Staff from Manukau Institute of Technology and Unitec forged new relationships and valuable community connections through this year’s pilot Kaimahi Volunteer Day programme.
That was the gist of the overwhelmingly positive feedback from kaimahi who volunteered to help out at four outreach events held across Tāmaki Makaurau in November.
Director Pathways and External Engagement Tāmaki, Julie Prentice, was full of praise for our kaimahi who came together in mahi kotahitanga to support key community projects helping people and the environment.
“We were delighted to respond to feedback from Your Whakaaro 2024 by introducing a range of volunteer projects for our kaimahi this year,” Ms Prentice says.
“Across our campuses, twenty-eight people registered, and nineteen kaimahi ultimately took part in four different projects that made a tangible difference to the communities we live in.”
The final two projects held in late November saw MIT and Unitec kaimahi helping to restock science kits at South Auckland’s House of Science in Pakuranga. They are a charitable organization that provides hands-on science kits and resources to primary schools, aiming to boost scientific literacy for Kiwi kids.
Kaimahi also joined the Oakley Creek Restoration Project to work on the whēnua and awa with Ngā Ringa o Te Auaunga, Friends of Oakley Creek to restore this green corridor in Waterview.
The tasks on the day included control of privet, plant releasing, rubbish removal and tradescantia control. Control of these invasive weeds is critical to keeping the native plants on our stream banks in good heart.
“There were some really nice connections being made between teams at both events,” says Organisational Development & Equity Business Partner – Mirabel Mowat-Smith says.
Following the final event, the post-project survey told a great story: every respondent described the experience as enjoyable, and 94% said they built new relationships and connections with other kaimahi.
“That’s the real gold of this initiative—bringing people from different teams together to support our communities,” Ms Prentice adds.
“One kaimahi summed it up beautifully: ‘It was great to be able to contribute, even in a small way, to the well-being of our city. Thanks for the opportunity.”
Ms Prentice says Volunteer Day events “are worthwhile mahi” and an opportunity for colleagues from across our institutions to connect and make a difference in the lives of Te Tāngata (the people) and Te Taiao (environment).
“Now, we’re looking ahead to 2026 and exploring how we can make this even better,” she remarks.