Coastal Accounting’s Story

“It started as a team-building idea.”

When the directors at Coastal Accounting began planning their annual team day, they wanted something different.

“We’d done the lunches and the escape rooms,” says Director Emma Clarke. “We wanted something meaningful.”

A quick enquiry to Volunteering Geelong connected them with James, who helped identify opportunities that would suit a team of 18 people with mixed fitness levels and limited weekday availability.

“He made it incredibly simple,” Emma says. “We told him our size, our timeframe, and what kind of impact we hoped to make. He came back with three clear options.”

Within weeks, the team was working with a local food relief organisation, sorting and packing essential grocery hampers.

“The induction was smooth. Expectations were clear. We felt prepared walking in.”

But the biggest impact wasn’t logistical — it was cultural.

“People who barely interacted in the office were suddenly working side by side. It changed the dynamic.”

Several staff members have since returned individually to volunteer again.

“It reminded us that we’re part of a bigger community,” Emma says. “And Volunteering Geelong made the whole process effortless.”