Ngā Reo o VSA - Voices of VSA

Volunteer Service Abroad - Te Tūao Tāwāhi is proud to announce the fourth event in a series called “Ngā reo o VSA – Voices of VSA”. Events will be hosted in major cities throughout New Zealand with a focus on volunteering and international development. Speakers range from VSA volunteers and staff located abroad to local or international communities and government representatives.

Join us at the University of Otago St David Lecture Theatre, Dunedin North, in Room B on the ground floor. Doors will open to guests at 5.00pm, with speakers running from 5.30pm - 7pm and time for a small Q&A after each speaker. This event will feature two UniVol and two standard volunteers who will be sharing stories of their experiences in the Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea, and Vanuatu. This is a free event.

Our speakers for the evening:

Sam Mehrtens – Sam was a UniVol in Papua New Guinea in 2015 as a Student Sports Programme Assistant at Divine Word University at their Rabaul Campus in East New Britain. Sam’s work dynamically evolved based on his experience from being a Sports Programme assistant to upskill academic staff and students around research methodologies and basic ICT skills.

Ana Terry - Ana has undertaken three VSA assignments over the last 15 years in Vanuatu. Her last one was based on the remote island of Melakula working in the tourism industry as a marketing advisor for the Vanuatu Tourism Office in Lakatore where she supported her counterparts in developing skills in marketing, graphic design and photography. Ana has previously volunteered in Vanuatu in 2008 and 2012 so is no stranger to the value of socialising information through visual communication in different contexts including Wan Smolbag Theatre and the Vanuatu Farmers Support Association.

Olivia Eyles - Olivia volunteered in the Cook Islands during 2022-2023 as a Student Learning Support Assistant at the University of the South Pacific (USP) Cook Islands campus. Olivia’s work focused on developing academic support for students through providing academic resources, workshops and appointments to assist students in their studies at USP.

Don Hunter - Don volunteered in Vanuatu during 2020/2021 as a Management Adviser with the Vanuatu Kaljoral Senta (Vanuatu Cultural Centre). Part of Don's work was to work alongside staff to develop and implement administration and management systems to ensure the best possible outcomes for staff, the wider organisation and funding partners.

VSA is New Zealand's largest and most experienced volunteer agency, connecting people across the moana between New Zealand and other countries in the Pacific Region. Volunteers live abroad or connect remotely from their homes in Aotearoa to share experiences, knowledge and cultures. Working with businesses, governments and organisations located abroad, we collectively transform the lives of many, provide greater cultural understanding, and create a fair future for all.

If you would like to receive information about future Ngā reo o VSA - Voices of VSA events or have any questions regarding the event please email info@vsa.org.nz or call 04 471 8690

Tickets are limited and bookings are essential.