Photo Gallery

3 Mar 2023

Visiting Edible Canterbury at Otakaro Orchard

Our Outreach Manager, Glenda, had the pleasure of meeting with Roz from Edible Canterbury at Otakaro Orchard in the centre of the city recently. A 30 year agreement is in place for this site for the creation of a kai orchard in the central city. As well as the orchard, which utilises permaculture, there is a sustainable building currently under construction which will provide facilities for workshops, education … and a café! The building will have a ‘blue green roof’ which means that it will be planted (that’s the ‘green’ part) and also utilise rainwater for irrigation, so not impacting on stormwater (that’s the ‘blue’ part). Edible Canterbury is one of our amazing community organisations which hosts groups through Volunteering Canterbury’s Group Volunteering programme – a great way for groups from businesses, youth and faith-based groups, special interest groups to lend a hand to ‘make a difference’ in their community.

An outdoor sign in the Otakaro Orchard displaying an artist's impression of the finished building & information about the mission of the organisation A woman standing outdoors in the Otakaro Orchard A building under construction in the Otakaro Orchard A view of the orchard rows, with a building in the background
18 Feb 2023

Celebrating our diverse community at Culture Galore 2023

On 18 February we were thrilled to once again participate in the Christchurch Culture Galore festival! It was fantastic to see such a huge turnout of locals enjoying the entertainment and food, and soaking up the fabulous range of cultures that make up our city. At our stand, Glenda and Tammy were able to talk to a steady stream of people interested in finding out more about engaging in volunteering, and as always we offered free rock painting for the young and young at heart! #VolunteeringRocks!

A crowd of people sitting on white chairs, watching performers on a stage A stand at Culture Galore showcasing Ukraine. A woman at the stand talks to customers The Volunteering Canterbury stand at Culture Galore. Children sitting on a blue mat, painting rocks. The Volunteering Canterbury flag in the foreground Painted rocks drying in the sun A group of women at a Culture Galore stand, displaying ethnic foods and clothing items Performers in costume on stage, at Culture Galore Children and their parents sitting on a blue mat painting rocks at the Volunteering Canterbury stand, at Culture Galore The Volunteering Canterbury stand at Culture Galore. Children sitting on a blue mat painting rocks in the foreground. Two women speaking about volunteering in the background
12 Feb 2023

He Tetekura Emerging Leaders programme

This year a group of approximately 100 students arrived to start their tertiary study at the University of Canterbury through the He Tetekura Emerging Leaders programme. He Tetekura students have already exhibited a range of community involvement during high school and the He Tetekura Welcome Wananga Service Expo provided an opportunity to inspire and empower these students to make service leadership and community involvement a priority in their first year of study.

An outdoor display of Volunteering Canterbury information, including a banner and posters. Kobe, the Service Dog, stands in the foreground Two women from SPCA sit at a table displaying SPCA brochures and information A group of students at a table. Sylvia from Imagination Station demonstration robotics using Lego Students milling about outdoors at the Emerging Leaders Expo Students talk to Federico from Photosynthesis A woman at a table displaying information on the UC PACE Internship programme Students speaking to organisation representatives at the Emerging Leaders Expo
29 Nov 2022

Annual Team Planning Day

Our annual team planning day took place at Te Ara Ātea this year! We spent several productive hours, beavering away in preparation for 2023 - training workshops, expos, events, campaigns and so much more! And we’re feeling pretty excited about all that is on the horizon 🎉

The VolCan team of staff sitting around a table strewn with laptops, notebooks, pens and coffee cups. From left to right: Tammy, Lizzie, Alison, Mary Ellen, Glenda
18 Oct 2022

Volunteer Centre Network Association Hui

On 17th and 18th October, some of our team attended the Volunteer Centre Network Association (VCNA) Hui, held at Wellington Zoo. The "Hui at the Zoo-i", as it became affectionately known, was the first face-to-face meeting with our Volunteer Centre colleagues in quite some time! In amongst the fun, there was plenty of getting to business, with teaching and collaboration between representatives from the multiple Volunteer Centres across the country. Thank you to everyone who was involved in organising, and all those who came along and participated. In particular we acknowledge funding from DIA which enabled us to hold this worthwhile two-day event.

A room full of people sitting at desks, looking towards a female speaker standing in front of a projector screen A room full of people sitting at desks, looking towards a male speaker standing in front of a projector screen Volcan staff member, Glenda, and Volunteering Mid & South Canterbury staff member, Haidee, wearing inflatable headpieces, in the shape of a zebra and a giraffee VolCan staff member, Alison, with a broad smile, while wearing an inflatable headpiece with two giraffe faces on it