Are you still struggling to find a Voluntary Service that you can do from home?

No problem!

Silver Award Participant Tahlia is here to help. She has started a letter-writing campaign under the name of  Project Paper Hearts where she writes letters and gets other people to write letters and send them to her so she can share them in aged care facilities. You can find her on Instagram @Project_Paper_Hearts or by emailing her at  projectpaperhearts111@gmail.com. 

Read her full story below:

Why did you decide to do the Award? 

I began the Award because it seemed like a really fun experience where I could get more involved in my community. 

What activities are you doing for your Award? 

For my Physical Recreation, I am doing hockey. I am reading for my Skill and for my Voluntary Service I was helping out at sporting grounds but because of a COVID-19 I have begun writing letters and packaging other peoples letters for my Project Paper Hearts organisation. 

What sort of challenges are you facing in your day-to-day life, as a result of COVID-19? How has this impacted you? 

Due to COVID-19, I have been feeling isolated from my friends and my community. It has been weird not to see them and I really miss spending time with them. 

Is the Award helping you deal with any of these challenges? If so how? 

Duke of Ed has allowed me to find different ways to connect with my community during COVID-19. I have started writing letters to the elderly and connecting with my community through that. 

Have you had to adapt your Award activities as a result of COVID - 19? if so, how? 

I have changed my Skill from helping out at sporting grounds to working on my Project Paper Hearts campaign. I now write and review letters hat go to age care residents. I package these letters and deliver them to age care centres with the intention to help elderly isolated by COVID-19. 

Are you using your Award (and particularly your Voluntary Service section) to help your community deal with the challenges of of COVID-19? If so, how? 

My Voluntary Service:  Project Paper Hearts aims to spread love and joy to the elderly who have been isolated. I am basing my service on connecting people during these tough times. 

What would you say to someone who thinks doing the Award is too hard right now and wants to wait until its easier after the virus? 

There is no time like the present. Things may be abnormal at the moment but you are still capable of doing amazing things so don’t let the Corona Virus get in the way of you doing it. 

Is there anything else you would like to share about your time doing the Award? 

The Duke of Ed award has made me more aware of my community and what is happing around me and has made me a better person.

Throughout the drought, my family and I received letters from people we didnt know sharing their love and support. Those letters helped us remember that we weren’t alone and I wanted to do the same for elderly isolated by Corona Virus and hence Project Paper hearts was created. 

The email for the initiative is projectpaperhearts111@gmail.com, I also have an Instagram for it which is called project_paper_hearts. It would be amazing if more people get involved with the project.