Our Story Continues…..
It’s been a very long haul but heading into the festive season, it’s starting to feel more like the world we enjoyed pre COVID-19.
An area where we are focusing on ‘being normal’ and which is so very important to us, is the role volunteers play in our organisation. International volunteers’ day (IVDay) is celebrated on 5 December each year and this year, the UN theme for volunteering is Volunteering Weaves Us Together. It’s focus is that volunteering provides strength and vitality to our communities through the actions we take to support each another.
The purpose of IVDay is to recognize and support the spirit of volunteerism to help create a better future. It champions the impact volunteers have in communities, both nationally and globally.
In 1985 the UN passed a resolution to promote heightened awareness of the important contribution of volunteers and to encourage more people from all walks of life to offer their services as volunteers. The UN has passed various resolutions since then, focused around the importance of volunteering to both economic and social development. In 2008 it agreed that the 5 December each year would be decreed as International Volunteers’ Day.
Within the Trust, our volunteers provide what staff don’t always have enough of – the gift of time. This is vital to residents in our aged care hospital the Lodge as often the volunteer may be the only person, apart from staff, whom they interact with in a day. While we have a fabulous Lifestyle & Leisure team of diversional therapists and kind and caring care staff, it’s the extras that our volunteers give that are a point of difference.
We understand people have busy lives and making yet another regular commitment can be daunting. As such, we’re grateful for whatever time people can give. It may be as little as several hours once a month or a regular, weekly timeslot. We can make the time you have available work.
You don’t have to have specific training to be a valued volunteer but you do need to be patient, positive, compassionate and willing to help. All our volunteers are police vetted and are supported with training by our team of diversional therapists.
Ways in which volunteers help us include:
Assisting residents to participate in various fun activities such as bingo
Helping out in the Nikau Club - our day respite centre for those still living in the wider community but who come to the Club to give their carers a break.
Working with our ladies’ group on creative crafts
Utilising a particular skill eg playing a musical instrument
Being involved in workshop activities with our men’s group
Accompanying residents and staff on regular bus outings
Taking residents for walks around the Sevenoaks’ gardens and lake
Being a buddy – just visiting for a chat, sharing a memory or reading with them a magazine or book.
We also have a team of volunteers who are available to assist staff with feeding those residents in care who can no longer manage to do this independently. Again, this can be on a regular basis or just when required. Every little bit of assistance is hugely appreciated.
To all our volunteers – thank you, THANK YOU.
If you have a few spare hours in your week or month and would like to find out more, contact Yvette Hughes our Lifestyle and Leisure manager by phoning the Trust office on 04 297 0116 or contact Krystyna Campbell the manager of the Nikau Club on 04 297 0162. They would just love to hear from you.