Go on, give a hand by volunteering
Thank you volunteers, we salute you!
This week is Volunteer Awareness Week, a chance for the community to think about and thank its many volunteers.
New Zealand runs on the strength of its volunteers.
Whether it’s sport, community work, critical emergencies or cultural events, this country relies heavily on its grassroots volunteers to get the job done.
This culture of self help perhaps explains the resilience of New Zealanders as shown by the remarkable people of Canterbury, Tauranga and beyond who responded to crises rather than wait for governmental agencies to help.
Volunteering New Zealand was set up to focus this energy of New Zealanders to help out and give support to volunteering agencies already working in the communities of New Zealand.
Community services peopled by volunteers range from emergency services such as Red Cross, fire brigades, ambulance and coastguard services to community support, hospice, sports coaching and administration. Without volunteers, many groups would cease to exist.
Volunteer Awareness Week is coordinated locally by Volunteering Mid and South Canterbury (VMSC).
Events and celebrations are held across New Zealand from June 17 to June 23 to recognise the invaluable contribution made by volunteers.
Activities planned for South Canterbury include an essay competition for secondary school students and a window display on the Disability Information Service at 185 Stafford St.
There will also be a free training session for Not-for-Profit Organisations on how to prepare a budget.
To round out the week’s activities, an open day on June 20 at Community House will be held to promote volunteering in our community. This is a good opportunity to pop in to Community House, meet the friendly folk at VMSC and get started on your volunteering journey. Lyndal Watt, coordinator of VMSC, can register you as a short- or longterm volunteer, depending on your level of availability.
Cooking class assistants, a costume hire assistant, data input of library books are examples of volunteer opportunities available now in Timaru.
For more information on any of the week’s activities, contact Lyndal Watt at Volunteering Mid and South Canterbury, Community House, 03 687 7364.
Building communities through volunteering is the theme of this year’s Volunteer Awareness Week.
Organisations such as Red Cross, Foundation of the Blind, St John, CCS and NZ Fire Service have a long history of volunteer support and undoubtedly our community is stronger because of them.
The South Island Masters Games is a relatively new operation that uses 500 volunteers to register participants and run sports events.
Volunteers speak about the fun and camaraderie of being involved and of the community pride and connectedness felt when part of a community event or organisation.
Volunteers are creating positive change on many fronts in community healthcare, sports and recreation, heritage and arts, environmental protection and advocacy, disaster relief, international development, and volunteer firefighting.
They provide emotional and practical support, information, financial help, referral to support services, advocacy for victims’ rights, and help victims and their families find strength, hope and safety in the face of grief and trauma.
‘‘Volunteer Awareness Week is a great opportunity for Victim Support to thank our volunteers who give so much to help their neighbours in the toughest of times. We simply could not be there 24/7 everyday of the year for victims of crime and trauma without volunteers, so I’m delighted to add my heartfelt thanks to this recognition of all the ways volunteers make New Zealand a better place,’’ says Tony Paine, CEO, Victim Support.