Michael Casha works in digital product development at NAB by day, but two nights a week you’ll find him helping some of Melbourne’s sickest people.

Volunteering with the Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) and Ambulance Victoria, Michael has clocked up a massive 843 hours of volunteer work in the past year!

According to NAB’s latest data, released for National Volunteer Week, the bank’s next most active volunteer has clocked up an impressive 372 hours, and thousands of other NAB colleagues have given their time and skills to support the community.

Michael credits his family as his inspiration.

“My mum has been a volunteer with VICSES for 35 years. It’s pretty incredible,” he said.

Michael’s also grown up knowing the power of kindness. His older brother David has cerebral palsy.

“I’ve seen that doing a bit for David has had a huge positive impact on his life,” Michael said.

Crime scenes, floods and ambulances 

Michael’s volunteer work with the VICSES has taken him everywhere from searching for weapons or helping to protect a crime scene from wild weather, to helping protect people’s homes from floods in the wee hours of the morning.

Last year during the global pandemic Michael trained to drive ambulances and do first aid so that he could support a paramedic in an ambulance.

“I do one or two shifts per week. It means we can get more ambulances on the road,” Michael said.

Volunteer work has given Michael even more respect for paramedics.

“Our paramedics are smart and highly trained. They really will go and help anyone who is in need,” he said.

“Sometimes I’ll be in the waiting area in a hospital and a paramedic I haven’t even worked with will stop by and say ‘thank you’. That means a lot to me,” he said.

Flexibility matters 
Michael balances his career at NAB with his volunteer duties thanks to NAB’s approach to flexible work.

“NAB is great with flexible working and being able to adapt. If I have a long volunteer shift overnight, I start work later. Sometimes I’ll take a volunteer day,” he said.

He added that for every hour of volunteer work he does, NAB donates money to a charity of his choosing.

Michael’s advice to people considering volunteering is this: “Do it!”

“The skills I’ve gained, and the way I feel, it’s 100% win-win.”

If you’d like to find out about a career at NAB visit here.