Do you want to support your community? Volunteering is about freely giving your time, energy, and skills to support causes you care about and help build stronger communities.

Volunteering can look different for everyone: you might support a cause you care about, lend a hand at a local event, or share your skills with a community group. No matter how you choose to volunteer, it’s a powerful way to give back, make a difference, and feel connected to your community.

In Te Ao Māori, volunteering is embraced as mahi aroha – work done out of love, compassion, and a deep sense of duty to others.
Grounded in whanaungatanga (kinship) and guided by tohu aroha (acts of love and care), it reflects a commitment to collective identity, reciprocity, and responsibility. Giving back isn’t questioned, it’s simply part of who you are and what you do for your whānau and community.

Did you know?

• Without volunteers, many essential services would have to shut down.
• Volunteers come from many backgrounds and with all levels of skills and abilities.
• Whether you have one free hour a day, week, or month, there's a volunteer opportunity for you.
• We connect you to hundreds of organisations and community groups all over Te Tai Tokerau | Northland looking for support.

Voluntering is good for YOU, not just your community! Volunteering helps you to:

• Improve your self-esteem and confidence.
• Learn new skills and get work experience.
• Find a sense of purpose and making a difference.
• Find friends and a community.
• Stay active and healty.
• Explore new interests and careers.
• Secure references for your CV.
• Have fun with likeminded people.
• Get back into structured environments without the pressure of a paid role.
• Be more aware of challenges faced in your community.

Think about why you would like to volunteer and what matters to you. Ask yourself:

• What am I passionate about?
• How much time can I commit to volunteering?
• What skills and talents do I have that I could offer? What do I want to learn?
• Do I want to volunteer in a team or alone?
• Do I like outdoors or indoors work, hands-on or digital work?

Check out our list of available volunteer opportunities. Browse by type of role, location and hours.

Register your interest. If you find a role that interests you, complete the application form at the bottom of the role description and you'll hear back from us about how to proceed. There is no obligation at this stage - it's simply an opportunity to find out more about the role and and how to get started.

Can’t find anything you would like to do? Get in touch with us directly! We might just have the right position for you that’s not advertised yet.

Are you new to volunteering or unsure about something? If you would like an individual consultation to discuss your situation we are happpy to meet with you. Give us a call to arrange an appointment or to have a chat on (09) 945 4984 / 0800 865 268.

To have the best possible volunteer experience, we recommend:

• Be open about your reasons for volunteering with the organisation you want to volunteer for.
• Pick volunteer roles that are interesting to you and match your skills or the skills you want to learn.
• Be reliable and a good team player.
• Consider opportunities for job training and personal development.
• Carry out all work you agree to do responsibly and ethically.
• Speak out about any concerns that might affect your volunteer relationships or role.
• See yourself as a valued team member with the right to contribute to decisions which affect your work.
• Value and support other team members.

It is important to Volunteering Northland that all of the volunteers we work with or refer have a safe and enjoyable experience in their voluntary roles.

As a volunteer, you must take reasonable care of your own safety and take care not to do anything which could harm another person. You should follow all reasonable safety instructions given to you when you are volunteering at an organisation, so that they can comply with their Health and Safety obligations.

When you volunteer, you have the same health and safety duties as paid staff. In addition to the duties above you must also co-operate with any reasonable health and safety policy or procedure of the organisation you are volunteering at.

Reasonable care means that you should do what a reasonable person would do in the same circumstances. This is for you to determine. Consider the skills and knowledge you have, what the risks and outcomes are and the resources you have available.

Some steps you can take include:

• Do only tasks that have been assigned to you.
• Do only tasks that you have been trained to do or are familiar with.
• Don't do tasks that you think are unsafe.
• Report new hazards and risks to the organisation you are volunteering at.
• Be familiar with the organisation’s health and safety policies and rules.
• Provide feedback on health and safety issues.
• Use any personal protection equipment that is provided, store and maintain it as instructed.
• Participate in health monitoring programmes.
• Report any serious harm incident to the organisation you are volunteering for immediately. if you are in doubt, please report

For any enquiries, contact Volunteering Northland at info@volunteeringnorthland.nz or phone 09-9454984

For more information about Health and Safety in regards to volunteering, you can download the Work Safe New Zealand 'Information for Volunteers' fact sheet