Volunteer in New Zealand

My IVHQ Program Manager was very helpful! The local team was also wonderful and welcoming, knowledgeable and fun! I had a great experience working with them! I learned a lot about waste and the importance of keeping our oceans clean. It was inspiring to work alongside people who are passionate about sustainability. I was very nervous before participating in this program (I had never traveled solo or volunteered abroad before). From day 1 I knew I had made the right decision going to New Zealand with IVHQ. The local team is so welcoming, knowledgeable, and fun and I had a great time getting to know the other volunteers. I definitely recommend this program!

I am more aware of the impact our everyday actions have on litter that end up on beaches, especially our plastic consumption.

Don’t be afraid of the social aspect of it, as there are many solo volunteers in the exact same situation. Everyone is sharing the same experience and that makes it fun to meet people and share a meaningful journey with them.

I came into this experience feeling uneasy about how it would go and if this was something I could handle. It has changed me in so many positive ways; from learning more about how I can make an impact on the environment, to meeting new friends from across the world, learning a new culture, and to learning more about myself. I have come home a stronger person with so many new perspectives. I highly recommend volunteering with IVHQ in New Zealand!

The local team were absolutely professional, welcoming, caring, supportive and wonderfully fun! We were issued with detailed schedules every two weeks, with instructions on how to reach our destination. We learned so much about ‘sustainability’ in every sense of the word. We could see the positive care and impact this team was making, through information sharing in schools, businesses and the local community. The work at times was quite hard, but rewarding. I was proud to be part of the team and volunteers. This team has set a bar for me, and given me a positive reason as to why I could confidently go to another destination in the world, and expect any other team to set the same high standards.

Volunteering in this way, gave me a much better understanding of how different thicknesses of plastics impacted on the environment and how both could be recycled (some having more positive uses than others). Knowing, seeing, and helping to remove, bottles, glass and all kinds of waste from in and around the environment, I was making a positive impact. Locals who saw and asked what we were doing, would thank us which was appreciative and nice to hear.

Although I was not completely ignorant about this area. I gained a great learning and understanding of sustainability. I met many people of different cultures and made some lovely friends. If you are given the same professional, kind and respectful treatment, with lots of shared knowledge (with fun times thrown in), you will have no reason for hesitation about joining this program. Just a great happy experience!

My two weeks volunteering with IVHQ and the local team in Auckland was a truly life-changing experience! I am still in awe of how much I learned in such a short time about marine and coastal conservation efforts in New Zealand and the small changes we can each make to protect our oceans, waterways, wildlife, and our planet. The local team staff are all wonderful to work with; particularly the volunteer coordinator, who is extraordinary at her job and a genuinely lovely individual. Auckland is a stunningly scenic and vibrant city, and as a volunteer, I was able to visit many beaches and areas around the city. This was my third volunteer experience with IVHQ, and my absolute favorite. What an incredible way to experience amazing New Zealand, and to make friendships with other like-minded individuals from around the world!

I would definitely recommend volunteering with Sustainable Coastlines and IVHQ!