'Student Volunteer Army heading out of Christchurch to Akaroa for community outreach camp’

On the weekend of Friday 23rd September, 100 members of the University of Canterbury Student Volunteer Army (SVA) will be heading to Akaroa, Duvauchelle, Hinewai and Ōnuku helping with over 30 projects in the area varying from conservation projects to backyard clean-ups.

The volunteers will be based at Ōnuku Marae, who are generously providing two nights accommodation in their recently renovated Whare.

This will be the first UC Student Volunteer Army project with local iwi.

Michelle Te Koeti, the Operations Manager at Ōnuku Marae, stated “Ōnuku Rūnanga support the kūpapa of the SVA and see this as a way for us to support our community. We look forward to welcoming the SVA with a pōwhiri to help enrich each students māori cultural development.”

The SVA Camp initiative, which was introduced this year by SVA event coordinators Alison Faulls and Ed Cook, offers a chance for volunteers to explore areas outside of urban Christchurch, connecting with new communities and making a more lasting difference.

After a successful pilot up in the Marlborough Sounds working on the Link Pathway earlier this year the model has shown how any community can benefit from volunteer effort. It also reflects the Student Volunteer Army’s development into an ongoing, far-reaching and sustainable organisation.

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