The SVA (Student Volunteer Army) is a New Zealand registered charity committed to advancing volunteering. The SVA service award has been created to encourage and mobilise high school students to do community service. Through implementing the SVA service award at Rangi Ruru, we aim to create an environment for positive change by encouraging students to help those less fortunate. When one person volunteers, they inspire others. By utilising this, we can form a movement for community service.
Overall, we aim to create a movement for volunteering at Rangi Ruru. We want students to understand how giving their time has a wide-spread impact, and that it will benefit those who need it.
In 2015, world leaders agreed to 17 goals to better our world by 2030. These are the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The SVA are working to mobilise action towards these goals. Every time you do volunteer work or community service this will be directed towards at least one of these goals. Therefore, your volunteering is contributing to a bigger picture, the solving of world-wide issues. You can find out more about the goals on the website here.
What you should aim for
We strongly encourage all students to achieve:
- 5 hour member pin by the end of Year 9/first year
- 32 hour bronze pin by the end of Year 10/second year
- We also encourage all students to be working towards achieving the 250 hour silver pin or the 500 hour gold pin by the end of Year 13.
How to take part
- Long Term in School
- Short Term out of School
Involvement
Fitness Assistant at Rangi Ruru is available to senior students and is a long-term service opportunity as it runs throughout the whole school year. Being a fitness assistant involves supervising the use of equipment, cleaning and maintaining equipment, assisting students with fitness programs, organising and running events and challenges, attending workshops to update knowledge and share ideas.
Sign Up
Attend meeting at beginning of the year or get in contact with Ms Joyce.
Contacts
Ms Joyce, Fitness Centre & Life Saving Co-ordinator
l.joyce@rangiruru.school.nz
Involvement
Student Librarian is a weekly service position that occurs over a time period of at least two terms. Time options range from early mornings, interval, lunch, or after school and will last between 30 minutes to an hour. You will help out by issuing books, shelving, creating displays, making posters, covering books and magazines, help run book club, and dealing with student enquiries. Also, if you and your friends want to complete service hours at the same time, the librarian staff will be happy to arrange this.
Sign Up
Clubs/Co-curricular Expo at the start of the year or come into the library and talk to one of the staff.
Contacts
Involvement
Peer Tutoring occurs once weekly over a year-long period. It involves being paired up with a younger student who needs help with your chosen subject. This is organised by Mr Bradley, other staff members, and the student leader in charge of peer tutoring.
Sign Up
Sign up via peer tutoring spreadsheet sent out at the start of the school year.
Contacts
Mr. Bradley c.bradley@rangiruru.school.nz
Involvement
Sports coaching involves weekly trainings and attendance at games, as well as preparation for games and attending coaching trainings as they arise. Hours will be different with each sport – a minimum of two hours a week, up to four if your team has more than one game a week. Some students gain between 30 to 60 hours. This is a seasonal position that is available for Year 10s through to Year 13s. Additional help may be needed in other sports depending on numbers of students participating.
Sign Up
Check emails at start of sporting seasons or get in touch with the sports office.
Contact
Ms Anderson, Director of Sport, m.anderson@rangiruru.school.nz
Involvement
Umpiring/refereeing for junior netball teams occurs on Wednesdays and/or Saturdays for up to two hours. Umpiring involves some level of skill and a good knowledge of the netball rules. Normally you will stay with the same team each week. On Wednesdays this will mean travelling with the team when their game is not at Rangi Ruru (transport is provided).
Sign Up
An email will be sent out at the beginning of the season for sign ups, or pop in to see a member of staff in the sports office.
Contacts
Ms Anderson, Director of Sport, m.anderson@rangiruru.school.nz
Involvement
Rangi Host is only offered to Year 12 and 13 students. It involves helping out when extra volunteers are needed, for example chaperoning scholarship exams, catering at events, helping with PTA events etc. When you sign up to be a Rangi Host you are not committed to be at every event- if you sign up you will be sent emails about each separate event which you then sign to up via a first in first served basis.
Sign Up
At the beginning of the year in your year group meeting you will be given the opportunity to sign up via a piece of paper or an email will be sent out.
Contacts
Emma Hanson, Events Manager, e.hanson@rangiruru.school.nz
Involvement
Productions and shows require students to usher the audience in and out of the theatre, take tickets and shepherd people in the case of an emergency. Front of House/Ushering is a one-off service event.
Sign Up
Ms Bell will notify the whole school via email when this work is available.
Contacts
Mr Rutherford
Involvement
Tech Angels at Rangi Ruru is available to students from Year 8 onwards. This is a long-term service opportunity throughout your years at Rangi Ruru. Being a Tech Angel member involves dealing with tech inside the chapel and chapel services such as doing the power points and audio system for each chapel and assembly. Attending meetings that are held once every term is crucial to maintain an updated knowledge of the technology that may be updated inside the chapel. This also involves sacrificing your Monday, Friday or both lunchtimes to do the technology for the chapel. Not only the chapel, but basic tech knowledge that maybe helpful for teachers in class is also part of this club, where we would sometimes have an IT person that would come in and talk about that.
Sign Up
Attending the sign up at the expo and attending the first meeting.
Contacts
Carl Hogan, Head of IT, c.hogan@rangiruru.school.nz
Involvement
One to three lunchtimes per week instructing groups of Year 9 students training for the Bronze Star Award. Minimum requirement – must hold a Bronze Medallion Award or higher. Training requirement – one session with Ms Joyce at commencement of Term 1 and ongoing as required throughout the term.
Sign Up
With Ms Joyce at commencement of Term 1.
Contacts
Ms Joyce, l.joyce@rangiruru.school.nz
Involvement
As and when required. Maximum ratio is 1:6 (1 supervisor to 6 students).
Minimum Requirement: Instruction and sign off by Ms Joyce AND 16 years or older, and in Year 12 or 13 with a minimum of a Bronze Star Award OR 15 years or older and hold a Bronze Cross Award.
Sign Up
With Ms Joyce at during Term 1 or 4 – l.joyce@rangiruru.school.nz
Other options include:
- School production crew
- Sustainability related activities
If there is a school related activity that you believe is service but not on this list, check with Mrs Tania Morgan.
Involvement
Volunteering at YMCA holiday programmes is a great opportunity to develop your leadership skills, as well as gaining service hours. It involves leading a group of children in games and activities and helping out at YMCA. Prior to the start of the holidays (weekend or after school) you will need to attend a training day. The programmes take place in our school holidays and you must be able to commit to at least a full day, however most programmes require you to commit for several days or a full week. If you wish to, you can volunteer at additional programmes in your next holidays. Please note – you must be 16 to volunteer as a leader for YMCA holiday programmes.
Sign Up
On the YMCA website – enquire about opportunities for youth – www.ymcachch.org.nz
Contacts
mailto@ymcachch.org.nz or 03-366 0689 (Christchurch City YMCA)
Involvement
St. John is a charitable organisation providing health care services to the New Zealand public. Volunteering with St John gives you the flexibility to choose various roles and options that work with your family, school and other co-curricular commitments. You can give us as little as an hour, or as much time as you like.
Sign Up
Sign up on the St John website.
Contacts
Involvement
Burwood Hospital look for volunteers for specific jobs with flexible hours. Volunteering at a hospital involves helping patients and family members find their way around the hospital, providing gift and library book trolley services, running the hospital gift shop and delivering flowers or packages etc.
Sign Up
If you are interested in participating in this opportunity contact Burwood Hospital.
Contacts
burwoodvolunteers@gmail.com, www.cdhb.health.nz/hospitals-health-facilities/burwood-hospital, or check out their volunteering Facebook page.
Involvement
Over 200 people volunteer at Christchurch Hospital. Volunteers pack lollies for the shop after school on a Wednesday, help patients call taxis and read, give company to patients and undertake many other tasks.
Sign Up
Contact Christchurch Hospital Volunteering via their Facebook page, or:
Contacts
louise.hoban-watson@cdhb.health.nz, or www.cdhb.health.nz/tag/volunteers/
Involvement
Volunteering for Trade Aid Christchurch could involve working in one of their many shops or becoming an educator to local community groups or helping out at their warehouse packaging and ordering products. Trade Aid source handmade, fair trade products from more than 65 trading partner organisations, which represent hundreds of thousands of small-scale farmers and artisans in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Palestine and the Pacific. Trade Aid works to change the lives of these producers through an alternative way of doing business – a fair way.
Sign Up
www.tradeaid.org.nz/get-involved/careers/volunteering-with-trade-aid
Contacts
Involvement
Attending a planting day involves planting seedlings in parks or gardens or a clean-up to remove rubbish from parks and public areas.
Sign Up
Usually no sign up required, check the Christchurch City Council website linked below for dates and locations, or contact an organiser if necessary.
Contacts
www.ccc.govt.nz/parks-and-gardens/volunteer-in-parks/volunteer-events/
Involvement
Helping with gardening in a community garden.
Sign Up
Enquire on the Community Gardens Christchurch website and find a garden to volunteer in.
Contacts
Involvement
There are many different areas within the Mission needing volunteers such as clothing and furniture shops, food banks and night shelters.
Sign Up
On the Canterbury Volunteer website, must be over 16.
Contacts
businesssupport@citymission.org.nz or phone 03 365 0635.
Involvement
Collecting donations from the public for an organisation. This will usually involve a few hours of collecting on a specified day.
Sign Up
Contact an organisation that you care about and inquire about opportunities for collecting. Check their website to see if they are needing volunteers. Some organisations you could consider collecting for are Salvation Army, Red Cross, Women’s Refuge, The Cancer Society or Multiple Sclerosis.
Volunteers needed to help elderly with their devices, including showing them how to use particular apps and answering any questions they may have.
When: Tuesday after school
Where: 73 Roydvale Avenue, Burnside, Christchurch
Who: Year 9 to 13
Skills required: Confident with apple and android phones
Contact: Message Mya Taylor or Mikayla Molloy on Teams if you are interested
Involvement
Nurse Maude relies on many volunteers so that they can provide their services. After getting in contact with them they will let you know what they need help with, this could be helping in the hospice shop or various other roles. See Mrs Tania Morgan about this.
Sign Up
Get in touch with Nurse Maude and see if they have any volunteering vacancies.
Contacts
Email volunteers@nursemaude.org.nz or call 03 375 4230.
Involvement
Depends on the needs of each retirement home, they will specify either on a website, or after you contact them.
Sign Up
Contact a local retirement home (email, phone etc) and ask they need help from volunteers.
Involvement
Every now and then pop-up volunteer options will come along with a long time in advance to sign up. These could include street collections and helping out at events.
Contacts
Phone 03 3299832 or email info@cholmondeley.org.nz.
Involvement
Every now and then pop up volunteer options will come along with a long time in advance to sign up. These could include cooking with a group of people for the hostel or doing a bucket collection for the company.
Contacts
Heather Bakkenes – heather@rmhsi.org.nz, info@cholmondeley.org.nz
Involvement
Every so often volunteer opportunities will pop up to help out your local Plunket. Plunket is New Zealand’s largest provider of support services for the development, health and wellbeing of children under 5. These opportunities could include working bees, bucket collection, or helping out at fundraising events.
Sign Up
Sign up via the Plunket website or by ringing up and asking.
Contacts
Email the SVA Rangi email or contact Babs Sutherland babs.sutherland@plunket.org.nz.
Involvement
Assistant Volunteers (16 to 17 years) primarily help our Animal Keepers in the Farmyard with the cleaning and maintenance of enclosures. They also assist senior volunteers at key animal feeds and with a variety of other housekeeping and light maintenance tasks.
Sign Up
Application form: Please return the application form by email to volunteers@oranawildlifepark.co.nz.
Contacts
Call: 03 359 7109
Email: info@oranawildlifepark.co.nz.
Women’s Refuge is an organization for women and their children, aiming to prevent and stop family violence in New Zealand. They work with individuals and families through to involvement with local community and government agencies. This includes implementing education programs and support services, information and safe housing to women, young people and children experiencing abuse. They aim to create a positive impact. If this sounds like a cause you would like to support don’t hesitate to contact them through their website- https://womensrefuge.org.nz/.
The Salvation Army aims to fight poverty and social and spiritual distress in New Zealand. They assist more than 120,000 families and individuals each year with budgeting advice, food and clothing assistance, life skills programs and other comfort and support. They are committed to caring for people, transforming lives and reforming society. If you are interested in supporting the Salvation Army, contact them through their website for opportunities at https://www.salvationarmy.org.nz/.
Red Cross in New Zealand is an organisation which helps to support and care for people. Some of the things they do for people is providing hot meals, driving people safely to the hospital, sorting out education programmes at schools around the country. They help families who have lost each other to re-find them and be together again. This means they work a lot around refugee settlement programmes. The Red Cross mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilising the power of humanity and enhancing community resilience. The Red Cross Fundamental Principles guide all they do, whether were helping people in New Zealand communities or providing urgent relief in an international disaster. Some volunteer options could be things such as helping out at the red cross shop, collecting bucket collections on the street and being an event volunteer helping out at some fundraiser events.
CCS is an organization with a vision to see every disabled person included in the life of their family and community. As well as providing direct support and advocacy, they have a wider role in shaping society’s attitudes towards people with a disability. They partner with disabled people, their families and whānau to enable them to have choice and control in their lives. CCS also works with communities, family members, friends, hapu, iwi, educators, health, social services, business, employers, councils, government, community agencies, community groups and the public to identify and remove barriers that prevent people from achieving their goals. If this sounds like a cause that you would like to support, you could contact them through their website https://ccsdisabilityaction.org.nz/.
The Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management provides leadership in reducing risk, being ready for, responding to and recovering from emergencies. It manages central government’s response and recovery functions for national emergencies and supports the management of local and regional emergencies. For further information visit https://www.civildefence.govt.nz/.
Help make a difference to the lives of New Zealanders who are blind or have low vision by contributing to a range of worthwhile programs by giving your time, energy and expertise.
Sign up on the Blind Foundation website https://blindfoundation.org.nz or contact GeneralEnquiries@blindfoundation.org.nz.
You will be seeing our beautiful country and meeting fantastic young people along the way. Doing a placement with Recreate NZ is a great time to travel around New Zealand, as it is a lot of what they do with their youth. Most of your time spent with them will be on their programmes working alongside young people. However they can facilitate some office time and allocate tasks.
Your responsibilities on the programmes will encompass a very broad spectrum. In very general terms, we would like you to encourage young people to try each activity, facilitate their success, encourage them to take responsibility for themselves and others and to have a good time! The most important part of your role is to be a mate, friend and comrade on programme, this means the world to the Recreate NZ youth!
Contact
Email: info@recreate.org.nz
Phone: 09 638 5364
Other local service opportunities you might be interested in:
- SPCA
- Guides, Keas, Brownies, Pippins, Cubs
- Children’s club leader
- Pre-school helper
- Primary school helper
- Kindergarten helper
- Pony Club
- After school care
- Sunday school
- Christchurch environment centre