Five Interesting Ways to Help Your Community

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“Right now, I’m at the House With No Steps in Hurstville,” says Peking Duk’s Adam Hyde. “We’re helping paint murals and hanging out with the people here. We’ve made some great new friends, who have some hilarious stories. It’s such a good time and it’s for a great cause.”

Peking Duk, who will play at Luna Park’s Big Top on September 30 for Optus RockCorps 2015, took some time out from their hit-making schedule to volunteer. “When we arrived,” says Hyde. “The walls were dull, but now they’re very, very vibrant. There’s a beach with a massive whale and leopards and tigers in the jungle. In between painting, I’ve been rapping and having a little dance-off.”

Hyde and co-Duk Reuben Styles were joined by loads of other volunteers, swapping four hours of their time for a ticket to Optus RockCorps, where Wiz Khalifa, Raury and The Veronicas will all perform.

“I think it’s awesome, because you can’t buy a ticket, you have to do a good deed,” says Hyde. “It’s great that so many people are getting involved and a lot of them aren’t here just for the ticket. They’re here to help out of the kindness of their hearts. I’m blown away that there are so many young people getting amongst it. And I think more people should embrace it because it’s not hard at all.”

Ready to take his advice? Here are five ways you can help out your community during the next week – and earn yourself a concert ticket.

GET YOUR BANKSY ON AT COUNTERPOINT COMMUNITY SERVICES, WATERLOO

Give Banksy a run for his money by helping to paint a new mural at Waterloo’s Counterpoint Community Services (the place that used to be known as the Factory Community Centre). Simply register your interest here and turn up at 10am on Thursday, September 10. Spray cans will be handed to you. And if you don’t feel ready to exercise your art muscle, you can still do your bit by taking care of cleaning and clearing. Counterpoint Community Services provides a meeting space for local organisations and runs helpful programmes dealing with particular issues, including employment, domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse, literacy, housing, parenting and immigration.

FLEX YOUR GREEN THUMB AT MORT BAY COMMUNITY GARDENS, BIRCHGROVE

Whether your thumb’s greener than Costa Georgiadis’s or the closest you’ve ever got to gardening is buying growing basil at Coles, you’re invited to join the Mort Bay Community Gardens working bee. It’ll be happening on Wednesday, September 9 from 10am in McKell Street, Birchgrove. The plan is to landscape, mulch and generally make beautiful a bunch of vegetable boxes. Mort Bay Community Gardens were founded in 2011 and have since expanded, thanks to support from Leichhardt Council and a 2013 NSW Government grant. Register for this opportunity right here.

FIGHT AGAINST WEEDS AT CHOWDER BAY, MOSMAN

Ever since the Brit colonists brought their strange beasts, seeds and people halfway around the world, Australia’s native environment has had to battle relentlessly against intruders. Right now, Chowder Bay, which is located on Middle Head’s south side and is one of Sydney’s most beautiful spots, is being strangled by nasty weeds and flora. But, as always, the National Parks and Wildlife Service is fighting the good fight and beating them back. And you can add your hands to their efforts by joining other Optus RockCorps volunteers on Sunday, September 6 from 10am. Sign up over here.

TEST OUT YOUR LANDSCAPING IDEAS AT THE HOPE HOSTEL, PARRAMATTA

The Hope Hostel and Crisis Apartments have been providing men in Western Sydney with emergency and long-term accommodation during times of crisis since March 2011. But they don’t just provide shelter, they also offer extensive support. So, on Wednesday, September 9 from 10am, Optus RockCorps volunteers will spend a few hours landscaping The Hope’s outdoor area, which is an important place for meeting, thinking and relaxing. You can expect to get creative, by contributing your aesthetic ideas, and practical, with tree-planting, gardening and rearranging. Find out more here.

GET PAINT ROLLING AT ST GEORGE PCYC, ROCKDALE

St George PCYC is ready for a paint job. And if you get down there on Thursday, September 10 you can make it happen. There’ll be two types of painting going on — a straightforward new coat in the corridors and murals in other areas. You can get involved with whichever takes your fancy. The St George PCYC provides local children with a gym, chill-out room for playing table tennis, pool and fussball, and organised activities like boxing, martials arts, basketball, indoor soccer, gymnastics, volleyball and baton twirling. If this sounds like the right volunteer opportunity for you, go here.

Find out more about how you can volunteer for a ticket to Optus RockCorps here.

Images: Aleksandar Jason and Dollar Photo Club.