Comments on: Rent-a-lackey?

Question: Rent-a-lackey?

Helga-woo — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 15:13:08 -0800

New Zealand volunteering: I'm going to New Zealand, and I want to do some volunteering when I get there... any suggestions?

Ok, so my family have been planning this trip of a lifetime for about 20 years. It's simple, go to New Zealand for about a month, see various friends and relations, watch some cricket, drive about a bit in a camper van. This is all great and good, but, I'm now 29, and I think I will go mad if I have to spend 4 weeks in a camper van with my parents. My sister has friends working over there, so she has an easy escape route. I need to create one. So I'm looking for some volunteering I could do when I get there. Ideally it would be some sort of working holiday type thing, that lasts about a week (something like what BTCV or the National Trust offers in the UK). So any recommendations that offer opportunities like that would be cool, and I'm open to other ideas.

I've got skillz! I've worked for some of the biggest NGOs in the UK on volunteering, I've got tons of professional and voluntary experience in everything from environmental conservation to youth work to fundraising to event organisation (including with the aforementioned BTCV and National Trust)... so personal recommendations for organisations where a slightly-less-than-clueless Brit could make themselves useful for a week, would also be fab!

I'm going to be there from end of February to end of March 2008, the actual dates aren't fixed yet, but will be soon.

Also, I know that BTCV is currently offering a working holiday in NZ at that time, but it's 2 weeks, and a bit expensive. I don't care about the extra tours and stuff, trust me, my mother has already put together a plan of military precision so that's already taken care off. I just want to ease my guilty conscience about the 23 hour flight and meet some new people. Plus I'm thinking something organised directly with local organisations might be cheaper. I'm happy to pay though.

By: bassjump

bassjump — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 15:29:41 -0800

If you don't mind hands-on, less organisation work, you could try WWOOFing. It's active in New Zealand, if I remember correctly from my time there a few years ago.

By: mdonley

mdonley — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 15:31:03 -0800

Here are 1,787 opportunities, sorted by type of job, region, and organization.

By: Dillonlikescookies

Dillonlikescookies — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 03:14:53 -0800

greenpeace is always on the lookout for street collectors, and from what i've seen they have a cool bunch of people. Also, trade-aid, a fair-trade retail chain is staffed by volunteers and often on the lookout for them. There's generally a volunteer subsection in the careers section in newspapers, in christchurch, The Press, wednesday but mostly saturday.

Also, to clarify, WWOOFING is basically working volunteer on a farm. there are lots of organic farms out there if you want a bit of a lifestyle job.

good luck, enjoy your stay here :)

By: jonesor

jonesor — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 03:19:55 -0800

Try the NZTCV. They're website indicates that they have a variety of opportunities for short term overseas visitors. Have a good trip!

By: Black_Umbrella

Black_Umbrella — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 07:43:34 -0800

Awesome, I almost posted this same question for the same dates but specifically for Auckland area. I hope to see some great answers!