SVA COVID-19 Response
The Student Volunteer Army has launched a national volunteer response to support people impacted by COVID-19.
We’re doing this by supporting essential services across Aotearoa through volunteering: we’re providing childcare for the tamariki of healthcare professionals and we’ve built a grocery store system for those aged over seventy (& the families of healthcare workers).
The focus of these efforts is to help where we’re most needed – however, we know that there are lots of other requests in our communities. If you need assistance that isn’t mentioned above, we’ve suggested some great organisations below – this is a nationwide response to COVID19, and we’re all in this together.
If you’d like to join us as a volunteer, or if you need childcare support as a healthcare professional, please fill out this form.
Our grocery delivery service will be available from early next week.
Kia kaha Aotearoa,
The Student Volunteer Army
Get Involved!
Request help
Following the shift to level 4, SVA Volunteers are working with essential services to provide:
- Picking up and delivering essential grocery items
- Childcare of healthcare professionals’ children
Be a volunteer!
We are recruiting for volunteers from across New Zealand.
Volunteers need to be at least 16 years old, and in perfect health. All volunteers are screened and reference checked. Volunteer safety is our #1 concern.
- Help us collect & deliver groceries for the elderly and vulnerable
- Preference for people with childcare or babysitting experience
- Or, assist by looking after healthcare workers’ tamariki (childcare / babysitting experience required)
- Driver’s licence and access to a car is helpful
Donate to Support SVA
$35 dollars will assist us to make one match
$50 will help us support a vulnerable person over the coming weeks
Call Centre
If you prefer phone assistance, you can contact the Student Volunteer Army Helpline between 9am - 5pm.
0800 005 902
We know that not everyone uses the internet – or that some people just prefer to speak to a real person.
If you need assistance, you can contact our Student Volunteer Army Helpline.
Please feel free to pass this number onto people who may be more comfortable picking up the phone.
About SVA
The Student Volunteer Army was founded during the Canterbury earthquakes; people from all walks of life (not just students!) came together to shovel silt, help those most affected and sometimes, just have a cup of tea during those uncertain times.
Almost a decade later, we continue to work with young people and our partners, to provide community-based solutions and connection.
Now, during these unprecedented times, we are combining our experience in both the disaster and health space, to provide a nation-wide volunteering response.
We have used our platform to build a ‘matching system’, which enables us to support those that need help and our volunteers – and deliver this all whilst practicing social distancing!
Support SVA
There are three key ways that you can support the Student Volunteer Army’s COVID-19 volunteer response:
- Volunteer with SVA
- Tell us if you (or a friend or neighbour) need help
- Support our efforts by donating below
Please note: that the safety of volunteers and those requesting help is of highest priority. The response has been designed at every step to minimise person-to-person contact and implement social distancing to reduce chances of infection – all correspondence is conducted online, anti-contact guidelines and training are being provided to volunteers. A welfare team managed by the SVA Club Executive will ensure the wellbeing of volunteers, those requesting help and will be in charge of following up with both parties and taking actions as appropriate.
Volunteer with SVA
We have both ‘on the ground’ and over the phone volunteering roles – so, even if you’re self isolating, there are different ways to help. All of our volunteers will be screened and reference checked, and (with the exception of childcare), all volunteering will be contactless. Volunteers also need to be at least 16 years old.
In person, we’re connecting volunteers with those that need deliveries or stop-gap childcare.
Tell us if you (or a friend or a neighbour) need help
We know that kiwis are a stoic bunch – and often it’s hard to ask for help. However, there are some very real challenges presented by COVID-19, even just logistically. With long lead times for online delivery (or uncertainty about even using online shopping), it can be worrying if there’s something that you urgently need. We can help – and we’ll do so, safely, without entering homes.
And, the reality of COVID-19 is that many of us are also just feeling a bit isolated from our friends and whānau. If you or someone you know would like a friendly phone call (or even some help talking you through setting up video calling!), we’ve got volunteers who would love to assist.
Donate to Support SVA
The Student Volunteer Army is a movement of people, supporting connection and community in times of need. We are so grateful to everyone who supports our organisation, in order to ensure that our volunteers are safe and have the support that they need.
If you would like to support the Student Volunteer Army’s COVID-19 volunteer response with a donation, we would be hugely appreciative.
We’d love it if you could also help us by telling the story – even if you’re not in need of assistance today, you never know who in your community might benefit from the help of a volunteer.
- $35 dollars will assist us to make one match
- $50 will help us support a vulnerable person over the coming weeks
The SVA Resource Centre
For ideas on what you can do to help, and other useful information, check out The SVA Resource Centre.
Been volunteering with the SVA?
Please give feedback here to help us learn from your experience!
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