New Zealand partners
At VSA we want to provide more New Zealanders with the opportunity to volunteer.
One way we are doing this is by establishing partnerships with New Zealand businesses and organisations so that we can work together to develop innovative volunteering opportunities which benefit both partners.
Partnership has always been at the heart of what we do. We work closely with our in-country partners overseas to make sure that our assignments will help them meet their goals.
Our partnerships development programme, which was set up in 2011, is a logical extension of this.
We currently have agreements with eight New Zealand partners, ranging from fellow NGOs to large multi-national companies, and we are in the process of negotiating more.
Our current New Zealand partners are:
“As a former VSA volunteer myself I know just how much you gain, both personally and professionally, from going on assignment with VSA. I am delighted to be able to offer staff at GHD the chance to experience life as a volunteer through our partnership with VSA.”
– Evan Mayson, Project Director, GHD New Zealand
"This is a significant partnership for World Vision. It provides another way for Kiwis to make a hands-on contribution by lending their expertise to our economic development programmes in the Pacific."
– Chris Clarke, Chief Executive Officer World Vision
Why become a VSA New Zealand partner?
After 50 years in the volunteering and development business we know what we’re doing. We have selected, trained and provided support to more than 3,500 volunteers since VSA was first set up in 1962.
Whether you’re an NGO, a government agency or a private sector organisation, becoming a VSA New Zealand partner will give you access to the expertise we have developed as New Zealand’s most experienced international volunteering agency.
Becoming a VSA New Zealand partner can also help you:
- add value to your existing programmes and activities – or explore new opportunities
- provide your staff with innovative leadership challenges and professional development opportunities
- enhance your reputation as a responsible organisation in the wider Pacific
- gain valuable experience of working with Pacific communities.
“I firmly believe that we can achieve more by working together than we can by working alone, especially in development where collaboration is essential to getting good outcomes. By co-operating in new ways we can create new opportunities together – partnerships really are the way of the future.”
– Gill Greer, Chief Executive Officer VSA
How do VSA’s New Zealand partnerships work?
Each partnership agreement is unique, but what they have in common is that they are intended to provide benefits for both partners while meeting our development goals and providing more New Zealanders with the opportunity to volunteer.
In some cases, we work with our New Zealand partners to create or fill assignments within our existing programmes – or, in the case of other NGOs, within their existing programmes. In others, we work together to develop new assignments that meet the development needs of our in-country partners while providing innovative volunteering opportunities for the New Zealand partner.
Partnership in action
World Vision/VSA volunteer Jane Rutledge is working as a marketing adviser with World Vision Vanuatu, helping people in small rural villages in south Santo use agriculture to increase their incomes. Read more about Jane Rutledge …
During a visit to the village of Mavunlef, South Santo, Jane's colleague Vomboe looks on as local women prioritise what their largest expenditure is per month (school fees were top of the list). This tool is known as a "pocket chart." It ensures privacy when answering and allows time for thought.
Work with us as a VSA New Zealand partner
For more information on working as a VSA New Zealand partner, contact Ruth Harrison Partnerships Development Manager or ring Tel: 04 4958522
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