Volunteer Marlborough supports volunteers, community organisations, charities, and not-for-profits across Marlborough in a wide range of ways. Some people come to us because they want to volunteer but don't know where to start. Others are looking for advice, training, resources, connections, or support to strengthen the way they involve volunteers.
Whatever brings you to us, our aim is pretty simple: to make volunteering work well for everyone involved.
Newsletters:
RIPPLES (for organisations)
Our newsletter for community organisations, keeping you up to date with training, events, resources, sector news, volunteering trends, and opportunities to connect.
Latest edition:
#DoGoodFeelGood (for volunteers)
Our volunteer-focused newsletter, sharing opportunities, stories, ideas, and inspiration for people wanting to get involved in their community.
Latest edition:
Finding the right volunteer role
We help people find volunteering opportunities that suit their interests, skills availability, and goals.
You can browse current roles online, or get in touch with us if you would like a bit more help figuring out where you might fit. With organisations working across everything from social services and youth development to sport, conservation, arts, events, and community support, there are often far more ways to volunteer than people realise.
We want volunteering to be a positive experience, so finding the right fit matters.
Reverse Recruitment
Sometimes the right volunteer role is not already sitting on a list waiting to be found.
Our Reverse Recruitment service turns the usual process around. Instead of asking you to choose from existing vacancies, we start by finding out more about you: your interests, hobbies, skills, experience, passions, future plans, and what you would like to get from volunteering.
From there, we create a volunteer profile and share it with organisations in our network to see what opportunities might be created or adapted around you.
It's a more personalised approach to volunteering and can be particularly useful if you have specific skills to offer, particular goals in mind, or simply haven't seen anything advertised that feels quite right.
Interested? Sign up here, by calling 03-577-9388, or emailing vm@volunteermarlborough.org.nz
Training and professional development
Strong volunteer programmes do not happen by accident.
We provide workshops, training, and professional development for community organisations, governance boards, staff, volunteers, and anyone responsible for leading or supporting volunteers.
Topics vary throughout the year and are shaped by what organisations tell us they need. These may include volunteer engagement and retention, governance, leadership, organisational development, wellbeing, succession planning, and other issues affecting the community and not-for-profit sector.
We work with experienced local and national facilitators and regularly collaborate with other organisations to bring useful, practical learning opportunities to Marlborough.
Check our Events page to see what's coming up.
LIFT Network
Leading volunteers can be incredibly rewarding. It can also be complicated, messy, and occasionally leave you wondering whether everyone else received an instruction manual you somehow missed.
LIFT (Leaders Inspiring and Facilitating Together) is our network for people who recruit, coordinate, manage or support volunteers as part of their role.
It provides a space to connect with others doing similar work, share ideas and resources, talk openly about challenges and learn from the experiences of people across the sector.
Sessions are held throughout the year and may be in person or online. Details for upcoming LIFT sessions can be found in our Events section.
Presentations and community engagement
Want your workplace, group, club, or organisation to know more about volunteering in Marlborough?
We are happy to speak to businesses, community groups, schools, and other organisations about Volunteer Marlborough, the value of volunteering, ways to get involved, and what is happening across the local volunteer sector.
Presentations can be tailored to suit the group and the time available.
Resources and organisational support
Sometimes you don't need a workshop. You just need a decent template, an example policy, a starting point, or someone to ask, "Are we doing this right?"
We have a wide range of resources available for community organisations, governance boards, leaders of volunteers, businesses, and volunteers. These cover many aspects of volunteer involvement and organisational operation, and can generally be adapted to suit your organisation.
If you cannot find what you need, get in touch. We may already have something tucked away, or be able to point you in the right direction.
Marlborough Community and Volunteer of the Year Awards
Each year, the Marlborough Community and Volunteer of the Year Awards give us the chance to celebrate the people, groups, and organisation whose mahi makes our community stronger.
The awards recognise the extraordinary contribution made across Marlborough every day, often quietly and without expectation of recognition.
From long-serving volunteers and young people making their mark, to community organisations, trustees, teams, and local legends, the awards are our opportunity to say a very public thank you.
Need something else?
Our services continue to evolve alongside the needs of the community.
If your organisation needs support, training, advice, or a programme that is not currently listed here, talk to us. We may be able to help directly, connect you with someone who can, or develop something new.
Call us on (03) 577-9388 or contact us by email at vm@volunteermarlborough.org.nz