Kiwis encouraged to serve New Zealand this Anzac Day
Hon Jo Goodhew
Minister for the Community and
Voluntary Sector
19 April 2016
Media Statement
Kiwis encouraged to serve New Zealand this Anzac Day
The launch of a new initiative which encourages New Zealanders to volunteer in their community on days of national significance has been welcomed by Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Jo Goodhew.
‘Serve for New Zealand’, founded by Christchurch’s Student Volunteer Army (SVA), in partnership with the RSA and the University of Canterbury, is to be launched on Anzac Day and will invite New Zealanders to pledge an hour or more of their time to give back to the community.
“This is a modern twist on a tradition, and a great way to honour the Anzac spirit while also giving back to your community through volunteering.
New Zealanders have a long history of volunteering, and do so in large numbers, with an average of 3.1 million hours volunteered every week by an average of 544,000 volunteers,” says Mrs Goodhew.
“New Zealanders are well-known for their generosity, which was highlighted by our recent ranking as the second most charitable country in the world.
“The work of the SVA during the Christchurch earthquake five years ago showed the nation how coming together to do good as a community can have a powerful, positive and long-lasting impact.
“There is enormous personal satisfaction in making a positive difference for others. Whether it’s helping out your neighbour, or offering your skills or time to a charity, every Kiwi can make a meaningful contribution to their community,”Mrs Goodhew says.
“This government is keen to help New Zealanders build stronger communities and to make them more resilient, starting at the grass roots. Serve for New Zealand is a fantastic way of connecting neighbours, communities, and the nation through service,” says Minister Goodhew.
“I recommend it to anyone who wants to contribute their skills and time to help make New Zealand an even better place to live.”
To pledge to Serve for New Zealand on Anzac Day, people can register online at www.servefor.nz. The website also provides suggestions about how to get involved in the lead up to Anzac Day.
Notes for
reporters:
• The 2015 Charities Aid
Foundation (CAF) survey of 24 nations, published in February
2016, confirmed that New Zealanders are amongst the most
generous in the world.
• Charitable giving by
individuals as a percentage of GDP in New Zealand was
0.79%.
• New Zealand came second only to
America, at 1.44%, and ahead of Canada at 0.77%, with the UK
at 0.54%.
• Hashtag: #ServeforNZ
•
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/serveforNZ/
•
Twitter: https://twitter.com/servefornz
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Website: http://servefor.nz