Cat & David Livewire volunteers

We bring you the story of Cat and David. The husband-and-wife Livewire volunteer team. We interview the pair about their experiences as volunteers working with children and young people.

Cat & David - Livewire Volunteers, Perth Children’s Hospital

Tell us about your volunteer role.  

Cat: I’m a volunteer with Livewire. We work with children and young people aged 11 and older who are in hospital. I’d say the role is multi-faceted. On the practical level, I share my love of boardgames and craft, go on ward rounds, hone my (formidable) Mario Kart skills, and talk at length about hobbies or special interests. On the interpersonal level, I try to meet young people where they’re at, with empathy, acceptance and the support they need in the moment.  

David: I’m also a volunteer with Livewire. Thanks to the days I volunteer, this often means joining in with workshops for drawing competitions, playing boardgames and being a giant dork on Starlight TV.  

Why did you decide to join us as a volunteer?  

Cat: By trade I’m a health professional, and while I love my current job, it doesn’t involve direct contact with patients. One thing that has never felt like work for me is building connections with children and young people, helping them feel comfortable in unfamiliar situations, and allowing them to feel seen and heard. My husband and I had been wanting to do regular volunteer work, so I had been keeping an eye out for something that also suited our love of fun and creativity and knew this would be a great fit!  

What’s your favourite thing about your volunteer role?  

Cat: My shift with Livewire is genuinely the one time in the week where I completely switch off from the day-to-day pressures and focus entirely on being there for young people. Teens especially appreciate you being up-front and real. There’s no point trying to be someone you’re not as they’ll see straight through you! As a bonus, the Livewire team and the Captains are some of the most genuine and empathetic people I’ve met and are doing this work because they care about making a difference in the lives of young people.  

David: Chewing up the scenery on Starlight TV. I get to be a dork, but also show off the amazing art all the contestants send in. There’s so much spectacular art submitted every week, and I get to share it with anyone watching.  

Do you have a favourite volunteer moment?  

Cat: During the school holidays, I participated in the Taskmaster series in the SER (refer to David’s description below), representing a young person watching from their hospital room. My husband had already won his episode earlier in the week, yes, we are a competitive pair, and I was anxious about not scoring enough points and disappointing! I had a much-needed reality check when the child and their parents came to thank me afterwards, saying I did an awesome job, and they were so excited to have me competing for them. Surprisingly, their favourite moments weren’t the challenges themselves but when I let loose and showed my whimsical side. It was a wonderful reminder of what matters when in our day jobs we so often push ourselves to be perfect! 

David: It would have to be one of the holiday projects. While building a haunted Halloween mansion and a Christmas fireplace were very cool, the Taskmaster series which ran recently is my biggest highlight. It doesn’t hurt that I won my “episode.” If you’re not familiar, Taskmaster is originally a UK comedy show about a series of comedians being given outlandish tasks to complete. Comedy gold. What could be better? Put a Captain, a Livewire Facilitator and a Vollie in the SER and give them outlandish tasks, all judged by one of the patrons in the room. Absolute chaos of the best kind!  

What would you say to someone thinking about applying for a role at Starlight?  

Cat: If you feel that drive to contribute in a meaningful way, and if you are not afraid to embrace your fun / creative / goofy side, this will definitely suit you! You don’t need to have special musical or creative talents – it’s far more valuable to come as your authentic self as that is what’s most appreciated.  

David: If you don’t like having fun, it might not be for you, otherwise I can’t recommend it highly enough. Being able to bring some joy to people that need it is immensely gratifying. 

Anything else you want to add?  

David: All the Captains and the Livewire team are the most amazing giving people. I am so proud to be able to spend time with these true legends and help them do the spectacular work that they do.  

“We feel so lucky to have such a beautiful husband and wife duo volunteer their time in the Livewire program. David and Cat are deeply passionate about the Livewire program and it’s amazing to see them get involved with our Facilitators and kids in hospital. They have become such an integral part of the team.” 

Antonia Dodig, Program Manager