Koala Kids volunteer of the year award recognises the outstanding efforts of volunteers during the preceding 12 months.
The award emphasises the important work of our tertiary student and young professional volunteers, many of whom are embarking on their careers and are balancing studying, working and social life with volunteering. Keep reading to learn more about our worthy award recipients.

Aasiya Mir
2024
Koala Kids was proud to announce Aasiya Mir as our 2024 Volunteer of the Year. Aasiya joined our hospital volunteer team in early 2023 and has brought with her a lovely, warm energy.
Aasiya told us, “I have now been volunteering with Koala Kids for over a year and it has been an incredibly rewarding experience. My fellow volunteers and I visit the children’s cancer centre with a trolley filled with fun activities, yummy treats and personal items that families can enjoy while staying in hospital. Recognizing firsthand some of the difficulties and challenges faced by young people and their families during treatment, I feel very privileged to be able to see children’s faces light up when we walk into their rooms or have parents tell us how much our visit brightens their day.”

‘Monday Ladies’
2022
The 2022 Volunteer of the Year was awarded to a team of special people affectionately known as the Monday Ladies. Ann Wilhelm, Glenda Strong, Glenys Conran, Helen Cameron and Susie Yard were very popular winners when announced at the 2023 #webelievehappyhelps Cocktail Party.
The Monday Ladies couldn’t wait to return to the office in early 2022 after two years of COVID-19 related restrictions. Collectively they are the backbone of our organisation who perform all types of administrative and office tasks. A week at Koala Kids just isn’t the same when one or more of them is travelling or unable to come into the office. They are an incredibly warm, selfless, funny and dedicated team of people who remain committed to our vision and fully uphold our values and objectives. We love them and they are very worthy winners!

Daniella Mandie and Daniel Lawson
2020
2020 winners, Daniella and Dan were very worthy winners during a year when active volunteer roles were limited due to the moving landscape of COVID-19 restrictions, with both enthusiastically putting their hands up to volunteer wherever they could.
Daniella (aka La) has been a Koala Kids ambassador since 2007 inviting friends to donate to Koala Kids in lieu of birthday gifts each year. As the daughter of Mandy and brother of Nick (co-founders of Koala Kids) La has risen out of the shadows for the past five-plus years making time to volunteer in the hospitals, the office, picking up parcels and dropping off consignments to and from the office and hospitals.
Dan Lawson has volunteered with Koala Kids since 2016 and during that time has provided professional photography, videography and other support for Koala Kids young adults and other events. Prior to COVID-19 Dan was a regular volunteer at Koala Kids morning teas, pizza and pancake days and taught his juggling skills to young aspiring jugglers.

Vanessa Cohen and Liz Anderson
2019
Our first co-volunteers of the year were announced in 2019 with good friends Vanessa Cohen (left) and Liz Anderson (right) sharing the award.
Liz has been involved with Koala Kids since she began working for KOALA Foundation in 2011 on the Million Dollar Lunch. Koala Kids was auspiced by KOALA Foundation which became Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF) the following year.
In 2014, Liz left CCF but took with her a love of Koala Kids and its mission. Over the past eight years, Liz has been involved with many aspects of the organisation including the Orange Gala, events committee, managing volunteers. She is our go-to for anything spreadsheets! Working full time, Liz is also very involved in our in-hospital weekend volunteering program.
Another long time volunteer, Vanessa first met Koala Kids executive director, Mandy Mandie in 2006 where she was event manager for the KOALA Foundation’s Million Dollar Lunch. Vanessa (aka Ness) was one of the driving forces behind Koala Kids in its early days.
Like Liz, Ness has completed an array of volunteering tasks throughout her time with a major focus on utilising her skills in event management. She is also heavily involved with our weekend volunteering program but Ness’ most famous volunteering moment was when she dressed up as Santa at the 2019 Little Big Camp, hosted collaboratively by Koala Kids and Little Big Steps Australia!

Ali Dvorscek
2018
Ali Dvorscek had volunteered with Koala Kids for around four years prior to being awarded Volunteer of the Year in 2018. For those four years, she was an integral part of our hospital volunteering program at The Royal Children’s Hospital. Most Mondays, Ali, joined by a couple of other volunteers, would do the rounds of the Children’s Cancer Centre providing activities, games and toys to children. A standout volunteer with families, Ali is known for her bright and bubbly personality and she is always up for a chat!
Ali volunteered whilst studying a degree in Bio Medicine. She is currently studying her PhD with Monash University. Her only regret about her PhD is that she can no longer volunteer during the week, however she still loves volunteering in the Children’s Cancer Centre on weekends!

Jess Bucci
2017
Jess Bucci (pictured left) joined Koala Kids as an events intern from William Angliss Institute in 2017. As a fresh out of school 18-year-old, Jess was thrown in at the deep end at Koala Kids, working with the young adults committee to plan and implement the 2017 Orange Gala.
What was meant to be an eight week internship for Jess turned into over four years! Jess grew a love for Koala Kids and its programs, staying on as a volunteer for the six months following her internship. She was then offered a part time role as assistant to the program director in 2018. Although Jess now works full time as Koala Kids programs coordinator, our only salaried position, her volunteer passion for everything still drives her.

Kate Clements
2016
Kate Clements co-chairs Koala Kids young adults committee alongside co-founder, Nick Mandie. Kate was instrumental in leading the committee to host its first annual Orange Gala in 2016, an event which has gone on to raise over $300,000 since its inception.
Kate continues to remain heavily involved as co-chair of the committee. After being announced Koala Kids Volunteer of the Year in 2016, she went on to be awarded Rotary Club of Melbourne’s Young Achiever Award 2017, recognising her academic excellence and outstanding achievement in the field of community service leadership. Kate currently works as a solicitor specialising in litigation.

Sophie Mullen
2015

Grace Kerr
2014
Koala Kids inaugural volunteer of the year awarded in 2016 was Grace Kerr (pictured right). Grace was an outstanding volunteer while studying a full-time Bachelor of Communications degree at RMIT.