NIAA encourages staff to pursue extra-curricular activities outside the workplace. Maintaining a work-life balance helps to keep us grounded in our work, and the Agency is supportive of staff undertaking flexible arrangements in order to pursue interests outside of work.

Mary Cunningham, a Policy Officer in the Top End and Tiwi Islands Region, spends time volunteering with Red Cross Emergency Management. Mary was recently recognised for her efforts with a Certificate of Appreciation at the Northern Territory Volunteer of the Year Awards.

Mary has provided support for a range of recovery efforts, including for Tropical Cyclones Marcus and Trevor, and the evacuation of Daly River. This year, she also travelled to Townsville to assist with flood recovery, making use of the volunteer leave available to her in the Agency’s Enterprise Agreement.

‘I contribute most of my time to Red Cross outside of work hours, but this year also used my volunteer leave to support recovery efforts in Townsville following the devastating floods,’ Mary said.

‘It is great that the Agency is so supportive of my voluntary activities.’

Employees can access up to four days of paid volunteer leave per year, in addition to regular annual leave entitlements. They can also access up to a month of additional leave without pay for volunteering purposes every year.

The NT Volunteer of the Year Awards were presented in Darwin on 7 November, with another volunteer from the Australian Red Cross awarded the NT Emergency Service Volunteer of the Year award.