Meet the Volunteers Strengthening the Veteran Community: Paul and Danni’s Stories

Words by Lucy Rawlings

For many members of the defence community, recovery is about rediscovering confidence, rebuilding connections, and finding purpose beyond service. Across Australia, volunteers are helping make that possible, often without any prior connection to the defence community themselves.

With more than 581,000 veterans across Australia and thousands transitioning out of the Australian Defence Force each year, the need for strong community support has never been more important. Research from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) and the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide has highlighted the role social connection, community engagement, and sport can play in improving wellbeing and reducing isolation among veterans and their families.

At Invictus Australia, volunteers are helping create those connections every day.

For Danielle, known as Danni, volunteering was inspired by her own experiences overcoming adversity through sport and movement.

Living with Cerebral Palsy (CP), Danni was once told she may never walk independently. Instead, she went on to become a track & field athlete, setting Australian and Queensland records and discovering the confidence and resilience that sport could provide.

“Sport gave me confidence, independence, and a real sense of purpose,” she said. “It showed me how powerful movement and exercise can be, not just physically, but mentally as well.”

Today, that experience shapes the way she supports veterans and their families through sporting programs. In Toowoomba, QLD, she now runs Invictus Australia’s weekly indoor rowing program for members of the defence community. 

“As someone who has faced challenges myself, supporting others on their own journey means a lot to me,” she said.

I was drawn to the veteran community because I wanted to give back to people who have already given so much through their service.

DANNI

VOLUNTEER

For Danni, the impact of sport goes far beyond physical activity.

“Sport provides structure, routine, teamwork and achievable goals,” she said. “It creates an environment where veterans can rebuild confidence, reconnect socially and feel supported by people around them.”

“It’s about resilience, community, and helping people rediscover what they are capable of. Even small achievements can have a huge impact on someone’s confidence and wellbeing.”

That sense of connection is something Paul Gooey understands well too.

Paul became involved with Invictus Australia as a volunteer after discovering sailing later in life – something he says unexpectedly changed his outlook and wellbeing.

“I never imagined I’d end up sailing,” he said. “I didn’t grow up around boats, but once I was introduced to it, I wished I’d discovered it 30 years earlier.”

Paul has now been sailing for 16 years and has played a key role in the success of the Invictus Australia Discover Sailing Program, which has been running for more than four years. Through the program, Paul has spent years introducing veterans and their families to the sport, taking participants out on the water alongside a network of volunteers and local sailing clubs.

For Paul, sailing became an important outlet after a demanding firefighting career.

“In firefighting, much like in the military, you’re constantly switched on and making important decisions,” he said. “Then you get out on the boat, slow down, have conversations, and start to relax. I find peace in it.”

But it is often the quieter moments that leave the biggest impact.

“You can never underestimate the power of a genuine conversation and human connection,” Paul noted. “Sometimes being side-by-side doing something together makes it easier for people to open up.”

Like Danni, Paul believes volunteering is transformative for everyone involved.

“It’s incredibly good for your mental health,” he said.

Volunteering is incredibly good for your mental health. Even though I’m taking veterans out sailing, I probably get just as much out of it as they do.”

Paul Gooey

volunteer

Stories like Danni and Paul’s demonstrate the power of community in veteran recovery. Through sport, volunteering, and shared experiences, people are building meaningful relationships that extend far beyond the activity itself.

“It’s incredibly meaningful because you’re not just helping run a program – you’re building relationships and becoming part of a community that genuinely changes lives,” Danni said.

Paul encourages others to consider volunteering, even if it feels unfamiliar at first.

“I’d suggest to people to give it a try,” he said. “It might be the last thing you would think of doing but it might just well be the thing that you have been looking for.”

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