A National Strategy to Support Inclusive Volunteering for Recent Migrants
Volunteering New Zealand has launched Te Rautaki mō Whanaungatanga – A National Strategy to Support Volunteering for Recent Migrants.
“The strategy is a statement of commitment to inclusive, ethical, and impactful volunteering” says Katie Bruce, Chief
Executive of Volunteering New Zealand. “It recognises the unique contributions recent migrants can make in New Zealand
communities and the role meaningful volunteering can play in fostering connections with their new communities.”
This strategy was launched at Volunteering New Zealand’s celebration of National Volunteer Week 2019 at Parliament on 20
June. This event was hosted by Voluntary and Community Sector Minister Peeni Henare, in association with Volunteering
New Zealand.
Report author Johann Go says, “Volunteering New Zealand and I are merely kaitiaki/guardians of the voices and lived
experiences that have been entrusted to us. This strategy gives life to these voices and experiences.”
To celebrate this launch we heard from recent migrant Thuy Tran on the joy, value and importance of volunteering to her.
She says, “It is so hard to come to a new place, but finding a new community really helped me to settle. When we came to
New Zealand, my first question was how do we meet new people, how can we connect? The answer was volunteering.”
About the strategy
Volunteering New Zealand has developed the recent migrant volunteering strategy to improve the experiences of recent
migrant volunteers and promote migrant volunteering best practice across the sector. This strategy is informed by the
experiences of hundreds of recent migrant volunteers shared in surveys, interviews, and during migrant volunteering
workshops held around the country as part of Volunteering New Zealand’s broader Migrant Volunteering project.
Our vision is that: Recent migrants are able to connect to, engage with, and enrich their communities through meaningful
volunteering. Recent migrants have opportunities to participate in inclusive, ethical, and impactful volunteering that
is valued and supported by communities and community organisations.
Volunteering New Zealand is an association of national volunteer-involving organisations that have a commitment to
volunteering. Their mission is to maximise the impact of volunteering in our communities. www.volunteeringnz.org.nz
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