Volunteering with VSA means working alongside local communities to support sustainable, community-led development. As a VSA volunteer, you’ll apply your expertise to real world challenges, working with local partners to foster progress, strengthen resilience, and support long-term, locally driven solutions.
The Vogelmorn Community Group (VCG) is a charitable trust set up in 2015 which owns the land and buildings of the former bowling club. (The Hall and most of the adjacent Green are owned by Wellington City Council.) The buildings are available for rental to community groups and arts practitioners for workshops, rehearsals, classes and many other activities. VCG also organises events, or co-hosts them with other groups and individuals.
Upper Hutt Repair Café (est. 2019) helps with household items needing repair — small electricals, tools, toys, furniture and more. With the help of skilled, friendly volunteers, you’ll receive practical advice and assistance. Aside from any parts required (which we recommend you purchase yourself), the only cost is a donation of your choosing. Our volunteers bring wide-ranging skills and a shared passion for sustainability, waste reduction and a circular economy, and we’re happy to look at most things. If we can’t repair your item, we’ll help you find a sustainable next step — whether that’s a professional repairer, upcycling or disposal.
The Trust supports households from homelessness, insecure or unsafe housing into a permanent place to live, be it directly or through Transitional Housing. The Trust adopts a “Housing First” approach to provide support to households who come to us as homeless. The “Ready to Rent” programme helps in securing permanent housing and our “Ready to Work” programme improves the financial capability of households.
As Upper Hutt grows, we're here to support the city's health, safety, environment, and community with essential services delivered every day. Here's a glimpse of what we look after: More than 54 parks, reserves, and playgrounds, including Trentham Memorial Park and Barton's Bush which has more than a hundred native plant species, safe drinking water, and wastewater systems, roads, footpaths, streetlights, and signage to keep travel safe and easy, building and planning support including consents, LIMs, and guidance on development, animal services, food safety, and abandoned vehicle response to protect public health, community facilities such as Upper Hutt Libraries, H₂O Xtream, Whirinaki Whare Taonga, and sports venues, ongoing investment in infrastructure, from water pipes to energy systems.
Two Todman is a community hub and neighbours' space run by the Brooklyn Anglicans. It features four main spaces: a thrift shop, a zero-waste refillery, a co-working office, and a chapel
Seeds to Feeds aims to harness the power of local food experiences to connect people - to each other, themselves, and their place. The Seeds to Feeds coordination team support community groups of local food enthusiasts, cooks, hosts and growers to: Develop their vision for local food in their place, grow, forage and preserve local food, run food-related events throughout spring/summer using local knowledge such as educational workshops, practical classes and working bees, cook and host delicious community-based meal for the ‘Harvest Celebration’ festival in March, where local food is the star of the show.