Over recent months, I’ve visited a community choir, joined an awareness day, celebrated our city’s cultural diversity and attended events recognising local volunteers and community leaders.

They may seem like very different occasions, but the same thread runs through all of them: people giving their time, sharing their experiences and creating places where others feel welcome and supported.

Creating connection through music

A recent visit to the Upbeat Arts Gold Coast Choir was a beautiful reminder of the power of belonging.

The choir provides a safe and welcoming space for people experiencing mental ill health, social isolation and other challenges. Watching the group perform and seeing what being part of it meant to the people involved was incredible.

It was also another example of the quiet contribution volunteers make. People like Teagan from the Gold Coast Homelessness Network give their time because they understand that connection and community can play an important role in wellbeing.

Sometimes support looks like housing, healthcare or professional services. Sometimes it also looks like having somewhere to go each week where people know your name and are happy to see you.

Making invisible illnesses visible

That same sense of understanding and connection can be found at the Fibromyalgia ME/CFS Gold Coast Support Group.

I recently joined members of the group for Fibromyalgia Awareness Day. It was an opportunity to raise awareness and recognise the experiences of people living with these complex illnesses.

Fibromyalgia and ME/CFS can have a profound impact on people’s lives, but because the symptoms are not always visible, they are often misunderstood or underestimated. The group provides face-to-face support sessions in Labrador each week, as well as everyday connection through its Facebook community. It has done an amazing job creating a space where people can share their experiences, find support and feel understood.

Living with an invisible illness can be incredibly isolating. Groups like this remind people that they do not have to navigate it alone.

Building bridges across cultures and faiths

Connection also grows when people are given opportunities to share their culture, traditions and experiences.

I was incredibly proud to nominate Ree Ali for recognition as a Gold Coast Local Hero in the Gold Coast Australian of the Year Awards, as well as represent and accept her finalist certificate on her behalf.

Through her involvement with the Multifaith Advisory Action Group, Ree brings people together across different faiths, cultures and communities. At a time when division can attract more attention than cooperation, work like this is enormously valuable.

That same spirit was on display at Australia Friendship Day, organised by the Gold Coast Filipino Australian Cultural Ensemble.

The music, dancing, languages, traditions and vibrant clothing were wonderful, but the real strength of the event was the pride with which people shared their culture—and the warmth with which others embraced it.

Advocating for safety and dignity

The Gold Coast Australian of the Year Awards also recognised people tackling some of the most difficult issues facing our community.

It was wonderful to see Amanda from Fierce Females and Danielle from the Kelly Wilkinson Foundation recognised for their work addressing domestic and family violence at the award night.

This work can be difficult, confronting and deeply personal. Their recognition matters because it brings greater attention to the issue and to the people working every day to create safer futures for women and families.

Helping people stay connected to their community

At the Mayor’s Volunteer Thank You event, I had the chance to catch up with some familiar community faces, including Chrissy from Beauties Feeling Fabulous, Captain Wayne from Cycling Without Age Gold Coast, Queensland Day Award recipient and local legend Lyn Mansfield, and Ree Ali from the Multifaith Advisory Action Group. Each contributes to our community in a different way.

The Mayor’s event was a lovely opportunity to thank volunteers, but it was also a reminder of something much bigger: people need more than services. We all need to feel connected to our community, and volunteers make so much of that connection possible.

Decades of fundraising and animal welfare

The twenty-fifth and final Gold Coast Fundraising Ball marked the end of an extraordinary local tradition.

Over 25 years, the event raised more than $3 million for charities. Animal Welfare League Queensland was once again among the beneficiaries at the final event.

Having spent over a decade supporting AWLQ, and a few years serving on the board, it was a pleasure to attend alongside other board members, staff and volunteers. It was also a reminder of just how much sustained community fundraising can achieve.

Community leadership does not always come with a title

Events such as the Gold Coast Australian of the Year Awards and the Mayor’s Volunteer Thank You event give us an opportunity to recognise some of these contributions.

But behind every award, public event and successful community program are people doing work that is rarely seen.

They are managing rosters, answering messages, setting up chairs, seeking donations, welcoming new faces and checking in on people who may be struggling.

Community leadership is found in the person who creates a welcoming space, advocates for someone who is not being heard, shares their culture, raises money for a cause or gives a few hours to help another person feel less alone.

The Gold Coast is stronger because of these people. They deserve our thanks – and our support.

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