A 2am wake-up call may not sound instantly appealing, but for Footscray volunteer Mylinh Huynh it’s a small price to pay to know that she’s helping in a crisis.
Ms Huynh has been a volunteer with the Youth Referral and Independent Person Program (YRIPP) for more than four years, supporting young people in police interviews when their parent or guardian is unavailable.
As an ‘independent person’, she helps them understand the process and their rights, referring them to support services when needed.
Ms Huynh said she had received more than 20’call-outs’ to the Footscray police station since she began volunteering.
“I’ve enjoyed every moment of my time volunteering and appreciate the opportunity to help whenever I can, even if that means getting out of bed at 2am. For me, just receiving a thank-you from the young person after supporting them through the interview process is really rewarding and it makes it all worthwhile.”
Program co-ordinator Marie Holmes said YRIPP worked with more than 3100 young people a year.
YRIPP is looking for volunteers. An information session will be held at Phoenix Youth Centre, Footscray, from 6-8pm on August 14.
For more details or to book, call Christine, 93403702, or volunteering@cmy.net.au
