From beach clean-ups and restoring local parkland fauna to providing mentorship and meals, giving back can take many different forms. According to data from Volunteering New Zealand, Approximately 21.5% of New Zealanders undertake volunteer work, and the value of formal volunteering is estimated at $4 billion per annum. Yet the stories of those Kiwis volunteering their time and expertise as part of initiatives to support and improve their local communities often go unnoticed.
One such community-focused programme is Project K, the Graeme Dingle Foundation’s flagship programme for 14–15-year-old rangatahi (youth). Run in Auckland, Western Bay of Plenty, and Canterbury, Project K involves three key components: a wilderness adventure, a community challenge, and individual mentoring with a trained volunteer.
The Graeme Dingle Foundation, which was established by Sir Graeme Dingle and Jo-anne Wilkinson, Lady Dingle, in 1995, is dedicated to helping young people overcome life's obstacles and realise potential through school and community-based programmes that help build self-esteem, promote good values and teach essential life-skills. It works with organisations like Schneider Electric, who want to enable their employees to give back and engaged within their local communities.
Emma is one volunteer, who has been mentoring 16-year-old Symphony: "I like the idea of giving back to people and helping young people achieve their dreams. I was excited to be able to help others, but my life experiences to good use and help empower a young person to make their own decisions. I believe that it is really important for young people to take control of their lives and see the bigger picture of where their small actions are taking them."
By breaking down big goals into smaller achievable ones, Emma has helped Symphony build confidence and take ownership of her aspirations.
Symphony agrees, "Something I enjoyed about the mentoring stage was that mentors will motivate you to achieve your goals, they will inspire you to embrace new experiences, and believe in yourself. I can say that I have one of the best mentors. I am more aware of my strengths and weaknesses, able to voice my opinions, and feel assured. They have helped me navigate obstacles by encouraging me to never give up."
Jo Malcolm-Black, CEO of the Graeme Dingle Foundation says volunteering efforts by businesses like Schneider Electric are crucial in helping increase impact and drive meaningful engagement. It has been great to have the team so involved in our volunteer days.
“We provide specialised training and support to our volunteers, enabling them to use their personal experiences and skills to mentor young people in our programmes. In this way, they directly help us to achieve our vision of making Aotearoa the best place in the world to be young.
“When volunteers mentor for the Graeme Dingle Foundation, they become part of our whānau and are empowered to play an essential part in the impact we make. It fosters a sense of purpose and fulfilment for the mentor. Many mentors find they gain as much fulfilment from the experience as their mentees do.”
Jared Dineen, Schneider Electric NZ’s Country Leader for Home & Distribution who has also been a mentor in Project K reflected on the experience “I had the privilege to mentor a young student as part of Project K. Working through the cultural differences with his family, we quickly formed an amazing bond which taught me so much about empathy, care and leadership. Ten years later, we caught up again and I was blown away by the growth and success he had achieved since leaving school. It was incredibly fulfilling and humbling to see the positive impacts this experience has brought to both him and myself.”
Visit Graeme Dingle Foundation to find out more about the volunteering & mentoring programmes on offer in your local area.
