Whakapapa

Volunteering is vital in maintaining a strong, healthy, sustainable community life. Volunteer centres are an essential component of the voluntary sector in Aotearoa, gluing together the community by atawhai (kindness and care) and manaakitanga (respect and support).

Volunteer Porirua Te Puna Tautokotia opened in central Porirua on 24 August, with a blessing from Dr. Taku Parai of Ngāti Toa. This was a timely development, as there was a real demand for volunteers in the Porirua region and the then-team wanted to acknowledged the expense of travelling to Wellington. 

Our Volunteer Hutt branch opened on 20 May, completing our regional coverage and bringing hands-on support to communities across Te Awa Kairangi. Members in Hutt Valley stated they, "desperately need more volunteers," so our team guaranteed this accessible, physical space would attract more volunteers.

On International Volunteers' Day (5 December), Good Work and No Pay: Ten Years of Volunteering in Wellington was released as a narrative of Volunteer Wellington's first ten years. The book is told through the stories of 18 voices who have had some part in the shape and development of the organisation.

After a number of Westpac employees volunteered for a day through facilitation by Volunteer Wellington, a partnership was formed. 

"Your organisation plays a vital role in making our community a better place to live. It is important for corporates such as Westpac to be aware of the role they play as a socially responsible corporate citizen," said Glenn Patrick, then-Westpac General Manager of Business Technology Services.

A self-published book about the experiences of migrant volunteers in Wellington, The First Door That Opened, had an impressive impact on audiences. It recognised and celebrated the efforts of new migrants, provided a human face to those who had recently moved to the country, and gave employers of volunteers an insight into the skills and benefits of having a culturally diverse team.

Christian Pene, a fluent te reo speaker and friend of a Board Member, gifted Te Puna Tautoko to Volunteer Wellington after careful consideration of the actions and outcomes of our mahi. The phrase, translated into the continuous spring of water (te puna) agreed upon, turned into action (tautoko), guide the way we express our values and guiding principles.

Two major projects began in 2024, including our community collaboration hui in Te Awa Kairangi, Te Aka Tūao, and our Youth Impact Programme that aims to empower rangatahi through volunteering and support community organisations to be more youth-friendly.

While te ao Māori has featured in aspects of our history, it has not always been deeply woven into how we operate or make decisions. Staff, board members, and volunteers completed Groundwork's Understanding, Applying, and Embedding Te Tiriti course to create a Te Tiriti plan to move towards a more meaningful way to honour Te Tiriti.

Volunteer Wellington introduced a ‘tūao’ membership tier, an invitation for Kaupapa Māori and Mana Whenua organisations to be ‘members’ and access Volunteer Wellington membership offerings without a fee. Our Hutt team, and staff who whakapapa Māori, lead this membership tier as it is developed and slowly grown. 

The United Nations declared 2026 as International Volunteer Year to celebrate the power of volunteering and recognise those who give their time to strengthen communities.

Volunteer Wellington is going big with plans to mobilise the Mahi Aroha Awards into Morning Tea Shouts, launching Community Film Challenge, and celebrating Volunteer Porirua's 25th anniversary!