We recently spoke with Lucy Ellis from Town of Gawler to hear about her experiences in program development and volunteering, and how she Navigates Boldly in life and work.

Hi Lucy, what does your role at Town of Gawler entail?

Six months ago, I stepped into the new and exciting role as Community Programs Officer at Town of Gawler. Funded through the DHS Community and Neighbourhood Development grant, my role aims to enhance community capacity through the design and implementation of meaningful, inclusive programs that reflect local community needs. I work across various council sites, including Libraries, Community Centres and The Gawler Civic Centre.

Critical to successful program planning and delivery, I’m currently undertaking a community needs analysis to gain a clear understanding of existing strengths, gaps, and future opportunities. This process will help ensure that the programs we design are responsive, relevant and reflective of community priorities. As part of the needs analysis, I will identify opportunities for continuous improvement in placemaking, enhancing access and inclusion and strengthening volunteer recruitment opportunities.

I’m already impressed by the strength of community-led social groups in the Gawler area and the sheer volume of activities in place. I’m looking forward to getting some projects on the ground for the benefit of the community.

What’s been an experience or moment in your role where you have felt especially proud to be working for the community?

I feel like working for the community, in a community development role makes it hard to choose a defining moment or experience as there are so many that make this a space I’m so proud to work in.

One ongoing highlight for me is the process of recruiting and managing volunteers to build successful community programs. I worked with a long-term volunteer who lost her zest for volunteering after her volunteer shift partner of over ten years sadly passed away. We agreed on her current role ceasing and left the option open to explore another role when she was ready.

After a short break, we restarted conversations on volunteering. I remembered her love for musicals and theatre and wondered if we could incorporate that passion into a new community initiative. I floated the idea of a monthly movie group: an opportunity for people to connect and share enjoyment over film. Her eyes lit up and the rest is history. Years later, the group is still flourishing and now has an additional monthly movie screening program.

I find real joy in watching people grow and develop throughout their volunteering journeys. Seeing people regain confidence, reinvigorate their volunteering experience and find a deeper sense of purpose reinforces why I feel so proud to work with the community.

Before Town of Gawler you were at Adelaide Hills Council, what’s an important lesson that you have learnt working in local government over the years?

In my 7+ years at Adelaide Hills Council, I managed a vibrant community centre alongside a team of 70 volunteers. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learnt is the power of collaboration.

By integrating collaboration into program planning, we achieved stronger outcomes - especially in communication and promotion. Sharing promotional materials across teams helped reach broader audiences and increased program engagement.

Working with teams like library services, sustainability, youth, positive ageing and arts and culture meant we could plan centrally, avoid duplication, and streamline efforts. This not only improved efficiency but created unexpected wins - like the Positive Ageing team coordinating social outings around other programs, boosting community participation and engagement.

Our most recent LG Professionals SA Women’s Network Forum focused on ‘Navigating Boldly, what’s an example of a time you have or have seen someone navigate boldly at work or in life?

On a personal level, I am a founding member and volunteer of a not-for-profit female motorsport club empowering, supporting and creating opportunities for Women to learn and connect with drifting.

In 2014, I started my journey and took the leap to learn how to drift, I had loved the sport since my early teens and had only dreamt of doing this myself. At that time, this was a sport dominated by men and took a lot of courage to put yourself out there and give it a go.

In 2018, I met a small group of passionate, like-minded women and we took bold steps to create a space where women felt welcomed, supported and encouraged in a sport that had long lacked female representation. This was also founded as the first female drift club in Australia.

What started as a dream became a movement and today, The Glitter Gang continues to grow as a vibrant community, redefining who belongs in motorsport and navigating it boldly!