Once she had aged out of the Junior Ranger Program, Joy’s volunteering with Serendip Sanctuary began – and you would find her there every school holiday period until she finished year 12 – though she kept volunteering beyond that.  

“I loved volunteering when I was in high school. I got to help maintain the wildlife walk and help deliver the Junior Ranger Programs. The team even trusted me to run these on my own. For a 17/18-year-old, that was a huge thing. I was so proud of myself for being trusted to deliver the same programs I loved as a kid.”

Joy was able to grow her self-confidence, skills and knowledge during her time volunteering – with the help of amazing mentors.

“Volunteering with Serendip was an amazing experience, it gave me an opportunity to meet mentors who I still keep in contact with,” she said. 

“Having dyslexia, I didn’t think that I would be able to go to university. At the time, I had a mentor who was dyslexic and in a position of leadership. They had an amazing university degree and was really skilled and knowledgeable. That was a turning point for me. I thought ‘if they can do it, I can do it too’.” 

After returning from a gap year, Joy undertook her Certificates 3 and 4 Conservation and Land Management. In 2020, she landed her first role as a Land Management Officer in Serendip – which then turned into a Seasonal Ranger position in Halls Gap, fuelling her hunger for knowledge.

“I helped multiple teams in the Halls Gap office, including the Visitor Communication Team, Roads and Facilities, and the Environment Team. It made me realise that I wanted to work deeper within the environment and land management spaces.”

Joy put up her hand to become a Project Firefighter during the 2021-22 fire season, where she fell in love with fire management and learned about the role it has in land management and conservation. Reflecting on her time working with Parks Victoria, and volunteering prior to that, she started her Bachelor of Environmental Science: Conservation Wildlife Biology with a minor in Indigenous Studies. 

Photo: Joy working as a Project Firefighter during fire season. Image supplied by Joy Thorup Andersen.

While she balanced work and study, Joy still found the time to volunteer – and even started the Friends of Serendip program. 

“I was seeing some negativity and misinformation going around, and I realised I could help bridge that gap, given I had worked with Parks Victoria and was an avid volunteer,” she said.

Joy’s passion for Serendip Sanctuary is evident in everything that she does, the park having played such an important role in her life through her involvement in the Junior Ranger programs, volunteering, paid employment and even her educational pursuits

“I’ve had such a great opportunity to meet amazing people. Serendip has provided me with mentoring, lifelong friendships and experiences. I wanted to find a way to become a mentor, and a friend, to others who wished to play a part in conservation.

“That’s what the Friends group is for me, the opportunity to pass the knowledge that my mentors have given me onto the community. To give people the chance to get access to the opportunities that I’ve had, and for me to share my love of conservation and the environment with others.” 

Driven by its vision of “connect community with nature and improve Serendip’s biodiversity” Friends of Serendip provides its members with the opportunity to get involved in one of Victoria’s special places in a way that’s not typically available to the public. Members are invited to attend working bees, go on nature walks, talk about birds, learn about the history of the Sanctuary, and help the Rangers with projects close to their hearts. 

Although Joy is currently working as a casual Ranger at Serendip, her passion for volunteering continues – using her free time to continue leading the Friends of Serendip group and share her knowledge from her time as a Ranger, as a Project Firefighter, and as a university student. 

“I’ve got so many ideas and projects that I wish to accomplish with Friends,” she said. 

“We could work with threatened flora species to monitor the change over time with the establishment of revegetation. But for now, I’m starting small. I just want to get people interested and involved.”

Make a difference through volunteering

National Volunteer Week (19-25 May) is Australia’s largest annual celebration of volunteering. This year, the theme is ‘Connecting Communities’ celebrating the power that volunteering has to bring people together. 

So, this year, why not consider volunteering with Parks Victoria? Not only is it a way to get into nature, but you might meet someone like Joy. Someone so passionate, skilled and knowledgeable who just wants to help give back to the community that has supported and lifted her up. 

Click here to find out more about the Friends of Serendip Program or how you can get involved in a volunteering group near you.