Volunteer week, Minister Alfred Ngaro during his speech at a breakfast for Bay volunteers at the Historic Village Tauranga. PHOTO/George Novak
"The good feeling", is what drives Aileen Harwood, 17, to offer her volunteering skills to the Bay community.
Aileen addressed a group of volunteers at a breakfast meeting this morning at Tauranga's Historic Village.
The Aquinas College student was the youngest volunteer at the event, organised by Volunteering Bay of Plenty manager Theo Ursum to celebrate National Volunteer Week, June 18-24.
Aileen spoke about her young volunteering group, the AC Army which was set up last year at her school, together with her teacher Mikaere Smith, inspired by the student army which helped after the Christchurch earthquakes.
The group has been involved in supporting other children at Merivale School, helped with the Bay of Plenty Times foodbank street collection, as well as in young volunteering projects in Tauranga.
"It is such a good feeling to get out in the community and just do what you can to help ... even if it is just a little thing. I think it is important for young people especially to think about what they can give back. The AC Army is definitely growing and we are working on a big project now with Volunteering Bay of Plenty."
Special guest speaker at the breakfast was Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector MP Alfred Ngaro who said volunteers added a valuable contribution to Tauranga.
"Every week over 400,000 Kiwis volunteer for registered charities. That obviously doesn't represent all the other sectors where volunteers play a vital role, but adds up to over 2 million hours contributed to our communities."
Mr Ngaro said volunteers were involved in many sectors "from sports, recreation, arts, culture and heritage to emergency and social services, health, education, conservation and the environment".
He echoed Aileen's view that volunteering generated good in the community but also for the volunteers themselves.
"This year's theme is 'Live, Laugh, Share, Volunteer' and that's a great reflection of what volunteering gives to volunteers and communities.
"Whether it's a general feeling of satisfaction at making a difference, the social nature of many opportunities or the new skills you may acquire, volunteering has as much to offer volunteers as it does to communities more generally."
Mr Ngaro encouraged more people to get involved.
"Volunteering is about sharing - your time, your energy and your resources. This week is about celebrating that. I'd encourage everyone to look up the opportunities and events in their area and to give volunteering a go."
LIVE, LAUGH, SHARE, VOLUNTEER
• NZ is fourth in the Charities Aid Foundation's World Giving Index (2016)
• Non-profits and volunteer labour added $9.4 billion, or 4.4 per cent to New Zealand's total GDP in 2013 (estimate)
• More than 400,000 New Zealanders volunteer every week for registered charities
• In the Bay of Plenty there are 2251 registered charities which are supported by about 48,000 volunteers every week