IDEA Services members have contributed over 32,000 hours to New Zealand communities in 2024 through the Student Volunteer Army (SVA) Service Award.

IDEA Services supports people with intellectual disabilities to enjoy great lives as part of their communities. Since 2022, IDEA Services and SVA have been partnering to deliver a programme to members that highlights and celebrates their impact, fostering a more inclusive and supportive environment.

“Volunteers have a big impact on keeping our communities running well and we know that people with intellectual disabilities are big contributors to that,” says IHC and IDEA Services Chief Executive Andrew Crisp. “We are delighted to have partnered with SVA on this great initiative and that people IDEA Services supports are now recognised through this scheme, like any member of the community, for the essential contribution they make.”

The SVA Service Award is a nationally-recognised framework to celebrate the impact of volunteering. Users log hours in the SVA web app, building a Summary of Service to showcase their achievements and receiving pins when they reach key milestones. Since its inception in 2019, the SVA Service Award has seen tens of thousands of students in New Zealand intermediate and secondary schools log over 2 million hours of volunteering. The programme was introduced to the disability sector in an eight-month pilot at IDEA Services centres in Christchurch in March 2022. It has now been launched in all 27 sites nationwide.

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SVA Head of Programmes, Cat Robertson, says: “It’s fantastic to see IDEA Services members across the country, many of whom have been volunteering in their communities for years, embracing the SVA Service Award programme - logging their volunteer hours, reaching key

milestones and being awarded their pins.” In 2024, 325 active IDEA Services users were responsible for 5.6% of all SVA Service Award hours nationally.

“At SVA, we're very proud to partner with IDEA Services to celebrate the incredible contribution of people with intellectual disabilities in communities throughout New Zealand.”

IDEA Services National Programme Manager, Philippa Johnson-Alatalo, says: “IDEA Service's vision is for people with intellectual disabilities to participate and be valued as an important part of their communities. SVA celebrates the diverse forms volunteering can take, beyond what might be considered ‘traditional’ volunteering, which is a great step towards acknowledging the many ways our members are giving back.”

One such volunteer is Nina Amer, a 23-year-old who attends the Idea Services Youth Space in Dunedin and has been awarded her Bronze Pin for completing 158 hours of volunteering. Nina is a lover of music, yoga and martial arts; she plays several instruments and has a black belt. Her significant volunteering activities include supporting the St Clair School choir, teaching the recorder and helping to run a local dance group for people with disabilities. She also collects rubbish in local parks and sorts clothes for Pregnancy Help.

“I was so happy and proud of myself for achieving my goals and getting my SVA Service award certificate and badge,” says Nina. “I wear my badge proudly and I look forward to building on my hours and building to another level.”

“I like sharing my skills with other people and making them happy. I enjoy working with other people and having fun.”

“Nina’s achievements are a valuable demonstration of all her hard work and commitment to her local community,” says Philippa. “The SVA Service Award provides a way for people with intellectual disabilities to feel appreciated for their contribution, fostering a sense of belonging and driving social change through volunteering.”

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