The 2025 Palliative Care Volunteer Conference took place on Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 August at Rydges Sydney Central in Surry Hills. It brought together palliative care volunteers, volunteer managers, and others from across New South Wales for two days of learning and connection.
Hosted by Palliative Care NSW (PCNSW), this conference held biennially, is the only statewide gathering dedicated to volunteers in palliative care. This year’s theme, “Being Human”, set the tone for an event that honoured the shared humanity at the heart of volunteering – the listening, presence, and authentic connections that make such a difference in the lives of people receiving palliative care, their families and carers.
The atmosphere throughout the two days was one of warmth and welcome. For many, it was a chance to reconnect with old friends, meet new colleagues from across the state, and be reminded that volunteering in palliative care is both a personal and collective journey.
Kate Bowman, Manager, Volunteer Services Support Program said, “The volunteer conference is such a special space, people come from all over. For some, it may be the first time they have met volunteers from outside their own service. How valuable it is to be fully immersed in the palliative care volunteering mindset, to share stories with peers and to learn from each other. I love hearing volunteers tell me what the conference meant to them, how they enjoyed the sense of community and connection, have had their passion for the role reignited, or have reconnected with their sense of purpose. It might sound a bit cliché but every conference leaves me feeling inspired and I feel truly blessed to work supporting such amazing volunteers.”
Day One: Exploring Skills and Creativity
On Monday 18 August, the event opened with four practical workshops running across two concurrent sessions designed to give volunteers hands-on tools they could take back into their practise.
Trauma-Informed Care led by Mirna Tarabay explored how volunteers can recognise and respond sensitively to trauma while ensuring their own self-care. Participants left with strategies to build trust and communicate with care, particularly in moments of vulnerability.
Perspectives in Biography Writing presented by Julie Gissing and Robyn Swanson highlighted the gift of listening and the power of recording life stories. Through short exercises and shared reflections, participants experienced what it feels like to both give and receive attentive listening, while also workshopping real challenges and successes from their biography work.
Reflective Writing facilitated by Dr Hilton Koppe gave volunteers a tool to reframe their difficult experiences and emotions. Light-hearted but meaningful and fun, the session encouraged volunteers to engage in ongoing reflective writing exercises as a way to process and understand their feelings and the feelings of others.
Creative Presence: Art and Connection in Palliative Care led by Adrina Petrosian invited volunteers to explore grounding practices, mindful mandala-making, and clay work as tools for connection. Volunteers discovered new ways of supporting clients and families through creativity, even those without any artistic background.
By the end of the first day, participants reflected that they felt both energised and grounded. The workshops balanced practical knowledge with opportunities for personal growth, reminding everyone that self-care is as important as care for others.
Day Two: Inspiration and Connection
The conference began with an Acknowledgment of Country from PCNSW President, Felicity Burns, who went on to welcome volunteers and pay tribute to their work.
Dr Cheryl Holmes OAM delivered the opening plenary “Spiritual Care in Palliative Care: Heart and Soul Matters.” Her presentation spoke to the importance of spirituality in serious illness, offering volunteers practical tools to recognise and respond to spiritual needs while also nourishing their own sense of meaning.
The morning continued with a series of short sessions. David Petch and Pamela Darling from the Council for Intellectual Disability shared practical resources to support patients with intellectual disability at end of life. This was followed by St Vincent’s Hospital’s Di Saward, who introduced CarerHelp, a website designed to support carers as they navigate the challenges of end-of-life care.
Later in the morning, Joanne Rogan presented “How to Talk to Children About Dying” equipping volunteers with simple yet effective ways to approach sensitive conversations with children. An art break with Volunteer Manager Amy O’Donnell walked delegates through “Tangles” which are accessible line drawings needing only small piece of paper and a pen to create. As well as giving volunteers a simple and creative way to connect with their clients it also gave delegates a moment to recharge before diving back into plenary sessions.
The afternoon plenaries continued to inspire. Dr Hilton Koppe returned to present “The Art of Listening: Seeing with New Ears” encouraging volunteers to embrace listening as an art form and to consider how unconscious assumptions can affect communication. His lively session gave participants new techniques and perspectives for becoming more open, attentive, and present.
This was followed by “Establishing Boundaries with Heart” led by Mirna Tarabay which explored how volunteers can balance empathy with self-care. Volunteers reflected deeply on how to say no with kindness, protect their emotional wellbeing, and sustain their long-term commitment to care.
Stories That Connect Us
Another heartfelt and reflective part of the conference was the afternoon discussion forum “Stories from Settings of Care” with a panel of five volunteers expertly facilitated by Kirsty Blades – Sharyn Lenertz (Calvary Kogarah), Melanie Lindenberg (Sacred Heart Biography Service), Pauline McKenzie (Sydney Children’s Hospital), Wendy Reilly (Shoalhaven Palliative Care Volunteers), and Scott Martin (HammondCare).
The panellists are active in their roles across quite different settings, including inpatient, community visiting, paediatric, rural, metropolitan, and biography and spoke openly about the joys and challenges of their work. Their stories resonated with many in the audience reminding us that being human means embracing both the ups and the downs, and that self-care is essential for sustaining the ability to care for others. The panel was a highlight for many attendees, bringing theory and practise together through lived experience and heartfelt honesty.
Closing with Gratitude
The conference closed with warm thanks from PCNSW CEO, Kirsty Blades, who acknowledged the tireless work of the volunteer managers on the conference organising committee – Janeen Norris (FWLHD and co-convenor of the NSW Network of Managers of Palliative care Volunteers), Sarah Potter (SCHN), Leanne Broadhead (HammondCare), Amy O’Donnell (Volunteers for Palliative Care), Roshini Rajeswaran (SLHD), and Fiona Sivyer). She also expressed gratitude to the PCNSW team and to our major partner, the NSW Ministry of Health.
It is with thanks to both the Ministry of Health and Friends of Palliative Care that we were able to offer a number of scholarships to regional and rural volunteers, ensuring the voices and perspectives from across the state were represented.
A Celebration of Being Human
Over two days, the 2025 Palliative Care Volunteer Conference offered volunteers time to reflect, learn, and connect with others who share the same passion. It reinforced that while the work of volunteers is often quiet and behind the scenes, their presence is deeply felt by patients, families, and the broader palliative care community.
Volunteers left the conference not only with new skills and resources, but with a renewed sense of purpose and a reminder of the profound impact of their role. At its heart, the conference was a celebration of humanity, of listening, presence, creativity, and compassion, the very qualities that make palliative care volunteering so extraordinary.
Events photos
We have collated all the photos taken at the event. We are happy for volunteer services to use them to promote their attendance at the conference as long as you acknowledge us in any communications. You can view and download as many as you like by clicking here.