Media Release
Volunteering New Zealand
5 November 2012
Volunteering New Zealand launches Best Practice Guidelines
Volunteering New Zealand (VNZ) launched New Zealand’s Best Practice Guidelines this morning (Monday 5 November) which
will help volunteer-involving organisations profoundly.
The Guidelines were launched on International Volunteer Managers Day via national webinar. Vanisa Dhiru, Chief Executive
of VNZ says, “Over 50 managers CEO’s, board members, academics and government agencies from the community sector tuned
in to VNZ’s Programme Manager Claire Teal, who led the online launch and the development of these Guidelines”.
Biddy Harford, CEO of Te Omanga Hospice and Sonya Gale, Volunteer Manager at St John were two of 30 organisations who
piloted the Guidelines. During the launch they provided examples of how the Guidelines have helped their organisations.
Other pilot organisations came from a wide subset of organisations representing sport, cultural, youth, health and
religious sectors.
Heidi Quinn, Volunteer Manager at Forest and Bird says, “It’s great to have these Guidelines out and ready to go - they
have assisted in further managing our volunteers who are crucial to our organisation”.
Vanisa adds, “The webinar explained the benefits for volunteer-involving organisations and answered questions about
implementation within organisations”. The Guidelines have been in development since early 2009 with the support of a
volunteer Advisory group made up of VNZ member organisation representatives.
International Volunteer Managers Day is celebrated 5 November, annually. Those who manage, organise and motivate
volunteers across the world are celebrated on this day.
To download the Guidelines and view the webinar online, visit our website – www.volunteeringnz.org.nz