Volunteers
Page 6
Celebrating Volunteers
December 5 was International Volunteer Day. If you missed the opportunity to give a bit of extra time to someone in need, then there'll be another chance in March. Volunteer Awareness Week takes place 12-18 March 2006.
Many Foundation services only exist because of dedicated volunteers, like braille transcribers. Readers of New Zealand produced braille still rely heavily on volunteer transcribers. Some eight volunteer transcribers produced 20% of the Foundation's braille during 2004-2005. Of the mathematics and science braille, 26% was produced by three volunteers, Leonie Gunning, Margaret Salt and Dorothy Silvester.
Although the number of volunteers giving time to Guide Dog Services has risen in the past year to 192 (from 133), the number of volunteers who either work throughout the year, or during Blind Week and Guide Dog Appeal times, continues to drop. All charities nationwide are finding themselves in the same position. How can we do more, with less?
We're in the process of developing a consistent national volunteer programme, by reviewing the services currently on offer.
National community committee meetings in both the South and North islands in October provided a great forum for discussing the issues. Community committee members give their time free, organising social events, keeping in touch with members and finding out what their needs are. As such, they are in a good position to give us feedback on where the gaps are, what improvements we might make and how we can get more volunteers involved.
Congratulations Joy Thompson!
On a celebratory note, Joy Thompson's exceptional 33 years of voluntary service to blind bowling in Christchurch was recognised in June when she was made a Member of the NZ Order of Merit in the Queen's Birthday Honours list.
Joy has been Secretary/Treasurer of Canterbury Blind Indoor Bowls and Treasurer of the National Federation of Blind Indoor Bowls for almost 20 years. The Canterbury bowls group is the largest in New Zealand, with around 40 members, and a testament to the time and effort Joy has put into involving others. She received her honour at Government House in August 2005.
For more information about volunteering, please phone 0800 24 33 33 or visit our website: www.rnzfb.org.nz/volunteeryourtime