Hon Hekia Parata
Associate Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector

2 September 2011

Getting public servants closer to the front line - Employer Supported Volunteering Guide released today

The Associate Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector, Hekia Parata, today welcomed the release of Employer Supported Volunteering: A Guide for the New Zealand Public Service.

“Employer supported volunteering has a number of benefits for society, for the agency, for the employee and for the community,” Ms Parata says.

“For example it provides better connections between Government and the communities they serve and brings professional skills and knowledge into community organisations. It can help inform the development of Government policies and programmes, while increasing public servants’ skill levels and understanding.''

She says volunteering also contributes to the economy and to an inclusive, well-functioning society.

“Every year New Zealanders contribute more than 270 million hours of unpaid work to non-profit organisations, an effort that has been valued at over $3.3 billion.”

Ms Parata says she is keen to see Government agencies and communities reap the benefits of employer supported volunteering.

“I believe this guide will assist agencies implement effective employer supported volunteering programmes.”

The guide provides advice about the ten steps to setting up and running a successful employer supported volunteering programme and can be found on the Office for the Community and Voluntary sector website.

For more information go to: http://ocvs.govt.nz/publications/Employer_Supported_Volunteering.html.

ENDS

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