15 June 2025

It’s National Volunteer Week | Te Wiki Tūao ā-Motu! - Sunday 15 June to Saturday 21 June – and the CAB is taking the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the mahi aroha of all their volunteers around Aotearoa.

Kerry Dalton, CABNZ Chief Executive, says “We are very grateful to have 2,000 people throughout the motu freely giving their time and skills to support, manaaki and empower those who need our help. Our volunteers mean we can provide information, advice and support to the public from over 80 locations around Aotearoa, helping to make our communities stronger.”

Ms Dalton says CAB volunteers make a big contribution to NZ society. “In the past year, our volunteers responded to over 220,000 enquiries from the public and an additional 110,000 clients have been helped by services facilitated through our CABs. Our volunteers assisted people with enquiries about a wide range of topics including employment, tenancy, relationship issues, immigration, consumer purchases, the justice system, and more. That’s a lot of community support our volunteers are providing every day.”

CAB volunteers can help people with quick and simple queries, such as requests for contact details for other services or help to find a form, or with more in-depth enquiries. “When a client needs more help, our volunteers will take the time to find out what is happening for them and what they need”, says Ms Dalton. “They will research the issue and talk through the options so the client can decide on their next steps. The one-on-one help and the time our volunteers give to those who need it are things we know people really value.”

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Ms Dalton says she is proud of the CAB team of volunteers and the impact they make. “Our people collectively bring a whole variety of different skills and life experience to our CABs and, together with the fantastic training they get as CAB volunteers, and their passion for helping others, it makes them a powerful force for good in our communities.”

Throughout June, Ms Dalton says the CAB is collecting stories from their volunteers about why they volunteer with the CAB and what gives them joy in this role, so these stories can be shared with the public. “We have so many amazing people working quietly away in our CABs helping their communities. We’re looking forward to shining a spotlight on them to acknowledge the mahi they do, and to inspire others.”

CAB is a great place for volunteering, says Ms Dalton, and she encourages people to get in touch with their local CAB if they are interested in finding out more about being a CAB volunteer. “We give people training, mentoring and other supports to help them deliver our service to the public. As a CAB volunteer, you get to work for a much-loved organisation and with a team of people who have come together to make a difference in people’s lives. It’s a special organisation to be a part of.”

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