In the past year, amidst the pandemic and other devastating disasters, 1.2 million volunteers enriched the lives of people in need in New Zealand.

From Sunday the 20th to Saturday the 26th June 2021, National Volunteer Week will celebrate the significant contribution of New Zealand’s volunteers and their generous service.

Whilst people impacted by disasters, illness, poverty or violence hugely benefit from the support of volunteers, evidence shows that volunteers also benefit greatly from their own service.

Most significantly, volunteering is an excellent vessel for connection. Many studies on social connectedness including this one, confirm the inextricable link between connectedness and good mental health. Indeed as social isolation became a new reality in 2020, the value we now place on connectedness has increased.

The very aim of National Volunteer Week this year is to ‘connect our hearts’ together, hearing, recognising and celebrating the stories of the wonderful efforts of our country’s volunteers.

As we look to connect or reconnect with new initiatives and people in our lives, take a moment to read these volunteer stories, as they will inspire you to consider volunteering as a vehicle for connection.

Connecting with a big global vision for change

Sarah, a Corporate Communications Director volunteered on the leadership team of SmileHigh, an organisation that provided dental health care to people in remote communities of Nepal.

Sarah fondly recalls her time volunteering at the organisation, saying, “SmileHigh was founded by an enterprising, adventurous New Zealander and to be part of the vision he had is a rare and memorable achievement.”

As a volunteer, she was responsible for formalising their communications and marketing to attract medical professionals, other service organisations and donors to support their fundraising and dental expeditions.

Sarah connected with large groups of people to promote the initiative. “Speaking to a global audience about the difference we could collectively make through offering basic dental services was an immensely energising and rewarding opportunity,” she says. Being passionate about the cause and thriving on the benefit of the connection with the people involved, made it particularly rewarding for Sarah.

If you have skills and/or experience in marketing, media, communications or public speaking like Sarah, you may wish to use them in volunteer roles such as these.

Helping others on their journey

Pip is a registered Nutritionist who originally shared her volunteer story with the National Volunteer Week online community. Pip volunteers as the Kids Club Coordinator at Coeliac New Zealand, an organisation that assists coeliac disease sufferers with support, advice and resources to make long-term, gluten free living more manageable.

Pip was already a mum to a Coeliac, but when she was diagnosed 5 years ago, she writes, “I knew straight away I wanted to be able to help people navigate following a gluten free diet and guide and support them.”

“Every time I run events, it is an amazing experience! It is awesome seeing families with Coeliac children interact, make connections and share their journey,” she adds.

If healthcare piques your interest and you’d like to volunteer for an organisation that’s dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of specific communities, consider these roles.

It’s evident that when we help others and offer our time to a meaningful cause, we also give back to ourselves. This week, we reach out to all of the amazing people who volunteered in New Zealand over the past year and congratulate them for their incredible service to a country in need.