“Previously, women would put their hands up to help out in the canteen or cutting up oranges, but they are now eager to assist with more diverse roles and get involved in other ways on game day,” Jess said.

As a volunteer coach at her beloved Australian Rules Football Club, the Sandgate Hawks, Jess went from being the only female coach to now counting herself as one of nine, with some females now coaching the male teams. Witnessing the growth of inclusivity at her own Club was a key stimulus behind joining the Sports Volunteer Coalition and being able to influence volunteering in sport and recreation organisations across the country.

"Knowing I am contributing to a more inclusive environment, providing avenues and breaking down the barriers for females to get into coaching and showing the diversity of roles available for women to volunteer are key motivators for me to continue my own volunteering journey."

“I am so passionate about volunteering and having the opportunity to talk to people and share stories has been fantastic.”

Off the field, Jess works as a Manager in the Queensland Government Department of Tourism, Innovation & Sport. She relishes the opportunity to not only share her state-level expertise with the coalition but also to return with positive stories on the influence of sport volunteering at national-level to her office in Brisbane.

"I have loved connecting with different levels of government and the sport sector," Jess said.

"In my role, I engage with state level organisations but have had limited engagement with National Sporting Organisations. Hearing their success stories and learnings through the coalition has been great for me to bring back and inform what we are doing in Queensland."

When asked what legacy Jess would like to leave, her answer reigned true to the very reason she joined – make volunteering opportunities in sport accessible to all.

"I want to utilise the SVC Action Plan to help us inform and influence our own volunteering approach in Queensland. Our current programs mention and invest in volunteering in some capacity, but to be able to create something deliberate, big and chunky that focuses on volunteering would be a pretty exciting legacy!" she exclaimed.

"We [Sport Volunteer Coalition] have made great strides in the first couple of years and in building the foundation for how we can best support volunteering. If the group can continue to lay the foundation, then I look forward to seeing volunteering continue to thrive and grow."

Visit the Volunteering page on the ASC website to learn more about the Sport Volunteer Coalition and the work they are doing to empower sport volunteers in Australia.