Celebrating International Volunteer Day

Why Celebrate International Volunteer Day?

As the working year winds down, summer begins, and the festive season starts to ramp up, it’s a good time to look back on the year that has been with an appreciation for those who have made a real difference in their communities.

International Volunteers Day is celebrated annually on 5th of December and it’s the perfect time to recognize the efforts and generosity of volunteers across the globe.
Here are a few reasons why:

Like all of us, volunteers have busy lives

Dedicating their time, energy, and skills to support communities, humanitarian causes, and development projects has to be balanced with life’s other demands. As if balancing Career and Family weren’t enough, volunteers are able to give a chunk of their downtime to helping make the world a better place. That fact alone is worth a big shoutout.

Volunteers are an inspiration to others

Every volunteer has a unique story to share.
Click here to learn about Lydia’s volunteering experience at Blind Low Vision NZ.
Stories like this have the power to inspire others to take action.

Volunteers create awareness

Volunteering is a powerful way to bring attention to a worthy cause. Just being out in the community collecting for a charity can generate valuable engagement with the public. In addition to all the incredible work they do, volunteers are ambassadors for the organisations they represent.

Volunteers strengthen our communities

In a world of remote working, social media, and entertainment on-demand, it’s easy to feel isolated.
Volunteering helps strengthen social bonds and builds supportive networks of like-minded individuals

Volunteers are a diverse bunch

Volunteering transcends borders, ages, and backgrounds. Celebrating International Volunteers highlights the diversity of volunteers worldwide and the universal spirit of giving and solidarity.

So, at Blind Low Vision NZ, volunteers work with Guide Dogs, right?

Actually, volunteering opportunities at Blind Low Vision NZ extend well beyond helping us raise, train, and care for Guide Dogs. Our volunteers support kiwis who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision in a wide variety of ways. These include:

Providing guidance to clients during outings, such as shopping trips, or helping with reading letters and documents.

Helping with fundraising initiatives, event setup, or supporting participants in activities like marathons.

Assisting with recreational activities such as tramping, tandem biking, walking groups, music, and art.

Helping clients navigate and utilize various technologies, including screen readers, magnifiers, and mobile apps.

Providing transportation for members to Blind Low Vision NZ sites or appointments.

Proofreading accessible documents.

Helping our clients set up assistive devices like Amazon Alexa.

At Blind Low Vision NZ, our volunteers are vital to the delivery of the services we provide. This December, we thank each and every one of them for their kindness, dedication, and hard work!

Image Description: A group of Auckland University Student volunteers gathered around a Blind Low Vision NZ promotional display, posing with orange collection buckets.