Some are driven by passion. They simply love something so much, it’s a gesture straight from the heart. In sporting clubs and animal welfare, this selflessness is often seen.

Some are driven by a social conscience. From environmental activism, to helping developing countries, they are bidden by a deeply held belief about making ethical choices.

Some are driven by a need to be surrounded and supported by like-minded companions in pursuit of a community benefit, whether arts, or heritage, or health.

And for others, where they see a need, they pitch in. They labour, rather than languish; they are the saviours, rather than the saved. Emergency services attract just such people.

The value of volunteering efforts to the Australian economy is estimated in the tens of billions of dollars, and that’s just the figures drawn from organised, formal agencies.

When you factor in school fetes, friendly neighbours, and thoughtful citizens who do random acts of kindness for perfect strangers ... well, there’s no cap to that value. 

Social cohesion is priceless, as is the sense of belonging that can be found in local clubs and groups, or achievement from making a difference through charitable work.

May 8 to 14 will be national Volunteer Week, and an expo on Friday, May 12, at St Saviour’s Cathedral Hall, 11am-2pm, can help you discover your drive.

It is easy as a society to forget the life of an inmate spans further than their prison sentence.

The decision by Corrective Services NSW to train minimum security inmates in sports coaching skills is an initiative to be encouraged and lauded.

The participation of West Tigers NRL club, with the support of a variety of community clubs, is so much more than a sporting gesture.

The valour of sport can be found in any person, in any walk of life.

There is no guarantee the inmates will go on to become coaches, but the interest by local and state clubs will hopefully teach these inmates that they are not alone, that they have the capacity to not only join, but lead the community.