Volunteering - Making an Impact
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR COMMUNITY, OR IN COMMUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD?
We use our knowledge of local issues to identify areas of need, then apply our expertise and diverse perspectives to the problem. St Johns Rotary is a good sized club but we can do more if we have good people willing to join us in our service activities. You can help.
Contact Us at any stage for a no-obligation chat as to the opportunities for you
To read about some of our projects there are some stories on the home page and please also go to this Projects, Programmes and Events Overview
You don’t necessarily need to be a Rotarian to be involved in service to the community through Rotary.
We have many opportunities to partner with, sponsor or volunteer to support Rotary’s programmes and projects.
Volunteering work with Rotary changes lives
Whether you are volunteering by helping your local community set up a foodbank, or responding to local and international disasters, there is a project or activity to suit everyone. By volunteering with Rotary, you know that you will be changing people’s lives for the better.
Volunteering through Rotary is more than just giving back to the community. It is also about you bringing your skills, experience and enthusiasm for great community outcomes, whilst making some great friends along the way. Rotary clubs are friendly places where members, whether young professionals through to those who have retired, share a common interest in friendship while helping create a better community. If you visit any of our clubs around New Zealand and the Pacific, you will immediately feel the sense of camaraderie and fun that is reflected in our many projects.
Share skills by volunteering with Rotary
Volunteering with Rotary could be the most important thing you ever do. Your skills and experience are invaluable in our drive to help communities locally and around the world through our volunteer work. Whether you become a member of Rotary or volunteer your time and abilities to your local club, you will help to make people’s lives better.
There are many ways to volunteer with Rotary:
- You could join your local Rotary and open a world of opportunities.
- You can donate to a Rotary club, or specific Rotary project, programme or initiative
- You can volunteer to speak at a Rotary club about a cause or interest to raise their understanding
- You can volunteer to help the Rotary club in one of its initiatives, without becoming a Rotary member. Increasingly clubs are looking at adding value to their community volunteers by forming Rotary Community Corps groups that give added value to its members without the obligations of Rotary membership.
- You could join an Interact club – these are for secondary school aged students
- You could join a Rotaract club – these are for young adults 18-30yo. NB: Rotary has no age limit so the other option for young professionals is joining Rotary clubs
If Rotary sounds like the organisation for you, and you want to volunteer some of your spare time, we’d like to hear from you!
Some questions you may have ... answered:
- Do I have the skills needed?
You do not have to be a skilled business person or amazing entrepreneur to get involved. WE all have useful skills and you can volunteer and help in many ways and probably learn some new skills along the way.
- What if I am short on time?
Volunteering with Rotary is easy, fun and very flexible. How much time you give is completely up to you – just match this with what you volunteer to do. You become a part of a team and we will make sure you receive any needed training and are fully supported.
- What are the benefits to me?
There is the chance to build personal skills like teamwork, confidence, leadership and other skills relevant to your personal and working life. You will become part of a project team that will be lead by a Rotarian but as defined by the scope and scale of the project the various aspects will be shared among the team.
- Where can I volunteer?
Your volunteering can be local with a club nearby or it can have an international aspect whether organisational or hands-on either through that local club or by helping out one of Rotary’s more global programmes.
- What are the different options of volunteering?
You can volunteer in many ways from providing some additional help to a club that may need some specialist skills through to hands-on in a project. Whether you have website building skills you can use to help a club in their promotion, are a fundraising whiz, are a skills tradesperson or have some other skill or passion there will be a place for you.
- How do I volunteer? What if I have some more questions?
Simply Contact Us. in the contact form that can be found by clicking here and we will contact you to see how we can help you with your volunteering.
Some suggestions/possible opportunities to volunteer and / or sponsor:
- Approach your local club(s) - whether they have something is situational. Remember there are likely to be several clubs in your area so find one that suits.
- Student Exchange programmes - students can of course apply but inbound students need Host Parents/Families (there will be a vetting process)
- Usbourne Pictorial Dictionaries - most clubs support this programme for low-decile students. Sponsorship helps expand the programme so approach your local Rotary club and offer to sponsor a class annually (great for businesses to do).
- Rotary Youth Driver Awareness - many clubs support this programme in one or more schools and are often needing people to help supervise a day's course (held at a school once or twice a year)
- Rotary Youth Leadership Awards programme - approach either a club or the district to nominate a candidate and / or sponsor a candidate (potentially someone who cannot afford their partial contribution. There is a selection criteria and process). A great programme for businesses to nominate candidates.
- Emergency Response Kits - a popular Rotary disaster relief programme for the Pacific Islands. Most clubs but also many individuals or businesses sponsor an ERK annually. Clubs are involved in the packing days but many hands make light work (great way to mix with Rotarians!) - contact your local club and / or www.rnzwcs.org
- Rotary club fundraising events - these are many and varied and high value opportunities to have a fun night out while supporting Rotary activities in your community. Fantastic way to meet Rotarians and others.