News

Volunteering New Zealand works to ensure that volunteering is represented and supported by government departments and the Government. We continually strive to deliver results in this area. In this email we are providing an overview on the progress of matters we have previously provided expertise on.We have updates on MOJ Criminal Justice Checks and the proposed legislation for the Police vetting system. We also have been working with WorkSafe on H&S advice. There is also an opportunity to provide feeback on the Charities Reporting Standards.Ministry of Justice criminal records checks: The Ministry of Justice currently offers a free service for 3rd party criminal record checks of potential employees/volunteers as a gratis service. We have previously fed back on the cumbersome paper-based process. The Ministry of Justice has advised that it is introducing a new online service scheduled to go live in March 2021. This change should bring the service more in line with the police vetting service checks in terms of useability. To be able to use the new service organisations (or people) requesting 3rd party checks will need to enrol and subscribe to new terms of use due to be released shortly.> Read more here.

NZ Police vetting services:

Codification of the vetting service into legislation has been in process since the original request for input in 2018. It has been confirmed that the project to bring the legislation before the house is progressing, with the aim of having a bill before government in the first half of the coming year.

WorkSafe H&S advice:During the previous year we have provided expert advice and collated stakeholder feedback to WorkSafe about its existing resources for volunteers and voluntary associations. They are drafting updated guidance for PCBUs which is intended to be practical, and containing working examples of various volunteer groups and situations. It will be released later in the year.Have your say on charities reporting standardsThe New Zealand Accounting Standards Board is reviewinng the Tier 3 & 4 reporting standards for non-profit organisation. They are looking to see how organisations have been finding the current standards, how easy they are to use, if you have found that any additional custom guidance has made the job of implementing them easier, and so on. For more information on what the XRB review consists of please follow this link.There are thee ways you can give your feedback. You can:Complete an online survey

• Complete an online survey
• Complete an online feedback form
• Upload a full submission letter

Michelle KitneyChief ExecutiveVolunteering New Zealand

In The Ever Present Challenge by Ron and Ngaire Rowe, two of New Zealand’s most well-known volunteers having both received the Queens Service Medal for their charitable community work, put their deep insight of the sector to paper where they explore the fundamental importance of volunteerism within New Zealand and its importance on a global level.The Ever-Present Challenge focusses on the twin topics of strategic leadership and self-betterment, both essential qualities for volunteers and those who operate within the voluntary sector.

This work is a must read for anyone who wants to gain a deeper and more profound understanding of what volunteerism is, why it is of such vital importance, not just to society but to the people who volunteer their time and energy as well, where the importance of volunteerism can go underappreciated in some quarters.The book combines first hand research with real life accounts of what volunteering is like in Aotearoa New Zealand with a strong focus on the work of Volunteering New Zealand and the research done by us on the state of volunteering and its incalculable benefits across the country.One of the standout features of this work is that it is not just an informative guide but also a ‘self-help’ book. It has helpful information and guidance on how to take the lessons of countless volunteers and managers and put them to best use within your own life or organisation.We can see just how good a read this work is from some of the previous comments and reviews of it; “Inspirational, motivating, uplifting, and timely and relevant” and a general consensus around the outstanding quality of the research and writing to form a fairly unique and highly detailed piece of work on the subject of volunteering.One of the most defining traits of this book though is that it is being sold at cost, with the profits being donated to Volunteering New Zealand and the Centenary Legacy Trust to benefit from any profits on the book. The book is billed at $30 per copy with $8 of this being donated to VNZ and CLT.You can buy the book directly from Ron and Ngaire or through Volunteering New Zealand. Please email us for further information: office@volunteeringnz.org.nzCalum SteelePolicy AdvisorVolunteering New Zealand

International Volunteer Day is an international event run by UN Volunteers and celebrated every year on 5 December. It champions the impact volunteers have in communities, nationally and globally. International Volunteer Day includes a wide variety of events, activities, and awareness-raising campaigns. This years International Volunteer Day theme is Together We Can.

In preparation for International Volunteer Day, Volunteering New Zealand has made some graphics for you or your organisation to use. These profile pictures and headers can be used across social media to celebrate volunteers and volunteering!

• Facebook header
• Instagram post
• Square tile
• LinkedIn header
• Twitter header
• Poster

Make sure to tag @VolunteeringNZ in any posts and use #IVD2020!

At our Annual General Meeting earlier this month we farewelled three outstanding board members, Helga Wientjes, Gail Marshall, and James Lord.

Helga Wientjes has served the Board for 2 terms of 3 years, spending time as both Vice Chair and Chairperson.

Helga has a passion for volunteering that is electric. She has confidently steered Volunteering New Zealand and we have benefited from her dedication to leading us, though her work behind the scenes, chairing meetings, and representing Volunteering New Zealand in public engagements and sector working groups. Helga's delivered a legacy of a comprehensive governance handbook and our revamped vision and strategic plan.

Gail Marshall has served on the Board for one term of 3 years. In that time she has given huge amounts of time to serving Volunteering New Zealand and has generously shared her skills and expertise. She has made a significant impact in regards to our strategic communications, collaboratively devising our stakeholder engagement strategy, and contributing to our refreshed vision and overall strategic plan.In her day job she is a communications expert, and leads Community Comms Collective. The Collective purpose is to give a free communications boost to community organisations so their efforts go further.

James Lord has also served on the Board for one term of 3 years. James has had a huge impact during this time. He worked incredibly hard in regards to chief executive recruitment, collaboratively devising our stakeholder engagement strategy, and contributing to our refreshed vision and overall strategic plan.James is the Director of BeCollective, based in Wellington. He is director of BeCollective which is a volunteer software platform that aims to help with re-thinking how we engage, connect and give in communities.Thank you for your commitment to Volunteering New Zealand, to the volunteering sector, and for your collaborative thought leadership and vision. We will miss having you on the team.Ka kite ano,Michelle KitneyChief ExecutiveVolunteering New Zealand

International Volunteer Managers Day is an international event held annually on 5 November. This year marks the 21st year that IVMDay has been celebrated internationally.The theme this year “What’s Next?”, which will allow us to focus on what volunteer management will look like in a post Covid-19 world.Volunteering New Zealand will be holding a panel discussion on this day to discuss the theme "What's Next?". The Covid-19 pandemic has created challenges on many levels, and those of us leading volunteers have found ourselves in positions we never imagined. This discussion will focus and reflect on the lessons, challenges and most importantly opportunities that now confront us. Get tickets here.

#IVMDay20 - start promoting now!

Resources:

Facebook banner - RedFacebook banner - blueLogo Red - pngLogo White - pngIVMDay 2020 CopyA 2019 Blog: 10 resources to support managers of volunteers

Certificates:

Option oneOption 2

Posters:

Poster 1Poster 2

Ways to take part in IVMDay:

• Share IVMDay resources on social media
• Take part in our International Volunteer Managers Day 2020 - What's Next? Online Panel Discussion
• Share resources from the Volunteer Managers Day website
• Hold a morning tea for your volunteer manager - better still, make it a collaborative IVMDay celebration and invite other organisations to join!
• Present your Volunteer Manager with a card and certificate.
• If your team is musically inclined, you could go with the IVMDay theme and sing a waiata or play some music together!
• Share loads of articles, blogs and content about volunteer management - help celebrate and support their incredible impact!
• Are we missing anything? Make sure to use #IVMDay20 so we can see what you're up to! Contact office@volunteeringnz.org.nz if you have any questions about IVMDay.

What motivates youth to volunteer? The simple answer is to ask them – the answers may surprise you. Volunteer Kāpiti was invited to attend the Paraparaumu College Careers Day and talk about volunteer opportunities to a small group of students. We had one of the youngest elected local officials in the country talk to students about her volunteer experiences. Then we followed with what volunteer opportunities the school and Volunteer Kāpiti can provide. However, the real learning came from us hearing their voice.

[caption id="attachment_21012" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]

University of Canterbury Student Volunteer Army[/caption]

In preparing for our talk, we assumed that a common volunteer motivation for students would be to gain work experience as well as helping with scholarship applications. During the talk we asked the students what would inspire them to volunteer. Students were encouraged to write their feedback on post-it notes under different poster headings. The most common response for their inspiration to volunteer was being able to make a difference, to help others and to make a positive impact for their community. When asked ‘What are you good at doing?’ Another common thread was helping people, being kind and listening. This links to what we have seen happening over COVID where the desire to help others motivated our local youth to provide organised support for people in self-isolation due to COVID. When asked what stops them from volunteering the most common answer was transport and time.

Taking time to understand the motivations and barriers to volunteering for youth is important. The Volunteering New Zealand State of Volunteering Report (2020) notes an ageing volunteer workforce was an area of concern noted by many survey respondents as was the challenge of engaging with youth volunteers.

Volunteer Kāpiti’s message is to listen to youth and to question your youth assumptions (even if you are like me and you have two teenagers in your home!) You never know, instead of thinking your role is to inspire youth to volunteer – it might get turned around and they might inspire you instead!

Susan AnsellVolunteer Kāpiti

Mahi aroha and volunteering grows people, opens minds, opens hearts and creates joy. Volunteering harnesses the collective energies of many for the benefit of all. Because we know that through growing others, we grow ourselves. And through connecting, we belong. Through generosity and ngākau nui, big-heartedness, communities will be strong, be well, and be able to meet challenges and changes, both big and small.We call on political parties to protect and grow the mahi aroha, volunteering effort and effect in Aotearoa New Zealand. Volunteering will generate the flows of wellbeing, public service, community building and social cohesion that are necessary for our communities to grow and thrive. Impactful volunteering is essential for the implementation of various policy agendasacross many communities.The Aotearoa New Zealand response to COVID-19 was not an accident. It was a product of the long tradition of manaakitanga, whanaungatanga and active citizenship that we embody as a nation. In fact, Aotearoa is currently number three globally in its voluntary participation^[1]. Nearly 50% of our citizens (50% of political parties’ constituencies) volunteer formally (through organisations) or informally (outside of organisations). The value of formal volunteering in New Zealand’s community and voluntary sector was estimated to be $4.0 billion in 2018, with the sector’s contributing to 4.2% of the GDP[2]. Protecting and growing the effort and effect of this workforce is not something to be left to chance.

Where the next government can build back better

Volunteering New Zealand is committed to our members, to being the kaitiaki of mahi aroha, and to empowering volunteers to enrich Aotearoa New Zealand. As part of our committment, we have set out our Volunteering New Zealand Manifesto 2020 for the 2020 General Election.We are calling on political parties to commit to:1. a minister for the community and voluntary sector that sits inside Cabinet2. collaboratively rejuvenating the government policy on volunteering3. funding a sector-led national strategy and action plan for volunteering4. developing well defined, intentional policy positions/statements on volunteering.Volunteering New Zealand is communicating with all political parties and collating parties' responses in regards to volunteering, and the call's within our Election Manifesto. We intend on collating and publishing all responses on our website and through our communications channels.

Read our full Volunteering New Zealand Manifesto 2020.Michelle Kitney,Chief ExecutiveVolunteering New Zealand[1] Charites Aid Foundation . (2018). CFA World Giving Index 2018. A global view of giving trends.[2] Statistics New Zealand (2018), Non-Profit Institutions Satellite Account (Wellington: Statistics New Zealand)

State of Volunteering 2020

It has been inspiring to see the generosity of New Zealanders over the last few months as individuals and communities worked together to navigate the Covid-19 pandemic. Our team of five million strived to work together to keep each other, and our communities safe. Every day we witness the potential of volunteering in making a difference, and how volunteers contribute positively to their communities. By caring for others and contributing to change, volunteers improve the lives of other people while at the same time enhancing their own lives. The impact and outcome of this contribution has been highlighted in recent months, and so has its power.Volunteering New Zealand is actively involved in conducting research and disseminating material to promote, support, encourage, and represent volunteering in Aotearoa New Zealand. Volunteering New Zealand’s State of Volunteering Survey explores the volunteering landscape in New Zealand, providing an annual and useful snapshot that can be used to develop effective short and long term strategies.Read it nowVolunteering New Zealand’s State of Volunteering Report 2020 presents a snapshot of the state of volunteering in Aotearoa New Zealand at a critical point in the nation’s history—just prior to the Level 4 lockdown being imposed as the Covid-19 pandemic hit our shores. The report is supported by quantitative data from official sources, as well as responses received from the State of Volunteering online survey.In this research, Volunteering New Zealand identifies current trends, issues and challenges. We will use the findings to support the community and voluntary sector in removing barriers, addressing issues, and leveraging opportunities to maximise the potential of the volunteer workforce in Aotearoa New Zealand.This research includes both the voices and opinions of both volunteers and volunteer involving organisations. Volunteering New Zealand hopes that this report can further assist the sector in promoting inclusive, impactful and meaningful volunteering which fosters community connections.Volunteers come from all walks of life, representing all ages, demographics and cultures, volunteering for many different reasons. Volunteering builds strong, sustainable and connected communities. It builds social capital; it is the glue that binds our communities, our culture, and our identity. Whatever we call it, be it unpaid work within our communities, volunteering, mahi aroha, or social action, it is a taonga we must all treasure, nurture, and recognise as integral to Aotearoa New Zealand as a nation.However, volunteering is often taken for granted. It is not appropriately recognised or celebrated, and more importantly, it has not been accurately measured on a national level. There is a significant opportunity for the sector to better record and report on the volunteer contribution. This, in turn necessitates collecting robust and accurate data on volunteering. Data is critical to guide organisations in attracting, supporting, recognising, and rewarding volunteers. Equally important, data is also required to inform policy making and the Government’s support for the community and voluntary sector.Read it nowVolunteering New Zealand

The generosity of volunteer tutors has made all the difference to the academic success of Māori and Pasifika students at Auckland’s InZone Education Foundation. Working via Zoom throughout the Covid-19 rāhui, tutors provided one-on-one support to 80 rangatahi to help keep their education on track. InZone’s Academic Pathways Manager Joy Williams says that rangatahi have come back from lockdown confident to return to school, even with exams looming. “This extra support gave our rangatahi huge comfort throughout the challenging lockdown period,” she says. InZone Education Foundation is a charitable trust that provides a ‘home away from home’ for Māori and Pasifika students who attend Auckland Boys Grammar School and Epsom Girls Grammar School. When the rāhui was announced, InZone’s kāinga (hostels) had to close their doors and students returned home to whānau. Online learning became essential and InZone’s volunteer tutors played a crucial role in supporting students. Volunteer tutor Elizabeth Towns says that the one-to-one support benefitted students greatly. “They were more confident to ask questions than in the classroom and were given more individualised support with their studies.”Elizabeth chose to volunteer as a tutor because she believes many rangatahi have not had equal opportunities throughout their education. “The students blossom at InZone and strive for higher levels of academic attainment. We see them become more confident and motivated, with immense pride in their heritage. I benefit from the students’ respect, trust and friendship.”Students at InZone feel positive about their lockdown tutoring experiences.

“The tutors are cool because they are confident and make learning comfortable. I told them what I needed help with and we went over the bookwork and past papers. It’s been easier learning one-on-one,” Maika says. “They help us understand heaps of stuff we don’t know. They explain the content to us clearly and so we can understand it,” Nathaniel says.Students were not only away from their usual learning environments during the rāhui, but also faced additional whānau challenges, such as job uncertainty and loss of income due to the pandemic. To minimise the negative impacts of isolation, the InZone team provided laptops, calculators and even covered the cost of some internet connections to ensure rangatahi had all the resources they needed to keep studying. Regular health and well-being check-ins were conducted by the team to support the hauora of rangatahi and whānau.The impact of the wrap-around support is now speaking for itself, with the majority of students returning to school at the same or even higher class levels than before. Perhaps the most powerful outcome is the confidence students feel in their ability to succeed. The InZone Education Foundation is a charitable trust that aims to inspire and support Māori and Pasifika youth to take their place in the cultural, economic and civic leadership of Aotearoa. You can learn more about their mahi here: inzoneeducation.org.nzInZone’s mahi aroha story shows how people, whānau and communities can mobilise kindness for the benefit of Aotearoa. Share your stories of acts of kindness and mahi aroha with Volunteering New Zealand using #aotearoaofkindness

There is a sizeable volunteer resource dedicated to governance responsibilities in thousands of organisations across New Zealand. Volunteers dedicated to the longevity, sustainability and commitment of their organisations to fulfilling their purpose with loving service. These are very often the unsung heroes of volunteering, who labour in a complex layering of roles and responsibilities. Some demanded by legislation, some by their organisational documents, and some by their own codes of practice. They take the heat for bad press and shine the light their staff when amazing greatness happens. They are governance volunteers and they matter.For many staff and service volunteers the identity, role and purpose of the Board can be almost invisible or not understood.“Hundreds of thousands of us volunteer in governance roles as members of committees and boards. Volunteering here is often not very visible but without passion, expertise and skills of these volunteers our community groups could function. Without volunteers in governance roles, there would be little sport, few church or social activities and services in our communities. This Volunteering Week we pause to acknowledge and thank those who give of their time in governance roles”, Jo Cribb.The environment these governance volunteers work in is becoming increasingly complex and facing more and more stakeholder and public scrutiny. The workload, and level of responsibility, of volunteers governing organisations in the volunteer and community sector has increased in conjunction with compliance expectations and public accountability. Not to mention competition for funding, staff, volunteers and new board members in their own communities!What governance volunteers are required to carry out and the environment in which they operate is very different than direct service volunteers or micro volunteering activity. As the peak authority on their organisations they face high expectations of their activity often without good induction practices, manuals for their processes or training for their role. Many governance volunteers in New Zealand are serving on more than one organisational board at a time. Often they are the go to person in their community when groups are looking for someone to offer skill, expertise or advice. They are service oriented folk who thrive on delivering “arrangements and practices that allow an organisation to set its direction and manage its operations to achieve its outcomes and fulfil is accountability obligations”. The Four Pillars of Governance.Governance volunteers serve their organisations with dedication, time and skill (and hopefully some wisdom), in order to preserve its longevity and enable it to fulfil its purpose. In doing so, they create a culture and environment that allows others to thrive and grow by serving in their own ways through their volunteering efforts.So celebrate your governance volunteers. Recognise their efforts and contributions, their sense of kaitiakitanga for their organisation, community and stakeholders. Celebrate and acknowledge them, appreciate the policy, compliance and constitutional complexity they wrestle with on your behalf!

Tania JonesVolunteering New ZealandChairperson

Governance for good resources:

• The Four Pillars of Governance for New Zealand Directors, Institute of Directors New Zealand, 2017.
• You can also check out this newly released resource from the Institute of Directors: For purpose or passion.

Volunteers grow people, open minds, open hearts and create joy. Mary-Ellen shares her volunteering story (which includes a burping kiwi!) and reflects on the benefits of volunteering.

Ever heard a kiwi burp?

Not many of us have had the chance to see a real kiwi up close, but even fewer would’ve heard a kiwi actually burp!A good old fashioned belch was how 8 year old kiwi Lala marked the end of a monthly health check at Christchurch’s Willowbank Park.Volunteer Mary-Ellen Wilson was surprised when she heard the burp. She’s been volunteering with the Conservation Trust at Willowbank for about 10 years.From picking up kiwi poo, cleaning water bowls to weighing Lala’s food to check how much she’s eaten, Mary-Ellen couldn’t imagine life without volunteering.

The benefits of volunteering

“It goes two ways. You get a lot back from it. What you give you really get back! You know you’re doing well because the numbers of kiwis are coming back”.“You meet people, you help people, you get so much back from it!”.Mary-Ellen also works at Volunteering Canterbury and she says many people don’t realise the large number of volunteering roles that are available.In the meantime, her Tuesdays are taken up looking after Lala, grinding up meat for the 8 year kiwi, who clearly appreciates it.>>Watch Mary-Ellen's volunteering storyMary-Ellen's story is part of Volunteering New Zealand’s video series, launched to celebrate National Volunteer Week (21-27 June). This year’s theme is ‘Te Hua o te Mahi Tahi I The benefit of working together’. This series showcases a diverse range of personal stories of mahi aroha, volunteering and social action. Volunteers grow people, open minds, open hearts and create joy. We hope this video inspires you to connect to a community or cause you care about.#AotearoaOfKindness

Mahi aroha is central to the lives and mahi of Gary Williams and Ruth Jones. The husband and wife team work across Canterbury to create opportunities for Māori and disabled people through whanaungatanga, hui and tautoko. Through their kaupapa Hei Whakapiki Mauri, they aim to leave a legacy of whānau who have the confidence and leadership skills to be proudly Māori first and contribute to their community.After more than 40 years advocating and leading in the disability sector, Gary and Ruth wanted to use their skills and lived experience to pay it forward. Their vision was a uniquely Māori space that would bring whānau with disabilities together to support and awhi one another.Gary explains that Hei Whakapiki Mauri was created to give whānau the power to lift each other up. “Disabled Māori were being overlooked in Aotearoa and we saw the opportunity to create a space where disabled Māori and their whānau could support each other to live full lives, dream big and have aspirations that would strengthen them and everybody around them,” he says.Over the past four years, Gary and Ruth have dedicated their time to growing the Hei Whakapiki Mauri whānau rōpū through regular hui around their kitchen table, reo and hauora workshops, marae noho, whānau support and Whānau Ora Navigation. What has emerged is a culture of mahi aroha where whānau tautoko and learn from one another.

For Ruth, seeing Hei Whakapiki Mauri members supporting each other shows that the group really think of each other as one whānau. “The sum of what we achieve together is bigger than our different parts. It’s important that whānau help each other out because we are a whānau, and for me that’s just what whānau does,” she says.Gary and Ruth encourage every whānau member to step out of their comfort zone and practise using their leadership skills to support the rōpū. Each person is given the opportunity to contribute in their own way, from acting as the kaikaranga on the marae or setting up the sleeping arrangements, to lending items to manuhiri, or sharing recipes and ideas with whānau online.Other organisations and rūnanga also play a vital role in the kaupapa through inviting whānau onto marae, waiata lessons, dance lessons, yoga and healthy kai workshops. Whānau Ora agency Te Pūtahitanga has supported the initiative from its inception by providing funding to support whānau aspirations.Ruth believes it’s the feeling of community and whanaungatanga that has created such a tight-knit group of whānau and supporters. “When we have a Hei Whakapiki Mauri event, it’s like coming home,” she says.

Massey Rangi is one of the more than 100 whānau members who give back through Hei Whakapiki Mauri. He started a local walking group for people with disabilities, and throughout the Covid-19 rāhui has been sharing his rēwena bread making skills with whānau through online workshops and Facebook lessons.“I think it’s like giving a part of yourself. You’ve got a skill and you’re sharing it with somebody else, then they’re sharing it on, so it can become intergenerational. Giving back gives helps others to be strong within themselves,” he says.

Another whānau member who has stepped up is Andy McKee. With the support of other whānau, she helps to organise and cook kai for whānau marae stays and events. During the rāhui, she even learned how to build a step for a Hei Whakapiki Mauri member who needed better access in their bathroom.“I just love the fact that I can be involved, that I can awhi, and that I can use some of my skills to help people. I’ve done volunteering in the past on other levels, but this is just a new level completely to me,” she says.Seeing whānau like Massey and Andy create opportunities for one another is what makes Gary and Ruth most proud. Gary says that they are no longer the leaders of the kaupapa; instead whānau really are leading change for whānau.“It is no longer just us any more; it’s a bigger whānau who are really, really active. We’ve created relationships where people don’t necessarily have to involve us. I’m really proud of the way that people step up and do their own thing in their own way,” he says.Hei Whakapiki Mauri’s mahi aroha story shows how people, whānau and communities can mobilise kindness for the benefit of Aotearoa. Share your stories of acts of kindness and mahi aroha with Volunteering New Zealand at #aotearoaofkindnessYou can learn the definitions for the te reo Māori kupu (words) used in this story by looking them up in the Māori Dictionary.

This is a story of some quiet, unassuming acts of kindness…in a quiet, unassuming street…in a quiet, unassuming village…in a quiet, unassuming city in Aotearoa NZ. It’s a story of how mahi aroha, doing work just for love, contributes to people being AOK, especially when the chips are down.On a Sunday morning in the middle of Level 4 lockdown, a couple came out their front door to find an uplifting good morning message written in chalk on the footpath by one of the kids across the road. Easter weekend, every household in that street found Easter treats in their letterbox – “Have an EGG-cellent Easter… just a little longer in your shells.” A young family started up a street email tree offering to send the kids out to help with anything that needed doing. Non-vulnerable neighbours shopped for vulnerable neighbours, or in one case for a neighbour who had lost her job and didn’t have a car. The local electrician dropped a packet of someone’s favourite treat—gingernuts—on their doorstep. Texts and Facetime calls flew through the fibres. Meat deliveries, vegetable deliveries, milk deliveries, baking, tools, garden produce, and maybe a few bottles of gin were (safely) shared and swapped around the street. And that’s before we count all the teddy bears in windows. All informal acts of mahi aroha helping make sure that we were all AOK, in an Aotearoa of Kindness.

But these were no random acts of kindness, they weren’t done just because Jacinda asked us to be kind. Mahi aroha is not random—it is given with thought, care and intent because we believe in growing people, opening minds, opening hearts, creating joy. It’s in our kindness DNA, we all have it in us.Because the mahi aroha didn’t stop there. Within 10 minutes walk of that street are three community gardens, many parks, and beautiful bush walks and bike trails. The village resonated all day and night with native birdsong thanks to the mahi aroha of those working in a local bird sanctuary, local park volunteers doing planting and weeding, and the Predator Free traps in gardens and bush all over the neighbourhood. When not in lockdown, there is a school, library, scout hall, playcentre, kindergarten, community centre, all operating within a few blocks of each other—the heart of the community. And there are sports clubs, music clubs, a weekend market, exercise and fitness classes. All with mahi aroha at their heart, work done for love.Now, this probably sounds so idyllic it can’t possibly be a real place. It is. It’s in Brooklyn, Wellington. But maybe it’s your place. If you really look around you, where can you see that mahi aroha has touched your suburb, your street, your house? And if it hasn’t, what are you going to do about it?Because we know very well that we’re not perfect. And that fact, quite rightly, bothers us. There are things that go on down under that are unsafe, that are unfair, that are unkind, that unbalance us and the environment. So, how do we come to terms with that? Through mahi aroha, putting in effort out of love. We’ve proven time and again that it’s in our DNA, we know we have it in us. Let’s not leave it up to those who we think have time. And let’s not leave it up to chance. This is our moment to re-think, re-prioritise, revive what we know is already in us and make sure that we’re #AotearoaOfKindness.With love from the team at Volunteering New Zealand.

#AotearoaOfKindness. Share stories of acts of kindness you know of that have contributed to an Aotearoa of Kindness. Or print off a #AotearoaOfKindness badge to thank someone for a specific act of kindness.

Volunteers grow people, open minds, open hearts and create joy. Anne Malcolm shares her inspiring volunteering story, and 70 year old family scone recipe, as she reflects on the benefits of volunteering.

The benefits of volunteering

Kiwis love a good cheese scone and 80 year old Christchurch grandmother Anne Malcolm’s recipe might just be one of the best! She first started making it when she was 10 years old and hasn’t changed it in 70 years.As a volunteer baker for Good Bitches Baking, Anne delivers her scones to organisations like Home and Trauma and Dementia New Zealand for care-givers mornings teas. She credits ‘slishy sloshy’ dough that’s not too dry as a key to their success and doesn’t really measure anything. The proof is in the glowing feedback she gets.“To know that it’s appreciated is just lovely. You need to know you’re still of value in this world”Baking is her passion so being able to do that for other people is a joy and she highly recommends it for good mental health.Anne’s advice for people who have never considered volunteering and may find themselves with more time at home. “Get out there and volunteer! It’s an amazingly productive thing to do because it helps other people but most of all it helps you. You’re learning new stuff, you’re mixing with new people, making new friends and contacts.”>>DOWNLOAD 70 YEAR OLD SCONE RECIPE

Anne’s story is part of Volunteering New Zealand’s video series, launched to celebrate National Volunteer Week (21-27 June). This series showcases a diverse range of personal stories of mahi aroha, volunteering and social action. Volunteers grow people, open minds, open hearts and create joy.We hope this video inspires you to connect with a community or cause you care about: volunteeringnz.org.nz/finding-volunteer-roles/#AotearoaOfKindness

National Volunteer Week 2020 | Te Wiki Tūao ā-Motu honours the collective energies and mana of volunteers in Aotearoa. It also celebrates ‘Te Hua o te Mahi Tahi I The benefit of working together’.National Volunteer Week 21 - 27 June is opened with a powerful message from Minister Poto Williams - "Hapaitia te ara tika pumau ai te rangatiratanga mo nga uri whakatipu | Foster the pathway of knowledge to strength, independence and growth for future generations."Watch her full message here.

"I wanted to take the opportunity during National Volunteer Week 2020 to offer up my thanks and appreciation to each and everyone of you for giving up your time to selflessly help others during this last year. And no more so, than during the recent lockdown period.""Gratitude to your mana in ably stepping up to support our team of 5 million get through Covid-19 and thrive. You answered the call and stepped and contributed to the wellbeing of the community in a meaningful way." Poto Williams, Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector.Nearly 2.5 million of us actively support organisations and other people through volunteering, social action and mahi aroha. This is our opportunity to recognise all volunteers – those that are volunteering currently, thinking about volunteering, or have volunteered in the past.“The power and potential of volunteering, Mahi Aroha and social action shines through at times when our communities are stretched and challenged. New Zealand’s COVID-19 response has highlighted courage and kindness in uniting against COVID-19. Through volunteers, we build strong, resilient and connected communities. This year we recognise Te Hua o te Mahi Tahi I the benefit of working together.” Michelle Kitney, Chief Executive Volunteering New Zealand.

What is employee volunteering?Employee volunteering is defined as an employer’s encouragement or promotion of volunteering activities done by their employees[1]. Employee volunteering provides an opportunity for public good as well as advancing strategic objectives[2]. Various advantages have been identified from employee volunteering.For instance, Empolyee Volunteering can;

• improve motivation, commitment, and teamwork;
• provide opportunities for employee professional development;
• and organisational reputational gains among the public, investors, clients, and future employees [3].

Volunteering and individual wellbeingVolunteering has been shown to improve the well-being of employees. It is linked to a wide range of personal benefits including enjoyment, a sense of purpose and belonging within the community[4] and higher levels of life satisfaction[5]. Volunteering improves health, subjective well-being, and social relationships[6]. Research indicates that volunteers report improved physical health and reduced stress levels[7]. Frequent volunteering has a positive and sustained impact on individual well-being[8]. Volunteering contributes to well-being through an increase in personal well-being – something that is well established in research – as well as improving the well-being of communities, and Aotearoa as a whole.Volunteering supports positive mental healthFurthermore, volunteering results in positive outcomes for mental and emotional health. Amongst people who engage in frequent volunteering, 76% feel heathier, 94% feel it has improved their emotions, and 78% report lowered stress level[9].Volunteering is directly associated with reported levels of happiness; the more someone volunteers, the happier they are[10]. Volunteering improves self-confidence and sense of purpose which, in turn, result in expanding social networks and advancing professional careers. Other benefits of volunteering for mental and emotional health are due to decreased stress and anxiety, and decreased risk of depression. Therefore, volunteering, as a way to improve the well-being of employees, has been linked to the mental health well-being framework actions points: giving – tukua, connecting – Me Whakawhanaunga, taking notice – me aro tonu, keeping learning – me ako tonu – and being active – me kori tonu[11].

Dr Solmaz NazariPolicy and Research AdvisorVolunteering New ZealandRead the rest of Volunteering New Zealand's recent policy submission on the opportunity for the Public Sector to universally embrace employee volunteering as way of providing leadership in civic participation. Footnotes:[1] Anne-Laure Gatignon-Turnau, Karim Mignonac, ‘(Mis) Using employee volunteering for public relations: Implications for corporate volunteers' organizational commitment’, Journal of Business Research, 68, (2015), pp. 7-18.[2] Adam Grant, ‘Giving time, time after time: Work design an sustained employee participation in corporate volunteering’, Academic of Management Review, 37, no.4 (2012), pp. 589-615[3] Delloitte, Impact that matters, (Delloitte, 2017). Retrieved from https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/about-deloitte/us-2017-deloitte-volunteerism-survey.pdf[4] Stats NZ, Volunteering and Donations by New Zealanders 2016 (StatsNZ, 2017)[5] Stats NZ, Fact sheet: New Zealand General Social Survey (StatsNZ, 2009)[6] Thomas Hansen, Marja Aartsen, Britt Slagsvold, & Christian Deindl, ‘Dynamics of volunteering and life satisfaction in middle and old age’, Social Sciences, 7, no. 5 (2018), pp.78-93[7] UnitedHealth Group, Volunteering Linked to Better Physical, Mental Health (UnitedHealth Group, 2013)[8] Martin Binder, Andreas Freytag, ‘Volunteering, subjective well-being and public policy’, Journal of Economic Psychology, 34, (2013), pp.97-119.[9] United Healthcare and VolunteerMatch, Doing Good is Good For You (United Healthcare and VolunteerMatch, 2017)[10]LSE Volunteers, Celebrating volunteering and fundraising at LSE in 2016-2017 (London School of Economics, 2016-2017)[11]The Five Ways to Wellbeing, Ētahi ara e rima ki te ngākau ora, help people stay mentally well, <https://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/home/ways-to-wellbeing/> [accessed 31 Jaunary 2020][12] State Services Commission, Public Service Workforce Data (Wellington, 2018), p.1