The Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand's Programmes team may be able to match your skills to situations in the Pacific and elsewhere that could give you an opportunity to make good use of them.

Volunteer placements vary in length from a few months to a year or two, as do the kinds of skills needed.

English teachers are highly sought after, as are builders, electricians, architects and engineers.

Long-term finance and administration volunteer positions are currently available in the Daru-Kiunga Diocese of Papua New Guinea and in Kiribati.

"It makes good sense for Caritas' Programmes team to oversee Catholic Volunteers Overseas because Caritas works primarily in the Pacific and can make use of our long-term relationships with our partners there, as well as our detailed knowledge of the region," says Beverley Turnbull, Chair of the Caritas Board.

"It is extremely satisfying to match people who have highly developed skills and knowledge, to positions in the Pacific," says Ms Turnbull.

"New Zealand volunteers have a lot to offer and teach our brothers and sisters in the Pacific, and they learn a lot in return."

And now as a result of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference's consultation with Oceania partners, the Catholic Volunteers Overseas programme has also been given a broader scope to include a wider selection of countries.

Papua New Guinea and Kiribati, Peru and Timor Leste, and countries that the New Zealand Catholic Church has a special relationship with, are now also included in the list of volunteer opportunities that have been identified.

Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer overseas can contact Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand at volunteers@caritas.org.nz or by calling 0800 22 10 22 during office hours.

Source

• Supplied
• Image: www.caritas.org.nz

The Catholic Volunteers Overseas programme also includes a variety of time periods for volunteering.

The name change, made by the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference, follows on from the 2013 integration of Mahitahi into Caritas.

The new phase offers "placements that are either short-term for a few months, or long-term for a year or two in a wider selection of countries," said Bishop Patrick Dunn, President of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference.

For decades, Catholic volunteers have made an important contribution to development projects around the Pacific, and building on the past Bishop Dunn hopes the broadened scope means the New Zealand Church can continue to support meaningful and sustainable development in the Pacific.

The overseas volunteer programme will now be overseen by Caritas' International Programmes team.

The changes come after consultation with the Federation of Catholic Bishops' Conferences of Oceania.

"Caritas has well-developed relationships with existing partners across the region.

"It will work closely with partners and volunteers to ensure the programme continues to focus on building local and organisational capacity," Dunn said.

Current opportunities identified by Caritas' partners include placements in Kiribati, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea for volunteers skilled in ESOL, trades such as carpentry, IT, administration and finance.

Those interested in becoming a volunteer overseas in the future can contact Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand on volunteers@caritas.org.nz or by calling 0800 22 10 22 during office hours.

Source

• Supplied
• Image: australianvolunteers.com

Matthew O'Sullivan from Glenfield left for the Solomon Islands in mid-June to continue his work building a new church in a remote part of the country.

Matthew took the spirit of his late father, Sean O'Sullivan, who died in March, with him in a special way.

Matthew's father, who was a building surveyor with architectural experience, helped in drawing up the plans for the new church in Makaruka, which is four hours walk from the nearest existing church in Avuavu.

"This project is particularly special for me because, unfortunately, my father passed away just over two months ago now, and he actually designed the church, so it is actually a big driving force behind it," Matthew told NZ Catholic.

"I was always driven to do it, but now it is just extra special. It will be nice to have it as a reality. I've spent a lot of hours on it, so when it comes to reality, it will be great."

Source

• Solomon Times
• Image: Aucklander