During EIT’s volunteer month staff members are happy to get their hands dirty.

EIT kicks off their annual volunteer month with a variety of volunteer activities that staff can get involved in.

With their engagement, EIT employees are joining a large number of Kiwi volunteers participating in National Volunteer Week 2019, which runs from June 16-22.

This year’s theme is “Whiria te tangata – weaving the people together” referring to the fact that volunteering (mahi aroha) and social action weave people and communities together. According to Volunteering New Zealand there are 1.2 million Kiwi volunteers who regularly dedicate themselves to a good cause.

“Last year we had so many staff talk about the benefits they gained from their experiences that we were in no doubt about doing it again this year,” say the organisers, Health & Safety Advisor, Hannah Smith and Human Resources Advisor, Louise Bevin.

Employees can engage in many different opportunities. From a beach clean-up; a Waitangi planting day; gardening and ‘handy man’ jobs at Waipatu marae; or helping in Op shops for the day. Furthermore, the “Kai Kitchen” at EIT’s regional learning centre in Waipukurau calls for volunteers to help with cooking the free weekly dinner for people in need. 

The volunteer week is an activity from EIT’s wellbeing programme and staff from all campuses (Hawkes Bay, Tairāwhiti and Auckland plus the Regional Learning Centres) will be involved. One of the main pillars in EIT’s Te Whare Tapa Whā wellbeing framework is linked to wairua (spirituality). 

“We believe, and there is research to back this, that when a person gives of both their time and presence and doesn’t seek anything in return this can have a positive impact on achieving good mental and physical health. We want to make this opportunity available for all our staff to experience, if they choose to,” says Louise.