“My role at Hutt St Centre gives me purpose in life. To me, volunteering is the secret to having a fulfilling life really.”

Annette has found her perfect place at Hutt St Centre, combining her passions for education and volunteering in her role as a volunteer Community Speaker, presenting talks about homelessness with schools and community groups.

After retiring in 2021, Annette first joined Hutt St Centre as a volunteer serving lunch to people doing it tough. Today, alongside serving meals, she regularly presents to audiences ranging from 15 to 1,000 people.

“I knew almost nothing about Hutt St Centre and the hardships people go through before I started volunteering. I’ve learned so much through volunteering in the dining room because it’s gives me the opportunity to have a chat with people coming in for a meal and hear what they’re going through.”

“Because I’ve got a background as an educator, I always wanted to continue educating even in my retirement So, sharing my knowledge about homelessness and the services on offer is fantastic. I love it!”

Annette has delivered dozens of talks with real stories of homelessness that help foster understanding and empathy in audiences of all ages.

“The adults I speak to are often surprised and impressed by the range of services. And I love how passionate school students are to make a difference in society – they ask such insightful questions.”

Understanding homelessness can be difficult if you don’t know anyone personally affected. That’s where Annette and the Community Speaking team can help, with audience feedback speaking volumes.

“We really appreciate having Annette out last week – some of the students knew her and have a much stronger understanding of how homelessness impacts South Australia.”

If you’d like a talk for your school or community group, click the button below to enquire.