The Star: June 15, 2023
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22 <strong>The</strong> <strong>Star</strong> Thursday <strong>June</strong> <strong>15</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
Te Wiki Tūao ā-Motu<br />
national volunteer week<br />
<strong>June</strong> is dedicated to celebrating our<br />
awesome volunteers who make a<br />
difference across Aotearoa.<br />
18-24 <strong>June</strong> <strong>2023</strong> | #NVW<strong>2023</strong> #thebigshoutout | www.nationalvolunteerweek.nz<br />
Give<br />
volunteers a big<br />
Shout-Out<br />
This <strong>June</strong> we want to give a Big Shout-out to the volunteers in<br />
our community.<br />
“Volunteers are vital to our communities, and everyone<br />
who gives their time to help their neighbour, school, marae or<br />
community organisation deserves a big shout-out,” says Michelle<br />
Kitney, Chief Executive of Volunteering New Zealand.<br />
Volunteers are first responders in emergencies, clean-up our<br />
beaches and restore wild places, provide baking and meals for<br />
those in need, and support people who are having a hard time.<br />
More than one million people across Aotearoa volunteer for an<br />
organisation, contributing $4 billion to the economy. Much more<br />
happens within communities and informally between people. In<br />
fact, about 50% of all adults in New Zealand volunteer, and in<br />
some communities, such as Pasifika peoples, it’s as high as 97%.<br />
“During the challenges of the last three years, volunteering<br />
has been vital to the wellbeing of people in Aotearoa. Many<br />
community organisations have had much greater demand for<br />
their services.<br />
“Now it is time to shine a light on our unsung heroes, and we<br />
need your help to say thank you,” Michelle says.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Big Shout-out encourages everyone to thank a volunteer<br />
they know – to give them a shout-out on social media or shout<br />
them morning tea.<br />
Find out more: www.nationalvolunteerweek.nz<br />
Supporting<br />
Volunteering<br />
While increasingly wellknown for its volunteer recruitment<br />
platform which enables its nearly 300 member organisations<br />
– not for profits across Otautahi – to advertise volunteer roles<br />
within their organisations, Volunteering Canterbury recognises<br />
that the experience of volunteering should be one which is<br />
worthwhile to all parties. For that to happen, it is important<br />
that volunteers’ motivation to volunteer is taken into account.<br />
For example, a large number of people are currently utilising<br />
volunteering to gain transferrable skills to eventually take into<br />
a new work place, or to enhance their opportunities to rejoin<br />
a workforce. Recognising that, Volunteering Canterbury<br />
offers a full programme of volunteer management support to<br />
community organisations covering topics such as health and<br />
safety, privacy, reimbursement, through to a series of information<br />
and knowledge ‘bites’ on all things governance. Throughout the<br />
year, also, more comprehensive workshops are on offer providing<br />
tools so that, as one example, organisations can evaluate their<br />
operations and role as well as better tell the story of their impact<br />
in the community.<br />
For more information on these opportunities,<br />
check out the listings of upcoming events at<br />
https://volcan.org.nz/events<br />
As part of its volunteer celebrations for <strong>2023</strong>, a tree planting<br />
event has been organised as a Family Volunteer Day at Styx<br />
Living Laboratory Trust on Saturday 24 <strong>June</strong>, from 1.30pm to<br />
3.30pm. A great chance to get out and make a difference in the<br />
community with friends and families.<br />
Thanks to all<br />
Hagley Adult Literacy Centre (HALC) is<br />
delighted to acknowledge and thank our<br />
60 plus amazing active volunteers. Jason,<br />
one of our awesome volunteers, is being<br />
recognised this year for his commitment<br />
to our tutors and students. Jason travels<br />
around the city to assist at four of our<br />
classes each week, he goes the extra mile<br />
to assist the learners and the tutors. Jason<br />
mostly volunteers as a tutor assistant in<br />
our literacy and numeracy classes. ESOL<br />
and literacy and numeracy classes are held<br />
all over the city and our volunteers travel<br />
there to contribute their time, energy,<br />
skills and patience to help both tutors<br />
and learners. Everyone at HALC is very<br />
grateful and appreciative of the wonderful<br />
work our dedicated volunteers do. Our<br />
classes are most certainly enhanced by<br />
their support and commitment.<br />
Age Concern Canterbury<br />
would like to thank its volunteers<br />
for 70 years of volunteering<br />
Ph: 366-0903<br />
www.ageconcerncan.org.nz<br />
Email: team@ageconcerncan.org.nz<br />
Thank you IHC<br />
volunteers!<br />
By volunteering with<br />
IHC, you can help someone<br />
make a positive change in<br />
their life and gain a new<br />
friend in the process.<br />
Think you’d like to join us?
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