Press Release
March 8th 2004
Helen Clark and Stephen Tindall helped get Volunteer Opportunities On Line
Volunteering New Zealand is celebrating Volunteer Awareness Week (Sunday 7 March to Saturday 13 March) by releasing and
promoting Stage 2 of the VolunteerNow website. VolunteerNow is an interactive database where volunteer job opportunities
are listed. Stage One saw the launch of the website and an 0800 number (0800 VOL CNTR / 0800 865 268) that refers
potential volunteers to the nearest of the 9 Volunteer Centres around Aotearoa New Zealand.
The original idea for this website came from a discussion between Prime Minister Helen Clark and Stephen Tindall,
founder of the Tindall Foundation. They noticed that the skills and experience of those in the 55-65 age group were
being lost when they left the workforce. Both Helen Clark and Stephen Tindall were interested in finding ways for these
people to participate in their communities and pass on their knowledge.
The Tindall Foundation approached Volunteering New Zealand (VNZ) to create volunteering opportunities for ‘young
seniors’ with the Tindall Foundation providing funding assistance. In February 2003 “VolunteerNow” was born. In 2004
VolunteerNow caters for all New Zealanders, with a special place kept aside for 'young seniors'.
VolunteerNow offers a place for the public to look for a volunteer job, the site provides useful information on
volunteering, such as Codes of Practice for Volunteers, and for organisations managing Volunteers. Organisations that
want to recruit volunteers can contact Volunteering New Zealand to find out how to include their positions on the site.
Chair of Volunteering New Zealand Alison Marshall said today.
“VNZ is pleased to be able to provide this great recruitment tool and appreciates the support that Tindall Foundation
has given to make it happen. So visit now and have a browse - www.VolunteerNow.org.nz, and find a great position to
brighten your day."
To contact your nearest Volunteer Centre, Phone 0800 VOL CNTR (0800 865 268)