Winter Community Newsletter 2010
Youthline’s vision is to create communities which relate to the needs of young people, respond to them and support them to achieve their potential.
How we create communities where young people thrive is an important question for Youthline and others who work with young people to think about.
One of the ways that Youthline creates strong communities is to train people through our programmes to give them the confidence and skills so they can help members of the community who call Youthline’s youth helpline and also take their skills into their families, workplaces and communities.
Volunteering is not about providing a cheap option, even if Youthline had an “excess” of financial resources we would still be seeking to involve volunteers. It is a philosophical choice about how we create a civilised society where people respond to community needs and find solutions rather than relying on someone (and government) to do it!
It is also about giving our volunteers the skills to support and strengthen themselves and in turn their communities.
June 20-26 saw the celebration of Volunteer Awareness Week; this is an important time for a charity organisation such as Youthline to recognise and appreciate the great work, time and energy that volunteers provide.
Another key event in our volunteer calendar is the Youthline Marae Noho. This is a weekend Marae stay which is a key component of our volunteer training and an opportunity to reflect on our bicultural journey and build the Youthline community. As always, this year’s Marae in July was a special event with much food, connection, community and aroha.
Both volunteer week and the Marae have been particularly memorable occasions this year as we celebrate our 40th year of service to the community and recognise the generations of volunteers who have donated their valuable time and skill over four decades to help change the lives of thousands of young people. A huge thanks to all volunteers across the country.
Take care
Jayne Mercier - Acting CEO
