December 2024 update
It’s the end of the year, which means it’s time to look back on all we’ve achieved and all of the people who helped make that possible in 2024. Without the support of people like you, the SVA web app would shut down, we wouldn’t have the safety gear we need for our crisis response activities, and all of our operations would grind to a halt.
So thank you to every volunteer, every donor, and all the organisations who help us keep the lights on.
Together, we’re building the next generation of community. If you’d like to join us, please consider making a Christmas gift to SVA here.
Are you an SVA Clubs alumni?
Are you a former member of an SVA university club? We would love to know where you are now! All SVA Clubs graduates go out into the world as trained and experienced volunteers and crisis responders, with valuable skills that mean they can really make a difference when their communities need them.
If you’re happy for us to keep in touch with you and reach out in times of crisis, please compete this short registration form and join the SVA Alumni!
2024 recap
It’s been a phenomenal year for the SVA Service Award, not least because students at intermediate and secondary schools across Aotearoa reached an incredible milestone. In October, SVA volunteers officially logged over two million hours of volunteering! This is a milestone we've been watching approach for some time, and we're so proud of all of our volunteers for making it happen! At minimum wage, that's nearly $50,000,000 worth of work making New Zealand communities better—teaching, coaching, planting, rebuilding, and all the other extraordinary mahi aroha that SVA volunteers do.
We’re also pleased to report a 35.9% increase in hours logged for the SVA Service Award compared to this point in 2023. Students have logged 546,156 hours in 2024, and we couldn’t be prouder of our rantgatahi for putting in such a massive amount of work for their communities.
From two new clubs to crisis response events and a very successful Clubs Conference, it’s also been an incredible year for SVA Clubs. We estimate that, together, our tertiary students have volunteered over 5,000 hours - making a contribution worth over $117,555 to their communities (if valued at minimum wage of $23.15 per hour).
2024 saw SVA participate in two crisis response operations, supported by our partners at Hummingbird Coffee. In July, flooding in Wairoa affected roughly 118 homes, leaving locals already recovering from Cyclone Gabrielle once again dealing with the damage. Volunteers from our Auckland and Victoria university clubs visited the region to assist the team of Māori Wardens working to support residents in their recovery.
In October, Otago was struck with its wettest day in more than a hundred years. A state of emergency was declared, and dozens of people were forced to evacuate. In response to a request for help, the SVA Club at the University of Otago partnered with Unicrew and Volunteer South to put together our second response of 2024. Dozens of volunteers travelled to a farm in the Catlins to clear several large paddocks of debris. You can read more about this collaboration here.
In both Otago and the Hawke’s Bay, there is still so much work to be done. We can only respond in crisis because of the work we do in peacetime. To find out more and support our volunteers, visit sva.org.nz/donate.
Clubs Conference 2024
This year’s SVA Clubs Conference was a fantastic success! The conference was provided an opportunity for the leaders of SVA Clubs from universities across the country to learn, volunteer, and connect with one another, generously sponsored by our partners at AA Insurance.
The three-day event in Napier was a meaningful mix of presentations, workshops, and volunteering, focused on the ongoing recovery efforts from Cyclone Gabrielle. There is a long tail when crisis hits and just because the emergency is over and the media coverage stops, doesn't mean the people impacted aren't still struggling. We were so grateful to connect with the Hawke’s Bay Clean Up Team and support the ongoing effort to restore private farms and residential properties.
Take a look at this Clubs Conference video. The future of SVA, and Aotearoa, is in good hands!
Top Volunteer 2024
Louie Miller from Green Bay High School is this year’s Top Volunteer, completing an incredible 2,313 hours of volunteering in 2024.
As well as the coveted Top Volunteer pin, Louie also received the inaugural Next Steps Grant. Thanks to SVA’s partner AA Insurance, the Next Steps Grant is a contribution of $1,000 to support our Top Volunteer in the next phase of their journey into adulthood.
Louie has spent the vast majority of his hours of service volunteering with Fire & Emergency New Zealand, attending two trainings a week as well as regular call-outs – from ducks stuck down a drain to medical emergencies, motor incidents, and house fires. We couldn’t be prouder of him, and we can’t wait to see what he goes on to do next!
Read Louie’s full story here.
It was also wonderful to see our IDEA Services award their first SVA Service Award Top Volunteer pin this year! Huge congratulations to Brad Goble for his inspiring contribution to Atawhai Nursery near New Plymouth, where he is one of longest standing volunteers. Read more about Brad here.
At SVA, we're very proud to partner with IDEA Services to celebrate the incredible contribution of people with intellectual disabilities in communities throughout New Zealand through the SVA Service Award.
Throughout this year, we’ve been celebrating the diverse backgrounds and experiences of our SVA Service Award volunteers through our Faces of Service campaign! It’s an inspiring collection of stories that really celebrate our young people, and are sure to give you that festive feeling! Take a look here.
With thanks to all our 2024 partners
In particular, a huge thank you to SVA's Primary Partners: the Simplicity Foundation, AA Insurance, Hummingbird Coffee and University of Canterbury. You can find out exactly how they power our mahi aroha here.
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