A driving instructor for young learners and a group saving hard rubbish from landfill took top honours in the 2024 Boroondara Volunteer Awards.

Barry Scott, our Volunteer of the Year, was one of the first to volunteer with the Boroondara TAC L2P Learner Driver Mentor Program. He mentors eligible learner drivers who don’t have access to a licence holder and a car, helping them gain the driving hours needed to sit their probationary licence test.

Barry says the most rewarding part of the role is ‘the obvious one … seeing the smile, pride and relief on the faces of the young drivers when they have successfully completed the driving test. The trip back from the VicRoads office is always a joy.’

The overall winner in the Volunteer Program Innovation Award category was Boroondara Hard Rubbish Rehome. Co-founders Catherine Krestyn and Jennie Irving have rescued more than 15,000 kg of hard rubbish in the past year.

They use the group’s Facebook page to list items for rehoming, share hard rubbish locations and connect people. Two years after setting the group up to ‘build community and help people deal with their excess resources’ they have gathered more than 10,000 members.

Congratulations to all our Boroondara Volunteer Award winners and to our special commendation recipients:

• Kelsey Smith, You Matter 
• Peter Cooney, VMCH Balwyn Op Shop
• Mary Biviano, Friends of Greythorn Park
• Boroondara Stroke Support Group for ‘A loved one has had a stroke’ booklet
• Electrify Boroondara for the 2023 Electrify Boroondara Expo.

Find out more about local volunteering opportunities at: 
volunteer.boroondara.vic.gov.au