News and Some Blogs

The latest news and information from the social sector.

Volunteers staff new Habitat for Humanity op shop

MEDIA RELEASE Volunteers have been busy setting up racks of clothing and pricing shelves of homewares before a new Habitat for Humanity ReStore op shop opened in Mount Maunganui last week. The shop...

Social Security Amendment Bill – submissions due by Fri 10 Jan

By Liz Davies, Chief Executive, SociaLink/Tūhono Pāpori   I hope everyone has had a wonderful break and have been able to soak in the lovely weather as you celebrated the New Year.  At the risk...

Knowing your Worth

Do you know how much it really costs you to deliver a service or programme? If you don’t know the costs of delivering the service, how can you communicate it to others, including funders? Often...

The Ripple Effect

We had an excellent crowd at The Ripple Effect two-day conference in Bethlehem which was designed to help practitioners understand the complexity and find solutions to the problem of family harm. Below is the list of knowledgeable speakers who are expert in this...

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Good Bitches show kindness to others

All around Tauranga, a bunch of women - and a few men - are busy in their kitchens baking cakes and slices they’ll never get to eat.It’s World Kindness Day on November 13, and many Good Bitches around the country are dropping off their goodies to women’s refuges,...

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Alzheimers Tauranga urgently needs volunteers

Alzheimer’s Tauranga is urgently looking for volunteers to help support families affected by dementia.The organisation provides a range of services to more than 600 families across the Western Bay of Plenty each year, a figure which is consistently growing. A number...

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Volunteer manager wears many hats

Katikati volunteer manager Lesley Ruf wears many hats - and she’s desperate for more volunteers to manage. Next week it’s International Volunteer Managers’ Day on November 5, and all over the Bay of Plenty, managers are being celebrated for the work they do for no...

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Talented youngsters off to represent their region

This week 180 talented youngsters from four primary and intermediate schools are packing their new costumes and travel uniforms to compete in the national schools kapa haka contest in Nelson. The children, aged between seven and 11, are from Matapihi and Maungatapu...

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SociaLink concerned at Aroha House closure

Western Bay social and community sector advocate SociaLink is concerned that a Tauranga emergency housing provider has been forced to close in the middle of the city’s homelessness crisis. Aroha House in Cameron Rd was set up by Memphis Robson-Frentz in 2020, who...

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Candidates front up on social issues

Candidates representing some of the major political parties presented their ideas on social issues this week to an audience of about 50 people working in the social and charities sector.The meeting was organised by SociaLink and Volunteering Services which supports...

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Kat’s volunteering for others saves her sanity

Kat Reihana’s efforts to help others in the Tauranga community have saved her mental health - and she says could help many more.Kat runs Kat’z Clothes on Wheels, a free clothing service for the homeless and those in need that she runs out of a van and a couple of...

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Fundraising Rena movie night for environmental groups

Volunteering Services and Envirohub are running a fundraiser screening of the Rena disaster movie Taking Back Our Beach next month to raise funds for two environmental groups.The screening will be held on Wednesday 11 October at 6.45pm, at United Cinemas Bayfair, and...

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