When Louise Stratton retired, she didn’t want to stop giving back to a community that meant so much to her.
So, the former Multicap employee took up a volunteer role with the organisation.
Louise volunteers every Friday as an art assistant at Pine Rivers Hub.
“I love it,” Louise said. “I am a bit of an artist, and I connected closely with the teacher Monica and the customers. It was a way I could doubly enjoy the process – you don’t often run into opportunities like this.”
Louise began her career in the disability sector in Sydney after deciding it was time for a change from her long and successful career as a school teacher.
“I started as a job coach at an Australian Disability Enterprise and ended up running the factory,” Louise said. “It was very different to what I had envisioned – it was overwhelming at first – but I loved it. And bit by bit I helped the organisation to bring in people who genuinely cared about creating a better life for people.”
Louise said her ethos was to help people do things for themselves, rather than doing it for them.
After 10 years with the organisation, Louise returned to Queensland and took a role with Multicap’s Skilling Queenslanders for Work team before deciding to retire.
“When I retired, I realised I wasn’t ready to let go and still wanted to make a difference. That’s when I came across the volunteering role.
“I love my time there – I’ve barely missed a day,” she said. “I love the connection I have with the people I support because I have the time as a volunteer to take an interest.
“My favourite part of the day is seeing everyone go home with their art, and they produce really complex, good art. To see their pleasure and satisfaction in their work is wonderful.”