Volunteer work New Zealand

New Zealand offers many attractions for those who have a passion for outdoor life including the preservation of wildlife, viewing mountain ranges or visiting the renowned Māori warriors.
Those who visit never forget, and often return later in life for a special vacation. Why would they not? This is a beautiful country. The land has a mystical quality, captured so well in the movie “Lord of the Rings”.

The locals are a very friendly welcoming people and this ads to the appeal.
If you are considering visiting as a volunteer there are a number of different sectors that might appeal more strongly, depending on your job preference.

If your interest is environmental, there are such sectors as removal of unwanted species considered invasive. Or helping the survival of species of plants and animals, that are indigenous. There is huge scope for passing on knowledge and skills you may have, in helping local people develop the sustainability of this beautiful country.

If you are interested in social work, there is ample scope for getting involved for example, in working with the handicapped, the elderly and the disabled. As well as working directly with people in this field, you will be working in the laundry, kitchen and befriending those who would really appreciate the support you could give.

If you are more interested in sampling different types of voluntary work, you can exchange your work and offer help out on the farm which would include free food and accommodation. Taking this approach would allow you to travel while on a tight budget, and at the same time, see more of New Zealand itself.

Will you be safe and will healthcare be provided?
It may set your mind at rest to know there is a very low crime rate in the country and when outdoors you need not fear any dangerous animals. There are none.
Quite the opposite, in fact. There is more danger in sports and activities which you might try out such as bungee jumping and sky diving.
In normal times there is no need for vaccines, although you should check out the latest on this from the tourist board. If you are coming from the U.S. you are welcome visa free, for up to 90 days.

Part of the culture of New Zealand is to be totally open and welcoming to those choosing to visit and offer to volunteer eith time or skills you may have. New Zealand is well known for making visitors feel very welcome.
You can expect to make many new friends and learn skills that you had not thought of, or not have had the chance to develop in your home country.

Age is no barrier. Many volunteers are at retirement age and find partaking very rewarding. It is entirely possible that you get involved in voluntary work that you could then take to find a more permanebet job.
Doing the volunatry work at the start woud, make it more likely you aaquire references from those you work with and those would help you acquire a paid job.

What kind of restrictions are there on me seeking to volunteer?
All you need is a student work visa to be able to offer yourself as a volunteer.
As a volunteer however, you can’t be paid for your work.

You can choose from many types of voluntary work and you should find no difficulty finding one to suit.
You may be into accounting and admin. Plenty of those, particularly in the bigger towns and cities.
Retail jobs are a little scarcer these days with online shopping taking a larger share of the market but there are still opportunities if you dig around.

A valid question we are often asked is “I how do I know the job will be available to me after I arrive?”
Naturally , this one is the first we are asked,

As a volunteer you will be working with a not-for-profit organisations.
Such organizations are far more flexible in providing with a post as it is non-paid.

If you are seeking paid work there are many organisations who will interview you before you arrive and who will help with accommodation until you do get a job.
They also maintain a database of other jobs you can switch to, for any reason during your stay.

You can obtain a working holiday visa if you are between the ages of 18 and 30. With this visa you can work for up to 12 months in New Zealand and that goes up to 23 months if you are from the UK or USA. All that is required for this is a general medical certication.

Good luck and happy job hunting.