At Marine Rescue Queensland (MRQ) Midge Point, volunteering is very much a community affair – and for Emily Lade, it’s also a family one.

Emily is one of the unit’s younger volunteers, giving her time to help keep the same coastal community she grew up in safe on the water.

This National Youth Volunteering Week, MRQ is celebrating young volunteers like Emily who are giving back to their communities, developing new skills and learning from generations of volunteers who came before them.

Emily’s connection to marine rescue started with her dad. Growing up, she would regularly join him at the former Volunteer Marine Rescue (VMR) Midge Point unit, helping wherever she could and watching the role he and other volunteers played in their community.

“He had this community. He got to help people in our community and that was something that I really admired in him and got to look up to,” Emily said.

When she was old enough, Emily decided it was time to join the crew herself.

Around five years later, she is part of a close-knit team of volunteers who contribute to MRQ Midge Point in different ways, from operational roles on the water to fundraising and supporting the unit behind the scenes.

For Emily, being part of a multigenerational team is one of the things that makes volunteering so rewarding.

Experienced members bring decades of local knowledge, boating experience and practical skills, while younger volunteers bring different experiences and skills of their own.

“They’ve got so much knowledge and practical abilities out there in the boat that I’m learning every single day, and I can help them with emails,” Emily said.

“We just get through it together.”

It’s an exchange of knowledge that extends well beyond the rescue boat.

Having grown up with many of her fellow volunteers in the Midge Point community, Emily affectionately describes the crew as a “bunch of uncles” – people she has known for years and can now learn alongside as a fellow volunteer.

That experience has also helped Emily develop practical skills for life on the water.

Having previously worked aboard a fishing vessel, volunteering helped her gain sea time and access training as she worked towards maritime qualifications.

Through marine rescue, she has undertaken training including first aid, CPR and elements of shipboard safety, with opportunities to continue developing her maritime skills.

But the biggest opportunity, Emily says, is being able to contribute to the place she calls home.

Midge Point is a small coastal community at the northern end of the Mackay region, where boating and fishing are part of everyday life and generations of locals share knowledge about the waterways, fishing spots and conditions.

It makes having a local marine rescue capability particularly important – and there are plenty of ways to be part of it.

For Emily, volunteering doesn’t necessarily mean heading out on a rescue boat. Units need people with a broad range of skills to help keep them operating and serving their communities.

“I would recommend that young people come and volunteer 100 per cent,” Emily said.

“This is a great way to give back to your community, be active in your community and get a bit of training, knowledge and skills.”
And for anyone thinking about getting involved, Emily’s advice is to simply start the conversation.

“You don't have to be an active member out on the boats with us. There are so many areas we could use your help in,” she said.

Ready to make a difference in your community? Join the MRQ crew and register your interest in volunteering today.