Media Release

December 5, 2013

Vodafone donations a welcome boost to Youthline

Vodafone New Zealand has raised over $60,000 through fundraising events and payroll giving throughout the month of October for Youthline.

In addition to the cash raised, the Vodafone team has also given Youthline practical support through volunteering 1800 hours, helping with everything from painting rooms at Youthline Ponsonby, mail drops, assisting with project planning a website upgrade and advising on Youthline’s national youth helpline service.

Youthline’s national spokesperson Stephen Bell said “Youthline really appreciates the overwhelming support and generosity of Vodafone employees who have given their time and donated money to help us continue doing our work to support and respond to the needs of young people.”

The month of support was part of the Vodafone’s World of Difference challenge in which teams within Vodafone were tasked with offering their skills and raising funds for a World of Difference community partner.  Youthline was allocated to the Technology team.

This included one of the staff members Ross Campbell donating his time and photography skills to take photographs of a group of young people for Youthline’s new website. 

Vodafone NZ manager Sum Green said “It’s been fantastic seeing our employees get behind our community partners and it was easy for the Technology team to get behind such an important service for young people.  Our people embraced the challenge and ran over 40 different fundraising events in October for Youthline.”

Money raised during this period will go towards sustaining Youthline free national helpline services and towards the Youthline Online project – a complete redevelopment of Youthline’s online services to include online chat, video counselling and peer to peer support platform.

About Youthline

For over 43 years Youthline has been a first point of contact for young people in New Zealand to access a wide range of youth development and support services. Our primary focus is to engage young people and their families - both those seeking support and those that wish to volunteer.

Youthline operates a helpline offering phone, text and email support. In addition we provide or facilitate access to face-to-face counselling, family support, mentoring, volunteer training and personal and leadership development. Alongside our front-line work we conduct research, inform policy development, run social enterprise projects and partner with schools, community organisations, government and sector agencies.

About Vodafone

Vodafone New Zealand is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Vodafone Group and the largest mobile operator in New Zealand with over 2.4 million customers.  Vodafone has invested more than NZ$4bn in New Zealand since entering the market 14 years ago and its local management team has a strong track record of growth.   Vodafone New Zealand employs over 3000 people around New Zealand who are passionate about exceeding customer expectations and creating new products, services and ways of working that surprise and delight our customers. 

For more information, please visit: www.vodafone.co.nz

About World of Difference

The Vodafone New Zealand Foundation is the charitable arm of Vodafone NZ’s business and aims to encourage positive and healthy outcomes for New Zealanders aged 12 to 24.Through its World of Difference programme, the Vodafone NZ Foundation finds passionate people who want to make a difference in the community and  supports them financially and professionally while they work for a New Zealand youth charity for one year. The aim is to grow the leadership and capacity of individuals as well as strengthen the charity’s ability to work in the community both now and in the future.  Jackson Darlow is a World of Difference recipient at Youthline for 2013 and his focus is to develop the Youthline Online project.

ENDS

© Scoop Media