vsa: discover the possibilities

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VSA: discover the possibilities is a brochure about Volunteer Service Abroad and how you can get involved.

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VSA is the international volunteering development organisation that:

PhoTo: Paul Lewthwaite, Papua New Guinea

Sends legal and management advisers to post-conflict countries, such as Solomon Islands, Bougainville and Timor-Leste to help restore good governance and rebuild communities and public services.

Sends teacher-trainers to countries where education needs are most acute, such as Bougainville, Tokelau, Solomon Islands and Kiribati.

Sendsfinancialand business advisers to help small businesses increase their profits so entrepreneurs can fulfil their own development goals in countries such as Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu.

PhoTo: Gavin Reynolds, Bougainville

Sends environmental advisers to countries such as Papua New Guinea to help promote sustainable development without harming the environment.

Recruits hundreds of ordinary but skilled New Zealanders from many walks of life to achieve exceptional work with our partner organisations overseas.

Works with our in-country partner organisations to ensure that all assignments are locally identified, locally relevant and locally delivered.

PhoTo: Peter Swain, Vanuatu

Give your skills and experience and get the experience of a lifetime back. Whether youre interested in short or long-term volunteering or in our youth scheme, VSA aims to offer volunteering opportunities to as many New Zealanders as possible.

We have over 100 assignments every year waiting for skilled and passionate New Zealanders like you to fill. our assignments can be short-term (around six months) or long-term (a year or more) and can focus on areas as diverse as teaching, business, legal, farming, health or the environment.

Whats it like being a VSA volunteer?Dont take our word for what an amazing experience youll have as a VSA volunteer. Take it from our current and returned volunteers

PhoTo: Gavin Reynolds

PhoTo: Anne de Bres

PhoTo: Bill Kingan

Bougainville is a tropical paradise with beautiful beaches, excellent coral reefs and warm and friendly people. It is impossible to pick the most enjoyable aspect because 90 per cent of living and working here is great.AndreA dekrout

Each day is challenging and exciting. Challenging because I do not know what clinical situations I will face; exciting because I have learnt to work creatively with limited resources and within the framework of the Vietnamese culture.Anne de Bres

It was really satisfying to work with people who are so keen to make changes and are really striving to make their small businesses successful.Bill kingAn

Agricultural Business Development Adviser, SAmoA

Research and Training Adviser,BouGAINVILLe

Nurse Trainer, VIeTNAm

PhoTo: Keith Hambrook

PhoTo: Renee Yap

PhoTo: Camille Kirtlan

Although I was sent to impart skills, Im the one who is learning.diAnne HAmBrook

Desktop Publisher and Graphic Design Adviser, VANuATu

Its true, skills transfer is a twoway street. You give and you take and you could very well take a lot more than you give!renee YAP

Legal Adviser,SoLomoN ISLANDS

I thought a modern Western lifestyle was intended to make life easy. But going back to basics on VSA assignment gives you a chance to appreciate beauty and value in the simple things like family, friends, food and water, and allows your soul and your mind to develop.Ant rewcAstle

eco-Forestry Adviser,PAPuA NeW GuINeA

VSAisntafiveminutewonder.Wevebee

PhoTo: Lesley Smeardon, Samoa

Where are VSA assignments?You might find yourself working as a tourism adviser in Vanuatu, a teachertrainer in the Solomon Islands or a business adviser in Tonga. Currently we recruit volunteers to work with New Zealands neighbours in the wider Pacific in Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea (including Bougainville), Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga and Kiribati.

What does a VSA assignment look like?As well as our regular assignments that can be short or long-term, we also recruit for 10-month uniVol placements specially designed for otago and Victoria university students studying either Development Studies or Geography.wHAt to do next

n going for 50 years eversinceourfirst president Sir Edmund Hillary took up the challenge. In that time, weve placed over 3,500 volunteers to share their skills and energy, working with communities striving for change.

Go to our website today www.vsa.org.nztofindourcurrentassignments. If you cant find an assignment suitable for you, register your interest and well let you know when an assignment matching your skills set comes up. make the possibility your reality.

PhoTo: Diane Thorne-George, Vanuatu

...is all about people our in-country partner organisations, those communities striving for change, our volunteers, and our strategic partners and supporters in New Zealand.

our volunteers share their skills and knowledge with partner organisations and communities already striving for change. They provide a catalyst to the work already happening and help connect people so that they can build self-determining communities and stable nations.

PhoTo: Andrea Dekrout, Bougainville

tHe issue

Lack of in-service teacher training in Bougainvilles secondary schools A decade of civil war disrupted the lives of a generation of Bougainvilleans and pretty much destroyed all basic infrastructure, health provision and education initiatives. In 2009, while schools were mostly functioning and operational, vital ongoing in-service teacher training was at best patchy and at worst non-existent.

tHe volunteer Gavin Reynolds, Science Teacher-Trainer based at Hutjena School in Buka between

tHe result In-service teachertraining is now in place for secondary schools in Bougainville

20092011

Gavin was able to link up with other VSA volunteers working as teachertrainers in the area. Together they provided two day in-service training at three centres to cover all secondary schools in Bougainville for the first time since 1998.

Now there is an in-service training programme in place with local teachers coordinating and conducting the training.

PhoTo: Ant Rewcastle, Papua New Guinea

At VSA we are always looking to work in innovative ways with organisations to give more New Zealanders the chance to volunteer and provide mutual benefit for both partners.

What might a VSA strategic partnership look like?There are a number of ways your government agency, NGo or private sector organisation might enter into a strategic partnership with VSA. We offer 50 years of volunteering expertise, providing strong in-country support while working alongside communities.

PhoTo: Val & Bernie Duthie, Kiribati

Adding vAlue A partnership with VSA could add value to your existing projects. We can provide focused and specialised input to ongoing work. And we can provide follow-up support to ensure lasting impact.

In Kiribati, a New Zealand consultant was employed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) to write a new english curriculum for the marine Training Centre (mTC). The mTC trains young I-Kiribati so they can get jobs in the international marine shipping industry. Learning english makes it easier for them to find work.

VSA was approached to recruit two volunteers to follow on from this work. They are now using the new curriculum to train english tutors and students.

PhoTo: Kevin & Colleen Bird, Solomon Islands

motivAting stAff Retaining high calibre staff and growing young talent for any organisation is key to ongoing business success. But it is sometimes difficult to provide innovative leadership challenges to motivate employees while gaining new skills.

and retain your staff. And at the same time it can help build your image as a responsible organisation in the Pacific and New Zealand. our partnership with engineering and infrastructure company Downer (NZ) Limited recognises VSAs skill and expertise in pastoral support and community engagement. It provides Downers employees with long- and

short-term opportunities to learn new skills through volunteering. It is planned that Downers first VSA volunteer will be working on Kiritimati (Christmas) Island, installing water tanks, as part of an MFAT initiated project.

A VSA assignment can provide plenty of challenges to motivate

VSA is New Zealands leading international volunteer development agency. We currently send volunteers on assignments to Samoa, Tonga, Tokelau, Kiribati, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Bougainville, Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste.

PhoTo: Diane Thorne-George, Vanuatu

Providing exPertise

VSA offers 50 years of recruitment experience and expertise to send well qualified New Zealand volunteers to work throughout the wider Pacific.

This experience has led to a partnership with World Vision to develop joint assignments in the Pacific and TimorLeste. The first World Vision / VSA volunteer is now working in Vanuatu alongside local farmers' groups to help them increase their incomes.

wHAt to do next

Contact our partnerships teamtofindoutmoreabouthowVSAandyour organisation can work together. Contact Ruth harrison on 04 495 8522.

PhoTo: Diane Thorne-George, Vanuatu

Not everyone wants to or can be a VSA volunteer. But you can support our amazing Kiwi volunteers as they share New Zealands wealth of skills and experience with our neighbours in the wider Pacific by joining VSAfuture.

What is VSAfuture?VSAfuture is our regular giving scheme. Just $40 a month can really help us plan for the future to ensure volunteers continue to do great work in the goal to stamp out poverty and build a better future with communities striving for change.

A cause worth supporting?At VSA its not food, equipment or money that we send. Its people: ordinary New Zealanders who share their skills so that local communities can take their own future forward. A regular donation from you helps give us the funding security we need to make sure our Kiwi volunteers continue their vital work. Your donation helps us send:You can contribute to VSAfuture as often as you like weekly, monthly or even annually. There is no set amount but for just $10 a week the price of a couple of coffees you could send a lifetime of Kiwi skills to share with our neighbours in the widerPacific.

PhoTo: Peter Swain

Business advisers to help local entrepreneurs in Samoa, Timor-Leste and Tonga secure a regular income to feed their families and provide a lasting education for their children. Teachers to train local school teachers and principals in Bougainville and Solomon Islands so they can inspire a whole generation of children to read and write for a positive future in a post-conflict world.

wHAt to do next

PhoTo: Alexa Funnell

Fill in the freepost form attachedtothisleaflet or go to our website www.vsa.org.nz and sign up to VSAfuture now. Alternatively ring 0800 872 8646 and well send you a form in the post.

money can come and go but the skills and knowledge one person can share lasts a lifetime.

PhoTo: Diane Thorne-George, Vanuatu

Be a payroll giver. If your workplace offers payroll giving you can nominate VSA as your chosen charity. You can make a regular donation of any amount directly from your pay. Youll receive an immediate tax credit of 33.3 cents for each dollar you donate and wont have to claim it back at the end of the year. This means if you donate $10 to VSA, well still receive the full amount but youll receive a tax credit of $3.33.

Give a one-off donation. If you dont want to give regularly to VSA, but still want to support the work of our volunteers, you can give a one-off donation instead. Leave a bequest gift or donate in memory. No matter how large or small, leaving something to us in your will really makes a difference. or you might want to celebrate the life of someone who cared about VSAs work by making a donation in their memory.

At work and playour volunteers dont only share skills during their working day. They take their sporting, arts and community passions with them and help to build confidence and self-belief long after their working day has finished.Bill kingAn coached the local Bulls rugby team in east New Britain, Papua New Guinea and, together with the North otago Rugby union, managed to get the team a brand new North otago strip to play in. victoriA degermAn

Every dollar you give to VSA goes directly to keeping our volunteers inthefield.

PhoTo: Camille Kirtlan

PhoTo: Victoria Degerman

set up Zumba classes for local women on Saturday mornings. She also trained the Bougainvillean triathlon team in her spare time, taking them to a national competition.tim lovell

wHAt to do next

PhoTo: Tim Lovell

a volunteer firefighter in New Zealand, got involved with the Zambian local fire brigade while on assignment, helping to fix engines, build roofs to protect the engines from heat and rain and train local firefighters.

Tofindoutmoreabout becoming a payroll giver, leaving a bequest or giving a one-off donation head to our website www.vsa.org.nz and click on What you can do. Alternatively ring 0800 872 8646 and ask for further information.

Sign up to our enewsletter Talk Talk is sent every two months and includes articles from volunteers and news on new VSA assignments and initiatives. Join our growing online community by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter. Join our Alumni if you are a former volunteer and help us celebrate 50 years of VSA. Check our website regularly the best place to find out all the information you want about VSA www.vsa.org.nzPhoTo: Alana McCrossin

Keep in regular contact. At VSA we love to keep in regular contact with our supporters and offer many ways you can find out more about our work.

Receive Vista, our six monthly colour magazine to celebrate 50 years of VSA volunteering, we'll send you Vista for a year for free. Sign up to our regular giving or payroll scheme help us raise money and awareness about VSA. Join a local VSA branch we have nine VSA branches throughout New Zealand. Join our growing speakers network if youre a returned volunteer and help us to tell more New Zealanders about the great work of VSA volunteers.Te Tao Twhi Volunteer Service Abroad Inc is a registered charity (CC36739) under the Charities Act 2005

MoISTEN GLuE, FoLD, AND SEAL

volunteer... donAte... suPPort...

Name .......................................................................................... organisation ................................................................................ email ........................................................................................... Phone ........................................................................................ Address ....................................................................................... Suburb ........................................................................................ City .................................................. Postcode ....................... Country ....................................................................................... To sign up to VSAs Alumni Assignment ................................................................................. Year .............................. To give a donation Visa mastercard Diners Amex Card holder name ....................................................................... Card number .............................................................................. expiry date ........... / ............ Signature .................................................................................... Donations can also be made online at www.vsa.org.nz Country .............................................

Sign me up to VSAs enewsletter Talk Talk Please send me VSA's magazine Vista for a year for freeTEAR HERE, MoISTEN GLuE, FoLD, AND SEAL

Please send me more information about VSAfuture and payroll giving I would like to give a donation I would like to find out about VSAs Hillary Club, a chance to deepen my financial support with VSA Please send me more information about leaving a bequest to VSA I would like to speak to someone about developing a strategic partnership with VSA Sign me up to VSAs Alumni I am a returned volunteer and would like to know when the next speakers' workshop is I would like to be put in touch with my local branch

FreePost Authority Number 10017Te Tao Twhi Volunteer Service Abroad Inc is a registered charity (CC36739) under the Charities Act 2005

Volunteer Service Abroad PO Box 12246 WELLINGTON 6144