More Info →Grant Smith Part 2, Working as a volunteer - Manawatu Conversations

Description: Broadcast on Manawatu People's Radio, 14th January 2025. Part 2 of 2. Was secretary, president or treasurer of school committees. Came to Palmerston North and joined Volunteer Central which matches volunteers with organisations. Works part time at the rugby museum. Looks after jigsaw collection at the public library. Does a lot of walking. A lot of volunteering is for one off events. Younger people tend to be casual volunteers rather than belong to community organisations. Volunteering is doing what you want, when you want and with who you want. When he joined the public service in 1962 the percentage of Maori was very small but now there are many more Maori and other ethnicities. Volunteers work at the hospital emergency department, driving the health shuttle, visiting older people who are living in isolation etc Younger people now have a different outlook on life. He got a lot of satisfaction from mentoring people and seeing them succeed later in life. “If you are not a good leader you won’t succeed” “Have fun” He enjoys volunteering. Tries to do that in the mornings and keep the afternoons to himself but does nothing one day a week