Statement from the Executive Director of UN Volunteers

This year the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme celebrates International Volunteer Day (IVD) on 5 December with the theme ‘Volunteering for our Planet’. UNV wants to highlight how important it is for people everywhere to get involved as volunteers in finding solutions to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

IVD is celebratedtwo days before the start of the United Nations Conference in Copenhagen which will discuss, and hopefully agree on, collective action to address Climate Change. We encourage everyone to volunteer for our planet in support of the United Nations campaign to Seal the Deal on a Climate Change agreement.

Volunteers played an important role in the environmental movement from its very beginning. They recognized that individual and collective action based on free will was necessary to raise awareness about environmental action and spur governments to action.

I encourage all people and organizations to celebrate International Volunteer Day and to support Volunteering for our Planet. Please go to www.VolunteeringForOurPlanet.org and tell us how you contribute voluntarily to protecting our planet. We are tracking how many hours volunteers contribute worldwide; they will send a powerful message to delegates in Copenhagen that committed citizens, everywhere, support a climate change agreement and people are taking action as volunteers to be a part of the solution.

Lots of 'Yummies' for Lifeline Nelson's volunteers

Lifeline Nelson will provide extra yummy food and will put notices in their daybook and special "warm fuzzies" book to acknowledge and thank the 43 volunteers who provide their 24/7 counselling service. They will also provide yummies to the volunteer team who fundraise for Lifeline and other community organisations through volunteering at the Lifeline Goodwill shop in Nelson.

Volunteer Whanganui

Volunteer Whanganui will be at Trafalgar Square giving away free scones to anyone who so desires one, from 10 am till 12 pm (or until the scones run out) whatever happens first.

Special Olympics volunteers will be active on IV Day

Twenty two volunteers with the Wellington Special Olympics team will be actively volunteering on International Volunteer Day together with hundreds of other volunteers from around New Zealand.

The four yearly Special Olympics National Games will be held in Palmerston North from 2-6 November. One thousand Special Olympics athletes will be participating in the games. There will be 500 volunteer coaches plus 500 event volunteers ensuring the games are a great success. These volunteers will be at the games for five days many having to take annual or unpaid leave to be there.

One of the volunteer coaches 14 year old Max Stromer from Auckland was featured on Close Up on Monday. Here is a link to the clip, www.tvnz.co.nz/close-up/s2009-11-30-video-3206332 and select chapter 4.

Special lunch for 150 volunteers from Nelson region

There will be a special lunch for 150 volunteers from around the Nelson/Tasman region. This will be held at the Monaco Resort in Stoke on Monday 7 December.

The volunteers attending the lunch have been nominated by organisations from around the region who were approached earlier this year. Local companies have sponsored tables and generously given items for spot prizes which will be given out during the course of the lunch.

Guest speaker will be Frank Bunce, well known former All Black who is very supportive of volunteering.

Pictures will be posted after the event.

Pregnancy Help Inc. Canterbury. New Zealand

We are thanking and acknowledging our volunteers on the 9th December with a morning tea. From the volunteers who help in the Drop In Centre to the many volunteers who knit and sew many fantastic things for the babies.

Joe Bennett guest speaker for Canterbury Presbyterian Support volunteers in Rangiora

Columnist Joe Bennett will be the guest speaker at a special International Volunteer Day afternoon tea for the Presbyterian Support volunteers from Christchurch and North Canterbury. They will gather at the John Knox Centre in Christchurch on Monday December 7.

Crepes and Christmas in Auckland

Volunteering Auckland is hosting a breakfast for current and past volunteer staff and Board members of Volunteering Auckland on December 4th. This will be followed by an in-house volunteer staff celebration in particular for our longest serving volunteers!

On December 5th we will be handing out "thank you Volunteer" notes to 1,000s of people as we wrap their early Christmas gifts at Sylvia Park. Then follows another two weeks of wrapping over 20,000 gifts .... roll on New Year!

We will also be gifting our new 2010 Calendar to our 376 member NGOs showcasing some gorgeous photos of people doing what they do best .. VOLUNTEER!

Volunteer stories to be told on IV Day

Volunteer Wellington is inviting all Wellington volunteers to a lunch gathering on 4 December to celebrate International Volunteer Day (Saturday 5 December). They will hear the stories of three volunteers, a volunteer who has served overseas with Volunteer Service Abroad, a local volunteer and business team employee volunteer.

Welliongton City Council are providing support to Volunteer Wellington to help them host the luncheon which will be held in Volunteer Wellington's offices on Level 3, Community House, 84 Willis Street between 12Noon and 1.30pm.

Volunteering New Zealand will join this gathering as part of its celebrating of IV Day.

Canterbury Youth Volunteer Awards

Volunteering Canterbury will host Youth Volunteer Awards on Friday 4 December to mark International Volunteer Day. These will be at the Cranford Centre, 115 Cranford Street. Awards will be presented by 16 year old volunteer Lizzie Pawson who has spent the last six years raising money and awareness for Freeset, a fair trade business in Kolkata, India which offers employment to women trapped in the sex trade.
There will be entertainment from Lucky 8, a group formed to support CanTeen who featured in this year's Rockonz Festival. Citations will be read by 13 year old Sylvia Barnett.
Everyone is welcome to attend. There is no charge and parking is available next door at English Park.

International Volunteer Day

This year, Volunteer Marlborough will celebrate IVD on Thursday, December 3rd. We will be hosting a Breakfast at the Clubs of Marlborough to celebrate and recognize the volunteers of our community. We have invited local organisations to nominate a volunteer to attend the Breakfast. All Volunteers will receive a certificate recognizing the contribution of the volunteers with their organisation. Not for Profit groups in Marlborough are invited to send nominations prior to November 26th to vm@volunteermarlborough.org.nz. or contact us for more information Numbers are limited so please submit your nominations early.

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Welcome for IVD blogspot

The International Volunteer Day is coming closer and Volunteering NZ is looking forward to celebrate it together with all of you.
Lets make our volunteers feel special and let everyone knows that they are!!!