Matching volunteers to rewarding roles our purpose

• Published date: 17 June 2021
• Publication title: Central Otago News

Volunteer South — Central Lakes (formerly Volunteering Central) promotes, strengthens and supports volunteering across the Central Lakes district, creating stronger more connected communities. We strive to ensure volunteering is a positive and rewarding experience for all involved and offer support, advice and training to organisations that involve volunteers.

We encourage individuals to take an active role in their communities and provide a link between prospective volunteers that are willing to share their skills and energy, and organisations that involve volunteers.

Part of the wider Volunteer South family, 2021 sees the Central Lakes office celebrating 10 years of supporting volunteering in their communities.

Volunteer South — Central Lakes was established as an initiative of Central Lakes Trust in 2011 with the core aims of connecting volunteers to volunteer-involving organisations, in addition to supporting organisations with training and networking opportunities.

Over the past 10 years the team have fulfilled these initial objectives and grown and supported volunteering across a range of areas.

With a strong focus on relationships, we work hard to get to know our member organisations and their needs, and network with community-based organisations to ensure we are aware of the bigger picture and avoid duplication of services.

Nationally, we are a member of Volunteering New Zealand and the Volunteer Centre Network Aotearoa.

Like volunteers, we are stronger when working together.

Our Central Lakes team has over 30 years’ experience working in the voluntary sector, here and overseas and are passionate about delivering the best possible service to volunteer involving organisations and volunteers.

We have over 200 organisations registered with us in the Central Lakes and making hundreds of connections each year between potential volunteers and organisations in the community remains a core piece of work.

Their dedicated Connections co-ordinator, Kirsty Miles, is available to meet volunteers who like the personal touch to help them identify rewarding roles to get involved in that match their skills, motivations and interests.

Volunteer South has a comprehensive list of organisation and volunteer roles on its website (www.volunteersouth.org.nz) where organisations can list their roles and volunteers can browse by area and category and sign up to express their interest in the role.

One of our core beliefs is that everyone has something to offer as a...