National Volunteer Week (19 – 25 May) is an opportunity to highlight the important role of volunteers in our communities.
This week, MS Australia is celebrating the contributions of volunteers from the MS community, in particular, the MS Australia Lived Experience Expert Panel (LEEP).
The week celebrates the power of volunteering to bring people together with the theme ‘Connecting Communities’, exploring how giving to others fosters community engagement, connection and belonging.
National Volunteer Week 2025 (19 to 25 May) celebrates the power of volunteering to bring people together with the theme ‘Connecting Communities’.
At MS Australia, it’s a chance to recognise our LEEP, a group of volunteers who share their experiences of MS to inform and enhance MS Australia’s advocacy work.
Established in October 2023, our 59 panel members are people living with MS or carers of people living with MS.
LEEP members are drawn from a diverse range of backgrounds, including younger people, older people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, parents, including single parents, LGBTQI+ people, and people living in regional and rural locations. Each member contributes their unique experience and insight to the advocacy work of MS Australia and ensures that we maintain a strong lived experience focus.
Deanna, a member of the LEEP since its inception, is an enthusiastic and passionate young volunteer who enjoys contributing her voice to the benefit of the MS community.
“Being part of a volunteer group that genuinely values lived experience is incredibly empowering… Turning my weird, wonderful, and wobbly moments into something useful for others feels pretty great too.”
Many LEEP members find a strong sense of purpose in volunteering, giving back to the MS community and using their skills and passion to drive change for people living with MS.
Our volunteers build a community with each other while playing a key role in educating governments, global organisations, MS researchers, the health workforce and the general public on the realities of living with MS.
Since her MS diagnosis 20 years ago, LEEP member Sarah has invested her time in volunteering to give back to the MS community, which she has often turned to for support over the years.
“The path to my diagnosis was long, complex, and emotionally draining, but through it, I discovered how powerful and healing it could be to share my story, particularly with others facing similar challenges.
Volunteering became a natural extension of that purpose – a way to advocate, educate, and give back to a community that has given me strength and solidarity when I needed it most.”
Kate was diagnosed with MS as a young person living in a rural area. While she describes her diagnosis journey as ‘isolating’, Kate has harnessed her experience into a passion for sharing in solidarity with her community and those who have been newly diagnosed with MS.
“Through contact with support groups and participation in events I am often in touch with local people living with MS. We exchange information and stories that benefit all of us, and I’ve built up some wonderful connections and friendships over the years.”
Volunteering for MS Australia’s LEEP program has brought fulfilment and helped members build connections with people from around Australia who have a wide range of backgrounds and lived experience.
A LEEP member since 2023, Julie values connecting with other people living with MS and enjoys the opportunity to share in others’ experiences of MS.
The sense of purpose and fulfilment is wonderful, and volunteering with the LEEP gives me the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the MS community. I have grown personally while contributing to a cause that really matters.
Not only sharing their time with MS Australia, many members bring volunteer experience from across the disability and health sectors, including our state and territory Member Organisations (MS Plus, MSWA, MS SA & NT and MS Queensland).
Nigel, a LEEP member and previous MS Australia Advocate, has spent his life volunteering for his community and advocating for improved support for people living with MS. He shares the momentum that drives his volunteer work and the beliefs that keep him active in his community.
“I have been a volunteer all my life… I believe strongly in using my skills for the good of other less fortunate people. I am passionate about equity and the rights of everyone… preventing the abuse, neglect and exploitation of people with disabilities; and [providing] access to the same supports and opportunities for all regardless of their abilities.”
The passion and dedication of MS Australia’s LEEP and the impact of volunteers in the MS community is an immense point of pride for our organisation.
On National Volunteer Week, we extend our sincere gratitude to the LEEP and all volunteers across the MS community in Australia for their contributions to driving policy change and bolstering the needs of people living with MS.
