Profile: Sue Kozij

My role: I’ve been managing the Queensland chapter of Australian Pituitary Foundation for 11 years. I was previously the Secretary and now I’m Treasurer.

Our team: We have no paid employees. Seven volunteers act as Directors and six run state groups. We use other volunteers, very often pituitary patients themselves.

Our toughest challenges: Letting people know that the Foundation exists and what it does, raising awareness of pituitary disease and its impact on the patient, family, and wider community, and establishing contact with groups that can influence different types of treatment regimes for the various pituitary diseases.

My responsibilities: I wear a few hats – I assist with our membership, I edit and organize the publication of the newsletter and I maintain the website. I’m also part of the team that puts together education seminars and support gatherings, and supplies support and resources for individuals and group members.

Differences between the NFP sector and the private sector: NFP organisations are often run entirely by volunteers who are also juggling paid work and other personal obligations. The positive side is that most of the volunteers have a personal connection to the organisation and therefore bring a particularly high level of commitment.

If you are considering skilled volunteering: Remember that many organisations like our Foundation are run by people with a personal connection to the cause. That’s why they have become involved. The committee/board may lack expertise in some areas and are looking for input from relevant professionals. As a skilled volunteer, feel confident to offer guidance but also accept that the organisation is doing the best it can with limited resources and may not have the skills and expertise to do more.

Volunteering rewards both parties: NFP groups couldn’t survive without the generosity and expertise of skilled volunteers. Volunteers gain satisfaction from contributing and stimulation by meeting people from a wide variety of backgrounds and experience.

Click for more information on the Australian Pituitary Foundation