Building a successful National Seniors branch

Since its launch in October 2025, the Childers Social Branch has demonstrated how local volunteers can create meaningful opportunities for older Australians to connect, learn and contribute to their community. As National Seniors Australia’s first new Social Branch, Childers helped pioneer a new branch model that operates as part of NSA rather than as a separate incorporated association, reducing administrative burdens while maintaining strong local engagement. The success of the Childers Branch has helped pave the way for further growth, with NSA now supporting three new Social Branches and six former incorporated NSA branches that have successfully transitioned to the Social Branch model. Together, these volunteer-led groups are strengthening community connections and expanding opportunities for older Australians to stay active, informed and socially connected.

Tell us about the branch.

Childers Branch has been established since October 2025, and I have been involved in establishing the branch prior to that with my friend Annie. Initially there were just the two of us and volunteers have now grown to 8 active volunteers.

The Childers Social Branch of National Seniors Australia is more than a social group—it is a growing network of people, organisations and businesses working together to strengthen community spirit, reduce isolation, and create positive local impact.

Meeting at the Isis Club at 10:00 am on the first Thursday of each month, the branch welcomes both members and non-members to share ideas, build friendships, and discover opportunities to become involved in community life.

Through genuine partnerships with local not-for-profit organisations, community groups and businesses, the branch actively supports initiatives that bring people together, celebrate local strengths, and enhance the wellbeing of the wider community. Guest speakers, community organisations and local businesses are encouraged to connect with the branch to share their stories, services, expertise and opportunities.

Committed to fostering meaningful connections and collaboration, the branch provides a welcoming environment where individuals can contribute, learn, and help create a stronger, more inclusive community for all.

Whether a local resident, a visiting National Seniors member, or an organisation seeking meaningful community engagement, everyone is welcome to participate and be part of the journey.

Community members can stay connected through the branch Facebook Group, online newsletter, or printed updates available at the Childers Library.

How have built the membership and participation?

A ‘no pressure’ approach to volunteer engagement, I feel is our biggest advantage. As seniors we, or our partners are regularly unavailable, which is one of the things that deters people from putting their hand up in most other organisations.

The ultimate goal is to have a ‘back up buddy’ for every volunteer to give volunteers the reassurance if they start planning something they’ve always wanted to do, but have never tried before, for fear that, on the day, they couldn’t be available for genuine reasons they wouldn’t be letting anyone down and there would be someone there who will pick up the ball and run with it.

This has already proved to be an energising experience as our Winter Warmer concept develop and event lead has been unavoidably unable to continue with such a strong role in the event, so other vollies are picking up the lead role and continuing to deliver the event as close as possible to the original volunteer’s idea concept.

This has been so good as the other volunteers step up and into something new and exciting, out of their comfort zone, which builds their confidence and ensures the original concept developer feel included, valued and appreciated for their contribution to an event that simply wouldn’t have happened without their original idea.

What have your learnt about working with volunteers at the branch?

Sharing responsibility for some aspects of Branch activities has been a challenge. For example, social media, flyer production etc. Other things like organising monthly speakers, special events have been relatively easy as volunteers are encouraged to follow their own passion in terms of what they’d like to do.

In the meantime, the back-up plan, as we are a social branch, is that Karen from NSA Brisbane is the second administrator on the FB page. Dave, Alex, Heath & Geoff continue to do the technical stuff that is beyond Branch level capacity, and for accountability. We are very happy not to have to deal with money.

Still working on finding a local volunteer to be second Administrator on FB, learn Canva to design flyers. It will happen!

How have you handled community partnerships?

The most challenging part is building trust with other organisations so they know they can rely on the Branch to honour its commitments when collaborating. Some other organisations may also need reassurance that we aren’t in competition with them. As NSA is primarily an advocacy group and we are aiming to build on that at a local level, this makes it easier for them to relax and work together.

It’s a message that I feel needs to be repeated at every opportunity.

What have you learnt to plan guest speakers at branch meetings and successful events?

Factors to consider mainly is capacity to manage if the event attracts more numbers than anticipated. Speakers and topics just seem to fall into our laps. The Branch has a focus on encouraging local speakers. This can be hit and miss as often people might know the speaker and think they know what they do, so might choose not to come as a result.   The secret, we are still learning, is how to encourage them to come along to find out something they may not have known. Coming for the ‘networking’ per se, may work in the corporate world, but for retirees it’s no longer a hook. They need to know they are going to leave personally enriched from the experience.

Cost is another factor. The Branch aims to keep most activities/events affordable for everyone. The Isis Club have been wonderful in helping with that giving us the room for free for monthly meetings. Attendees can come along and buy their own food and drink within their own budget.

Regular monthly catch ups are free. Special Events may have a cost and may be subsidised with a grant in conjunction with NSA. We also try to be mindful of NSA goals as well without being salesy. Again focussing on the advocacy, the hidden benefit, so people who do join are joining for the right reasons and not for the potential discounts they may or may not receive. Especially in a regional area, the discounts are elusive.

What challenges have you faced and how have you tackled them?

We are relaxed about setbacks. Staying calm and not playing the blame game is the secret to handling setbacks. It is what it is. So far, we’ve only had one monthly catch up where only 3 people attended. The guest speaker was very gracious and could totally relate from her own past experience with unexplained reasons for low numbers for a well-advertised event. We reflected on reasons why and will take those reflections on board in future. Eg: a) ensuring we have a ‘hook’ as to why they should come to listen to a local speaker and b) don’t hold events on 2 consecutive days (we had the Digital Skills Workshop graduation the day before the June monthly catch up).

How have you gone about keeping your Branch sustainable?

This hasn’t been a challenge yet, although it may be in the future. It’s important for people to have ownership. We are still working on the Branch’s ‘Back up Buddy’ concept, because it also needs to fit with the philosophy that volunteers will only be asked to do what they want to do. Life is too short to feel ‘obliged’ to do something.

We haven’t yet come up with any ‘I won’t work with that person’ scenario’s yet, but as the Branch grows this may well come up in a small community. I think it’s why small groups appear to become ‘clicky’. As the ‘core’ group gel together, as new volunteers come into the fold, building relationships and building trust needs to start all over again.

Interestingly I just watched a video about kindness. ‘What would kindness do?’ I think that would be a great shared philosophy.

How we stay relevant is by continuing to focus on our point of difference (advocacy), our desire to collaborate and support other branches and, so far, our ability to put people together.

What is your advice for other Branch leaders?

Three most important ingredients are volunteers, respectful advocacy, collaboration…. essentially being part of the community.

Be yourself. Follow your instincts. Stay detached. Try not to get yourself embroiled in tit for tat conversations. Remind people that we need all types to make a branch succeed and that divisive actions will be highly discouraged. ‘What would kindness do?’

What keeps you motivated?

Really, just having the freedom to do what I enjoy doing, to choose what doesn’t and allow others to do the same. Once it becomes a chore I will stop doing it. My personal goal is to keep my mind and body as fit and healthy as possible. Staying engaged, being joyful, valuing myself and my contribution, not stressing about how others see me, keeping focussed on what brings me joy is what keeps me motivated. If I am mindful and empathetic toward others and not intentionally devaluing others and their contribution, I am happy.

Looking Ahead What opportunities do you see for National Seniors branches in the future?

I’d love to get together with other branches and meet & collaborate face to face. I know this is logistically a challenge and I am fortunate enough to have family in Brisbane I can stay with.

It would be great to have a State based event where we could all attend (not too dressy for me though, I don’t want to have to go out and buy ‘good’ clothes for one thing), learn new things, brainstorm together.

I am most proud NSA choose Childers for a couple of events that could have landed elsewhere. The reassurance of your confidence in the Branch vollies to not let you down and the value add to the Childers community is what makes me most proud. We are injecting additional funds into the community not just having existing dollars move around within.

What message would you like to share with other National Seniors volunteers across Australia?

Don’t sweat the small stuff. Do what you enjoy. Don’t judge others for doing more or less than you do. Set up a Back Up Buddy system for any event you are the key organiser for so that if anything happens that you can’t do it, someone else will pick up the ball and still make it happen

What are your tips for grants and funding?

Funding was applied for and successfully gained from Good Things Foundation for Be Connected Workshops, and Bundaberg Regional Council for Harmony Day and From Pencil to Stone Bus Trip. Funding allows the Branch to deliver events that are affordable for members to attend and/or wouldn’t have proceeded without.

Don’t be afraid to dream up big ideas that could potentially only happen with funding. Speak to the funding body about your idea and get feedback to make sure you are on the right track. Don’t be deterred if you must vary the concept to fit the funding as long as it still helps you meet your goals. Don’t get the funding for the sake of it.

The grants aren’t hard if you are passionate about what you want to accomplish. If you’ve got an idea in mind that might be eligible for funding, it’s something you really want to do then your own determination and commitment will see you through the learning curve. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

How have you gone working with National Seniors Australia head office staff?

Every event we hold has benefited from the support of NSA. The additional reach through the NSA branded Childers website, FB group alone provides exponential value.

The templates and especially using the templates in Canva help save time and ensure that everything we publish has a branded professional polish to it with less effort. Having Karen, Dave, Alex, Heath and Geoff as part of the team, excited and motivated by what we do is a HUGE help. They have been amazing and very patient. They are great to brainstorm with too and never say no to any of our big goals.

Being able to have a social branch and not have the additional onus of an independent incorporated organisation, executive committee and/or bank accounts is a BIG plus and was the deal breaker for me. Knowing and trusting that financial, compliance and operational matters are being handled by professional paid people who know what they are doing has genuinely made a difference to attracting volunteers too. When people know there is NO chance they’ll be pressured into accepting an executive role and they can come and go as they please, they will usually stick around as long as they are enjoying themselves.

How have you used NSA communications and Branch tools and support to amplify your events?

A combination of Branch social media, NSA social media, branch and NSA data base communication, some advertising, media releases for key events. We also email a link to our newsletter to our media list. Ask people to share, tell their friends, talk about us. Ask them to share on their social media platforms. Recognise and advocate the value of NSA exposure to the membership database and the travelling seniors.

How have you gone about innovation and growth?

Ideas come from everywhere. There is never a shortage of ideas. The challenge is to politely say. ‘I love it, will you be the lead organiser to make this happen? The Branch will support you.’ If the person says ‘yes’ (and they will, like Carly our Bus Trip coordinator) then the idea has legs. If they say ‘no’ and no-one else wants to take it on board, then it just doesn’t get on the agenda.

We also do some “traditional branch activities” Regular monthly catch ups are a consistent day, time location with a set agenda. At these catch ups we promote current NSA campaigns, local campaigns, invitation to share concerns and discuss outcomes, guest speaker, cuppa and conversation.

Special Events just come about through collaboration and can be anything and anywhere. So far nothing has caused us to pause and say ‘That is too ‘out there’’…yet!

One piece of advice. It’s okay to start with just 2 people. We did. Draw on help, advice and skills of NSA to get things off the ground. Decide what you want to do, work out where the gaps are in your funding, physical resources, skill base. Identify ways of filling those gaps. If you can. Go for it. If you can’t, but you still think the idea has legs, leave it on the ‘gunna do’ list until your vollies base grows. Keep it in mind when approaching vollies to join you. Do they have the resources you are missing?

Helpful links:

Just for branches page

Childers Branch page

Childers Facebook group