Meet the Members: Volunteer Central

Ciara OCallaghan • March 20, 2022

Volunteer Central started as a charitable trust established in 2005 to develop a volunteer centre in the region. The doors first opened on 24th June 2010, aiming to connect the community through volunteering. Ten years later, VRC took on the new identity of Volunteer Central to consolidate the direction the centre has taken. They are a proud member of Community Networks Aotearoa and we are so happy to have them!

We chatted to Kate Aplin, Volunteer Central Manager, about Volunteer Central's purpose and mahi...

Whatunga Tūao | Volunteer Central is proud to be working in the Horowhenua, Manawatū, Palmerston North and Tararua area supporting individuals to gain skills, confidence, and a sense of wellbeing through being volunteers, and to support organisations to increase capacity and capability through providing opportunities for volunteers, and also through team volunteering.

Alongside working with volunteers and organisations they work closely with the four Iwi that are mana whenua of the areas they cover (Ngāti Raukawa, Rangitāne, Muaūpoko, and Ngāti Kahungunu), and the four Councils in the area. We do this to support and actively be involved in community development strategies that focus on the wellbeing of the community through connections, networks, safety initiatives and environmental initiatives. 

An example of this mahi has been working with the DHB, Civil Defence, Councils, MSD, Iwi, and community organisations to develop a safe, accountable and reliable process for delivering essential items to people needing to isolate or quarantine due to COVID-19. Whatunga Tūao | Volunteer Central has been actively involved in the initial discussions about the response, has developed the safe and confidential delivery process and templates used by all organisations, has provided support and training to Community Connectors on the process, and provides volunteers to undertake the deliveries. This imitative was undertaken following recognition that the community did not have the capacity to provide such a response at that time, and we have been able to provide the community some time to develop this capacity while maintaining a safe community response.

Whatunga Tūao | Volunteer Central works closely with local businesses and values the support of businesses through sponsorship to be able to undertake their valuable mahi – it is an awesome way to have the community value of understood by the corporate world and give them an opportunity to tautoko this. Volunteer Central is also very fortunate to have close partnerships with the 17 other volunteer centres across the country through Volunteer Central Network Aotearoa which regularly meets (virtually!) to share experiences/initiatives/frustrations/and resources to make the communities across the motu safe and connected.


If you want to know more about Whatunga Tūao | Volunteer Central or their COVID-19 response mahi, you can contact manager@volunteercentral.nz or call 06 354 6027. 

You can also visit their website here. 

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