How can I give time?
Generosity is not just about giving money - giving your time and experience will benefit your community as well. Giving time or volunteering lets you use your existing skills, gain new skills, connect to your community and meet new people.
Some simple starting points are:
- ask a friend or family member if they volunteer
- contact a community group whose work you admire, and ask them if they need any volunteers
- ask if you can help out at your sports club, a local community group you are interested in, or your local school
- get involved in your local marae or cultural group
- contact your local volunteer centre
- visit the VolunteerNow or VolunteerNet websites.
Volunteer
You can volunteer on a regular basis or you can do volunteering occasionally (when you have time and energy to give.)
The following can help you find somewhere to give your time:
Volunteering New Zealand (VNZ) is an association of volunteer centres and national and other organisations with a commitment to volunteering. Current member organisations cover emergency services, health, welfare, education, culture, faith based services, community support, ethnic groups, sport and recreation, conservation, special interests, advocacy and international volunteering.
Volunteer Centres
The VNZ website provides contact details for all local volunteer centres. Each volunteer centre has information about local volunteering opportunities. VNZ also hosts the Volunteer Now website, which provides details about volunteering opportunities.
Visit www.volunteernow.org.nz
VolunteerNet was launched in June 2010 to help connect volunteers with event-based volunteering opportunities, while at the same time providing a free online volunteer recruitment and management tool for event organisers.
Visit www.volunteernet.org.nz
Donate NZ provides the ultimate simple portal where individuals, organisations and companies can donate goods, time and discounts to schools, early childhood and not-for-profit organisations in New Zealand.
Find your donor match here: www.donatenz.com
Employer Supported Volunteering
A 2011 guide and video from the Office for the Community & Voluntary Sector can help corporate and public service employers to support and encourage the voluntary activities of their staff. It might be through flexible work hours or an organised programme of volunteering during work time.
See the OCVS website for details
Other links