Volunteer Overseas in New Zealand

Welcome to Aotearoa - New Zealand – the land of the long white cloud. When you volunteer in New Zealand, you will experience their vibrant culture - an exciting mixture of traditions and ethnicities from around the world mixed in with the “local” Maori culture. You will have the opportunity to work on exciting conservation projects, such as restoring bird habitats and reversing the rapidly declining coastal forests, while working alongside your Kiwi and international counterparts. Volunteers to New Zealand will start their time in the Hutt Valley – next to the capital city of Wellington at the bottom of the North Island.

Xu Bo offers New Zealand opportunities through our partner Volunteers for International Partnership (VIP.)

Arrival and Orientation

Your point of contact throughout your stay will be Wellington Business School in Lower Hutt. Volunteers should arrive in Wellington on the weekend before their classes start. They will be picked up by their host family and taken home. The host family will show the volunteer how to get to school on the Monday. Volunteers have a choice of two courses they can attend: English Language (open to non native English speakers) or Maori Culture (open to native English speakers or non native speakers at advanced level). Once the classes have finished the volunteer will travel to their project somewhere in NZ and complete 4 or 8 weeks working on a conservation project.

English Language lessons and Maori Culture Courses

Along with your orientation on the first Monday you will be given a short English test which will help us place you in the best class for your level. Classes are small with a maximum of 15 people but more often have around 10 students. Our experienced teachers make the Maori Carvingclasses fun and practical and you will find that your level improves quickly. At the end of your course you will be given a certificate showing which level you have reached. During your lessons, our host family will provide you with your own bedroom and all meals. They will show you how to get to and from the school and help you with any questions you may have. You will attend classes at the school from Monday to Friday for 4 weeks depending on the class you take. English classes start every Monday from 5 January to 23 November 2009. Classes are for 3 hours per day (Mon to Fri).

The Maori culture course is run by our Maori tutor who is an expert inMaori Greeting weaponry and an award winning kapa haka (dance and music) member. He is also next in line to be chief of one of the largest tribes in NZ. The course is practical rather than academic with an emphasis on “doing.” Tane, the tutor, will teach you the haka made famous by the All Blacks rugby team and simple weaponry. You will also get a vivid background look into the traditional way of life for the Maori, their traditional tales and myths, learn to introduce yourself, make and use poi, sing a song, weave something from flax and so much more. The course finishes with a trip to a local Marae (Maori meeting house) where you will stay overnight and the chance to lay a hangi (traditional underground oven) and cook dinner the “old” way. You will be presented with a certificate at the Marae showing that you have completed the course. The Maori believe that the best way to learn is to have something all around you – if you are up for a challenge and to try something new then this is the course for you!

Conservation Projects

You will be assigned a volunteer project before arrival in New Zealand. After your course in school has finished you should travel to your project. You will be picked up from the nearest public bus or train station and taken to the site by your project co-ordinator. Accommodation is on site as all the projects are in isolated parts of the country. Your co-ordinator will explain your daily routine which will vary from project to project and season to season. You will work alongside other volunteers and local staff to plant trees, clear bush, protect native birdlife, or other conservation jobs. During your time off you will be able to go for walks in the bush, swim in the rivers and lakes and generally relax and enjoy nature. It is important to be prepared for this time of isolation from the city as the only nightlife around are the local nocturnal birds! Most projects have limited access to the internet but it is a good idea to take some books and games with you.

To Apply or Learn More

To learn more about volunteering in New Zealand, please fill out the form below by filling in the provided fields, and then pressing the Send button. Please be sure to provide your correct email address - you will receive automatic confirmation email shortly and we will respond to your request as soon as possible.

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