Sunday marked the start of National Volunteer Week 2019 where all around the country our 1.2 million volunteers are celebrated.

National Volunteer Week 2019 runs from June 16-22. This year’s theme is “Whiria te tangata – weaving the people together”. Volunteering, Mahi Aroha and social action weave people and communities together as we stand together in our differences and choose to connect.

“Volunteering is a powerful movement” says Volunteering New Zealand Chief Executive Katie Bruce. “When we volunteer our time we send a message about what is important in our communities. This National Volunteer Week we celebrate the diversity of volunteers and volunteering, Mahi Aroha and social action in Aotearoa.”

To celebrate the theme of Whiria te tangata – weaving the people together, Volunteering New Zealand has launched an interactive map of volunteer stories from across Aotearoa and will launch Te Rautaki mō Whanaungatanga – A National Strategy to Support Volunteering for Recent Migrants at Parliament on Thursday 20 June.

“This week we celebrate everyone who creates connections in their own communities from the Marae to the Mosque, from our biggest cities to our most remote communities” says Katie Bruce. “We celebrate everyone who volunteers in times of crisis, in times of healing and everyone who makes time and space to walk alongside others”.

Now more than ever, as a volunteering community we commit to manaakitanga and whakawhanaungatanga. We commit to caring, and to building meaningful, enduring and inclusive relationships across our differences, and to make space for diverse voices.

Celebrate  National Volunteer Week 2019 through  #NVW2019. More information can be found at www.nationalvolunteerweek.nz.

Launch of volunteer stories map

For NVW, Volunteering New Zealand has launched an interactive map of volunteer stories from across Aotearoa. This map is filled with stories from volunteers throughout Aotearoa, New Zealand and reflects the NVW 2019 theme “Whiria te tangata – weaving the people together”.

This map celebrates the contribution of volunteers in their communities throughout Aotearoa. It aims to inspire people to engage in volunteering, Mahi Aroha and social action and to realise the benefits of weaving their communities together through their actions.

Here are four awesome stories from the map:

• Te Puna Waiora Ukulele Group: https://www.volunteeringnz.org.nz/inclusion/spreading-joy-through-waiata-and-ukulele/

• Ngati Porou Surf Life Saving Club: https://www.volunteeringnz.org.nz/community/volunteering-in-northland-i-just-love-the-feeling-of-having-done-something-good/

• Celine Filbee: https://www.volunteeringnz.org.nz/leadership/putting-in-the-mahi-to-protect-the-next-generation-of-kiwi/

• Shashi Kariyawasam: https://www.volunteeringnz.org.nz/community/volunteering-in-northland-i-just-love-the-feeling-of-having-done-something-good/