doing everyday things, and your view of people,” she said.
“You don’t really know many people, and then the next minute, you can talk to them like anyone else … it’s cool!”
Hannah Mahoney is 15, but as the daughter of one of the Koha founders, Suyin Chan, Koha is like a second home.
“This place started when I was nine, so it’s a big part of my life,” she said.
The mix of people – the other volunteers and the patrons – is one of the attractions.
“It’s great to connect with people from all walks of life and with all sorts of different backgrounds,” she said.
As for the dishes? “You don’t even notice that you’re doing dishes when you have everyone around you,” Hannah said.
Koha co-ordinator, Nina Hellicar, says her schoolie volunteers are worth their weight in gold.
“They are such a nice bunch of kids, and the fact that they choose to be here and want to be here, blows me away,” she said.
The benefit for them is being part of a venture that is very much about skill-sharing, which ultimately will give them an edge when it comes to employment.
Koha is always in need of volunteers, of all ages. They do food preparation on Wednesdays and dinner on Thursdays from 6pm to 8pm.
Phone Nina on 0422 273 965 if you can help out, or would like to know more.
