- Camellia Named to Honour Volunteer Work
- Volunteer Centres Plans
- MPs set for Volunteer Duties
- Volunteer Centres Contact Details
Celebrating Volunteers in NZ
This year is the International Year of Volunteers (IYV2001). All sorts of events are happening throughout NZ to celebrate this event. The following `snapshots' illustrate what's going on.
Camellia Named to Honour Volunteer Work
Community volunteers are rightly often called this country's unsung heroes - and they now have both a camellia and a postage stamp named in their honour. Thousands of volunteers throughout NZ work hard for their communities - often with little or no acknowledgement.
The camellia, named `Volunteer', commemorates this International Year of Volunteers and is a reminder of the hard work that thousands of people do for the betterment of this country. The camellia has taken 10 years to trial and to build stocks up. It will be released in June this year.
The stamp series features the camellia. The series was released recently and highlights six flowers bred in NZ.
`Volunteer' was bred by Mark Jury, a Taranaki camellia grower. Volunteering Waikato, the Waikato Volunteer Centre, has been working closely with the breeder to ensure the camellia could be available as a symbol to mark the Year. `Volunteer' can be ordered from Volunteering Waikato or direct from Mark Jury Nursery, Waitara.
| Contact: Virginnia Wynne, Community Development Group, Department of Internal Affairs, PO Box 805, Wellington, tel (04) 494 0589, email virginnia.wynne@dia.govt.nz |
Volunteer Centres Plans
Auckland Volunteer Centre
The Auckland Volunteer Centre has as its focus for IYV2001 the objective of "promoting the value of effective volunteering within the greater Auckland region".
The AVC is looking at a programme of activities and key outcomes that will see more people contributing time to effective volunteer activity in their region. Proposed activities and outcomes range from identifying the intentions and wishes of today's volunteers, developing leadership within the voluntary sector, identifying how volunteering could be improved, developing the collective identity and voice of the voluntary sector, to identifying opportunities for education of volunteers and business philanthropy. These will include:
- Volunteer Expo at seven city locations;
- a poster display by high school students with a youth volunteer theme, February to September 2001;
- an advertising campaign that will showcase volunteers' experience;
- the development of a `best practice' manual in co-operation with UNITECH and training workshops on best practice for volunteer management;
- celebration of Global Youth Service Day on 21 April 2001 via youth councils and high schools, `Mai Time', `What Now' and Triangle TV;
- throughout the Year, meet with government and business leaders to ensure that they understand the contribution of volunteering to the community and encourage investment in volunteering via various forms of support; and
- promote the Universal Declaration on Volunteering to potential and existing volunteers and to funding bodies.
AVC are talking with Auckland City Community Development for their support and possible partnership. They are considering convening a regional conference to identify the intentions and wishes of today's volunteers in June 2001, with the possibility of also hosting a national conference for volunteers in October 2001. They are also intending to conduct a survey, possibly in partnership with Auckland City, in October/November 2001, to determine how volunteer activity is perceived by volunteers and non-volunteers alike.
| For further information: contact Pieter Watson, Trustee, AVC tel (09) 520 7009, email aucklandvolunteer@kiwilink.co.nz |
Canterbury Volunteer Centre
These products are or will be available via the CVC: pens with this by-line: `Volunteers are Vital - celebrating 2001 International Year of Volunteers'; bumper sticker; the `Volunteer' camellia; bookmark with the definition of volunteering (for free distribution via libraries bookshops, etc); and a postcard with the definition of volunteering (for free distribution via cafes, etc).
These events will be happening:
- training for managers of volunteers;
- series of `Press' articles on volunteering;
- signs advertising the Year in prominent sites in Christchurch;
- Volunteer Recognition Awards in March 2001;
- spring debate in September 2001;
- video promoting the CVC shown on Canterbury TV; and
- a written history of the CVC.
Volunteering Waikato
Volunteering Waikato has a budget of $164,000 for the Year, of which about $80,000 has been raised via sponsorship already.
Their programme for the Year includes:
- April: non-denominational service to be held to give thanks for volunteers' work;
- May: launching of a photo and text exhibition on the work of volunteers (past and present) at the Waikato Museum of Art;
- June: launch of the `Volunteer' camellia;
- July: `Green Volunteering' 25,000-50,000 trees to be planted in the Waikato;
- August: open day at the centre;
- September: celebrity debate - McPhail and Gadsby;
- October: `Thank you Zoo Do' - Hamilton Zoo will be open to volunteers and their families as a thank you for the work volunteers have done during the Year; and
- December: Dame Silvia Cartwright and the Mayor will host a Garden Party, and on 5 December the Volunteer of the Year Award will be held, with a dinner to thank sponsors for the Year.
VolunteerWellington
Highlights include:
- a monthly media campaign highlighting volunteer work and/or featuring a volunteer;
- launch of VolunteerWellington's youth programme to Wellington on Global Youth Service Day, 21 April 2001;
- developing a partnership with Wellington City Council which aims to place VolunteerWellington as the city's key provider of services on volunteering;
- developing working parties with voluntary sector and government people to review policies on volunteering with, for example, Immigration, Inland Revenue (re honoraria for volunteers), and ACC;
- co-host with Department of Internal Affairs a community meeting with Sharon Capeling-Alakija, Executive Director of UNV, that will enable government and volunteers to share ideas with Sharon and also state their intentions for IYV (early October);
- launch the 2001 International Year of Volunteers Calendar at the Botanical Gardens.
Dunedin Volunteer Centre
The following events are planned for the Year:
- Dunedin City Council, Garden Plot in Anzac Avenue to recognise the Year portraying the volunteer symbol;
- September: debate. Also, secondary school art display at Otago Museum on the theme of Volunteering; and
- December 2001: Mayoral afternoon tea to end the year.
Contact: Virginnia Wynne, Community Development Group,
Department of Internal Affairs, PO Box 805, Wellington,
|
MPs set for Volunteer Duties
MPs from all over the country have commenced taking on volunteer duties as a gesture to the International Year of Volunteers. Over 50 MPs are taking part in the Volunteer challenge. The idea is for MPs to spend at least 4 hours helping out in our communities.
Volunteer Centres Contact DetailsAuckland, tel (09) 520 7009, aucklandvolunteer@kiwilink.co.nz Canterbury, tel (03) 366 2442, CanterburyVolunteerCentre@xtra.co.nz Dunedin, tel (03) 477 1611, dvct@ihug.co.nz Nelson, tel (03) 546 7681, nvc@ts.co.nz South Taranaki, tel (06) 764 8034 New Plymouth, tel (06) 759 8955 Waikato, tel (07) 839 3191, volunteeringwaikato@xtra.co.nz Waihi, tel (07) 863 6866 Wellington, tel (04) 499 4572, volunteercentrewellington@xtra.co.nz Whangarei, tel (09) 430 7491 |
Thanks to Department of Internal Affairs
Contact for Enquiries
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
Pastoral House
25 The Terrace
PO Box 2526, Wellington
Tel: 0800 00 83 33
Fax: +64 4 894 0720
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