Kirsten

Melbourne wig and headwear specialist, Kirsten says volunteering with Look Good Feel Better has given her a greater connection to her local community.

“I had been looking for some time at volunteering and so I contacted Look Good Feel Better because I believed my expertise with wigs would be a great way to give back to a community that was already a big part of my everyday work.

My first workshop was a bit of a blur, partly because I was helping with make-up and that wasn’t my strong suit! I quickly realised that it was more than just showing someone where and how to apply eye shadow, it was about connecting with women and helping facilitate dialogue with each other. I’m a story-teller by nature so there’s nothing more that I love than to see people sharing their stories!

I love it when I can totally transform a woman’s appearance in seconds with a wig. I watch the expression on her face when she looks in the mirror whilst hearing the other women gasp at the transformation. It gives me a real kick, and then all the other women want to try something on and we just have fun with it.

Volunteering gives you a sense of contribution. So often we lead busy lives where it’s easy to forget why we are running around in the first place. I believe time is one of the most precious things we have, and to give that to help others is vital to our sense of who we are. Volunteering at Look Good Feel Better has taught me that it doesn’t matter where you are from or what you do, we are all here seeking love and peace for ourselves and our loved ones. Life is about making real connections with people and I have made countless connections with other volunteers as well as participants over the years.

In my line of work, I meet a lot of women going through trying circumstances and I always ask them if they have been to a LGFB workshop. I am quick to point out the benefits of meeting other women in a safe environment and enjoying a few hours where they are pampered and treated with kindness- giving them confidence at a time when they may be feeling self-conscious. I believe those few hours can have an enormous impact on the women’s overall well-being during their treatment.

Sometimes during the workshop, the women forget momentarily all that is going on and they are just enjoying the moment. It’s so powerful, it’s palpable and contagious that the whole room is swept up into a time and place where we are all free of our lives outside of that room, it’s such a special feeling!

Our society would be a much better place if we all did some kind of volunteering, to give up your time to help others actually in turn helps your own understanding of what it means to be a part of a community. If you can find an organisation that aligns with your values, you should take the plunge because you will never know how much it will benefit your life until you actually do it.”

Kirsten teamed up with Bupa, on behalf of LGFB, to demonstrate a number of handy headwear tips and tricks. Click here to watch the online tutorial.