Meet our volunteers: Jorja, ACT
Jorja is the ACT Regional Leader for The Nappy Collective. She’s also a mum to a beautiful four-year-old and the owner of an award-winning small business that delivers donut bouquets, dessert boxes and gift hampers around Canberra.
What inspired you to join The Nappy Collective?
In February 2023, my partner and I picked up our then three-year-old from childcare and his nappy had not been changed all day. It was late afternoon, and he was still wearing the nappy we had sent him to the centre in that morning. It was full and sagging, and he was struggling to walk. He was playing outside in the hot sun, and you could smell that it was full when you were close to him. Suffice to say, we pulled him from the centre immediately.
The whole incident – the neglect and the change in childcare centres – had a huge impact on the family in various ways, some still present today. I can vividly recall him walking toward me, bow-legged and uncomfortable, and the thought that no one had cared to check on him all day is still upsetting.
Shortly after this happened, I came across a call out for volunteers from The Nappy Collective on Instagram. I started to imagine what it must be like to watch your child regularly wearing a full, sagging nappy and not having the ability to change them because you physically don’t have any clean nappies. How upsetting it would be to not have a choice, when all you want to do as a parent is keep your child healthy, happy and safe. Mum guilt is a very real and ever-present thing, and I couldn’t imagine how torn up you would feel inside if you were in that situation.
I responded to the call out for volunteers and signed up that evening.
What has volunteering given you?
It’s a positive outlet to turn to when things are challenging in my professional or personal life, but it’s also a real-time example to show my son the importance of helping those in need. It’s something I can easily involve him in, and something we can do together.
Most memorable volunteering moment?
A drop-off I did to a small Community Partner after the September 2023 campaign. They had been inundated with requests for nappies and had been unable to respond, instead sending them to one of our larger Community Partners.
They were so grateful for the delivery – I have never seen someone so overjoyed to receive nappies. It was a beautiful moment to experience and really highlighted the importance of the work of The Nappy Collective.
Favourite part about volunteering with The Nappy Collective?
Giving back to my local community in a tangible and meaningful way.
If you could have any superpower to help with your volunteering, what would it be and why?
The ability to clone myself so I could do more! Sometimes fitting volunteering in amongst running multiple small businesses, parenting, being present in my marriage, having time to myself, juggling chronic health issues, and doing all the things you’re ‘supposed’ to do as an adult can feel challenging.
I love that the strong network within The Nappy Collective gives you the ability to scale back when you need to and that there is plenty of notice around peak volunteering periods so you can plan your time in advance. But giving back is a core value of mine, so I always wish I could be doing more!
Share a quote or motto that inspires you to keep giving back…
“If you see someone without a smile, give ‘em yours!’
- Dolly Parton