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Volunteering

Offering a helping hand

BoyBored and looking for something to do? How about helping out by making a regular  phone call or taking somebody for a walk. Something that will take relatively little time for you could make a huge difference in the lives of other people.

Volunteering Canterbury is always looking for people who will donate a little of their time to help others and manager Ruth Gardner says people are always surprised to see the wide range of volunteering positions available.

“Most people think volunteering revolves around health or social services,” she says.
“They don’t think about sport, the environment, the arts, culture and heritage. It is not just about giving services to others, people can also do things that will help the planet or make events like Christmas in the Park possible.”

Ruth says volunteering is not only great fun but can help people experience new things and develop new interests.
“It gives you the chance to learn new skills or use skills you already have. It is a good opportunity to meet new people and become part of the community.
It is especially good for young people who are looking for some work experience. It looks good on a CV and they can get some practical experience in an area they are studying.”

Volunteering Canterbury was set up in 1988 to promote and support the volunteering efforts in the area between the Clarence River in the north, the Waitaki River in the south and the Southern Alps in the west.
It has a membership of more than 250 not-for-profit, non-governmental organisations which involve volunteers and will help with the recruitment.

At any given time, Volunteering Canterbury is looking to fill about 300 positions ranging from cattery assistants to drivers delivering food and from gardeners to chess players.

Examples of positions are:

In most cases, training will be provided and there may be a minimum time commitment required but most positions are highly flexible.

“We have had a whole lot of people who helped out at Christmas in the Park and they may not do any other voluntary work for months,” says Ruth.
“They can do one-off street appeals or do something else for as long or as little as they want. A lot of things are just once a week or once a month. There are lots and lots of different opportunities which is why most people find something that suits.”