On what would have been her father's 60th birthday, Rachel Eslick-Angus volunteered at her first Feel the Magic camp.
After losing her father at 11, Feel the Magic, which helps grieving children, provided the opportunity for Ms Eslick-Angus to "help the next kid who loses a parent" so those children will have a different experience to her.
Feel the Magic's three-day weekend Camp Magic program gives grieving kids the chance to find a "community of people who know what it's like".
"Grief at any age can be isolating, but particularly when you are a child. One in 20 children in Australia lose a parent before they turn 18. One in every classroom," Ms Eslick-Angus said.
"Yet the first thing children will say at camp is, 'I don't know anyone who has been through this or understands what I am going through'," she said.
The program allows kids to find a place where "they're not the odd man out", as there is a community of people who understand.
"When they see grown-ups who have experienced that loss and who have experienced that [as children], who are successful, happy and thriving as adults, I think that helps them see there is a bright light," Ms Eslick-Angus said.
She is sharing her story as part of National Volunteer Week, which begins on Monday. Her first weekend at camp was "pretty hard" as she didn't realise what it would mean for her.
The first camper she mentored had a shocking similarity of having lost her father at a similar age, and they were able to connect over the experience.
"It was so life-changing for me and I hope life-changing for the child that I was mentoring" Ms Eslick-Angus said.
She is continually passionate about helping kids through a difficult time.
"I would have benefited from a program like this when I was going through the loss of my dad," Ms Eslick-Angus said.
"I just feel this intense pull to do whatever I can to make that easier ... for kids going through it now."
Rachel volunteers while working full-time on top of completing a psychology degree.
She started her degree in 2020 after spending time volunteering which made her feel she needed "to do this now".
A report by Volunteering ACT shows 75 per cent of the ACT population over the age of 15 volunteered. The cost of replacing all the volunteers is $3.3 billion.
ACT residents' top causes for volunteering are social and wellbeing support, event support and environmental or animal welfare.
National Volunteer Week (May 20-26) celebrates all Australians who are actively giving up their time and offer their skills to organisations with the theme of something for everyone.
