Mentoring has changed Danielle's approach to work

Danielle VanShipley was new to her role, and to the community sector, when she joined the Volunteering New Zealand Mentoring programme.

“I quickly realised that understanding the community sector requires more than skills on paper. I needed to grasp the culture, the behaviours, the strengths and challenges of these communities, and figure out where I could genuinely add value while also raising my organisation’s visibility. There was so much to do, and I wasn’t sure where to start.

Danielle jumped at the chance to join the Volunteering New Zealand mentoring programme.

“I wanted someone to help me see the bigger picture, navigate the nuances of community work, and feel confident that the support I provided was meaningful and effective.”

Gains from mentoring

Through the mentorship, Danielle says she has gained confidence in making decisions, is more strategic in how she engages with organisations, and is better equipped to support communities.

“The guidance has transformed how I operate in my role [as Regional Community Advisor for Volunteering Waikato].”

She plans to apply her learning to work with and strengthen targeted communities.

I’ve noticed a huge change in how I approach my work, how I thought I had to do things versus how I can do them now. Having the right mindset and mentorship has been invaluable.”

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Benefits of the Volunteering New Zealand mentoring programme

• Mentoring sessions are consistently described as helpful, productive and highly valued by both mentors and mentees.
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• That mentoring helps reduce the isolation often felt in volunteer leadership and coordination roles.
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• Many participants value having a trusted sounding board to talk through ideas, challenges and next steps.
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• Leadership development isa strong focus, including confidence, delegation, managing change, setting direction and working through difficult conversations.
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• Strategic planning and prioritisation are common topics, with several participants using mentoring to move from day-to-day operational demands toward more strategic work.
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• Volunteer management is a major area of discussion, particularly onboarding, retention, training ,recognition, volunteer systems and role design.
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• A number of comments highlight support with organisational challenges, including board and manager relationships, funding pressures, change processes and uncertainty.
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• Participants frequently mention practical progress, such as setting goals, mapping future sessions, implementing ideas between meetings and using shared resources.

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For more information about the Volunteering New Zealand mentoring programme contact Heidi Quinn.