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Start by registering on our online database. If you would simply prefer to talk through current volunteer options available, we can meet with you. Telephone us to make an appointment.
Latest News & Events
Keep up to date with what we are doing at Volunteering Mid & South Canterbury.
If you go down to the Ashburton Museum today you better not go alone, for every bear that ever there was is there because today's the day the Teddy Bears have their sleep over at the Museum. If you have a Teddy who would like a sleep over at the Ashburton Museum take them along to the Museum by 2pm today. Volunbear - Volunteering Mid & South Canterbury's bear is going with his friend Edward. You can watch what the bears are up to during the day and night on Ashburton Museum's Facebook page.
The Teddy Bears couldn't have their sleep over if it wasn't for Maryann, Max and the team at the Ashburton Museum including the great volunteers.
The Ashburton Museum are looking for Volunteer's when you volunteer you become part of a diverse and talented team of people who contribute significantly to the work of Ashburton Museum.
Their volunteers are passionate, dedicated and love sharing their enthusiasm for museum programs and services.
Museum volunteers work across all areas of the museum, including front of house, archives, collections, exhibitions, cataloguing, photo editing, and more. The Museum aim to build new skills and tailor tasks to individual strengths.
Your voluntary commitment will bring greater knowledge, more understanding and the pleasure of new encounters that enable you to share this heritage with others.
Their front desk volunteer team help visitors discover activities at the museum, share info about what’s on, and encourage people to make the most of our excellent facilities. If this sounds like you, they would love show you what’s involved.
Volunteering at Ashburton Museum is a great way to meet others, gain new skills and share a passion for our district.
If you wish to know more about volunteering at Ashburton Museum, please call us on 03 307 7890.
Are you Volunteer or a Manager of Volunteers?
Would you like to learn some basic Sign Language?
Register for our
“Introduction to Sign Language” Workshop
Thursday 23 July at 7pm
The workshop will be held by Zoom – the link will be sent once you are registered.
Presenter Carol Smith – NZ Sign Language Tutor
This workshop will focus on:
How to do introductions, which hand to use when signing, how to get someone’s attention, sign language sentence structure and grammar, how to ask someone their name, where they live, their role and learning the sign language alphabet
The workshop is free for Managers and Volunteers of organisations who are financial members of Volunteering Mid & South Canterbury, for everyone else it is $10 per person. Please either drop payment into Community House Mid Canterbury – 44 Cass Street the correct amount in a named envelope or internet bank it to SBS 03 1355055654701 ref sign.
Register by emailing volmidcant@gmail.com or ph 3081237 ext 240.
Registrations close 21 July 2020
Volunteering Mid & South Canterbury’s - Ashburton District Workshops
are supported by Advance Ashburton Community Foundation
Do you enjoy being able to get in a car and drive to work, the beach, the mountains, get your groceries, go to an appointment, take your children to school or activities, go and visit friends and family?
We have people in our communities who would also like to be able to do these things but they need some help learning to drive so they can get their license.
If you would like to volunteer or find out more about being a driving mentor with the Salvation Army Driving programme in Timaru or Ashburton or the Rural Drivers Licensing programme in Mid Canterbury contact Volunteering Mid & South Canterbury.
South Canterbury Office - Lou Billinghurst - 687 7364,
Lou@vmsc.org.nz , Community House
27 Strathallan Street, Timaru or
Mid Canterbury Office - Dellwyn Moylan - 3081237 ext 240, volmidcant@gmail.com, Community House Mid Canterbury, 44 Cass St, Ashburton.
Lisa Bird, the February Volunteering Mid & South Canterbury and Hotel Ashburton Volunteer of the Month, describes her volunteering as the coolest job ever and encourages others to become a kitten foster parent like she is. Lisa says she couldn’t do it without the support of her husband because the kittens take over the house. Fostering doesn’t mean Lisa has to be with them constantly, they are at home while they she is at work. As a foster parent Lisa feeds, loves, socialises, cuddles and cleans up after the kittens and describes it as a absolute pleasure and so much fun.
For 18 months know Lisa has fostered kittens for the SPCA and during that time she has had about 55 balls of energetic and mischievous fun come and live in her house with her. The most she has had at one time is 6 from two different litters.
With a love of cats it is not surprising that when Lisa saw the call for foster parents that she responded. She had two cats that were getting older and a dog. By the time she became a foster parent the dog had passed away. Having another animal is not a barrier to being a foster parent. In fact it can be helpful in socialising the kitten you are fostering Lisa say.
It’s hard for Lisa to send the kittens to the adoption unit at the local SPCA and she often sheds tears but knowing the happy and health kittens off to be loved by a new family makes it a little easier. Lisa’s knows the kittens don’t mind who they are with if they are being looked after and love, she said unlike dog’s, cats and kittens show no loyalty. She and her husband are about to break the rule they agreed on of not keeping one of the kittens, as Polly is going to have a permanent home with them.
Foster parents are called on when needed, sometimes the stream of foster kittens is constant but as a volunteer foster parent you can have holidays when you need them. Lisa does sometimes take her foster kittens on a little vacation to a favourite spot of hers. This is good for the kittens as they get to socialise with a whole range of people and sometimes dogs, all this makes rehoming them easier.
Depending on the needs the kittens come with they are usally with her for 4-5 weeks. And she has only ever had one kitten that SPCA had to find another foster home for.
As a foster parent Lisa says she is so well supported by the amazing team of volunteers and staff at the SPCA in Ashburton. The SPCA provide the food, kitty litter and pay for vet visits. Foster parents do take the kittens to the vet.
The SPCA relies on donations and volunteers.
They need donations to keep the services operating and they need more great volunteers like Lisa to be foster parents
Volunteering Mid & South Canterbury appreciates all the wonderful volunteers in our community.
We are always on the lookout for nominations.
Nomination forms are available by contacting Volunteering Mid & South Canterbury, Community House, 44 Cass Street Ashburton, ph 3081237 ext 240 or email volmidcant@gmail.com or pick up a copy at Four Square in Rakaia.
Our Services
We work with volunteers and with community organisations.
For Volunteers
Volunteering is any activity that involves giving your unpaid time, energy and skills for the greater good.
Volunteers create positive changes in many areas.
Human rights, faith communities, health, education, sports and recreation, social services, arts and culture, emergency services, the environment and conservation, animal welfare, and community support development – and that’s just the beginning.
For Community Organisations
Volunteering Mid & South Canterbury offers support in all things volunteering.
We are here to support volunteers and voluntary organisations. We provide training, information, advocacy, recruitment, placement, recognition and promotion of volunteering.
Community Accounts Service
Bookkeeping assistance for not-for-profit groups.
Groups who are FINANCIAL MEMBERS of Volunteering Mid & South Canterbury, can benefit from FREE ADVICE, and SUPPORT with all matters FINANCIAL / ADMINISTRATION.
We also provide a FULL BOOKKEEPING SERVICE to members.