Te Wiki Tūao ā-Motu National Volunteer Week

It’s Te Wiki Tūao ā-Motu National Volunteer Week, aiming to celebrate the collective contribution of all volunteers who enrich Aotearoa New Zealand.

For the Tuia Pito Ora New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects President, Henry Crothers, it is an appropriate time to pay tribute to the huge number of volunteer hours which go into Institute activity.

Te Wiki Tūao ā-Motu National Volunteer Week runs until June 25.

“From the running of our seven branches, the Executive Committee, the judges in the Resene New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architecture Awards to our panels and working groups, the Institute includes a significant number of volunteers who contribute hundreds of hours each year to our work and our profession.”

“Each year around a quarter of our members are volunteering in some way for or on behalf of NZILA and it seems appropriate this week to thank them. I ask members to pause and recognise colleagues and fellow branch members who give so much to our profession.”

Henry says it is worth pointing out that the very first President’s Cocktail Evening in 2019 largely came about out of a desire by the Institute to thank and recognise its many volunteers and their enormous contribution.

Among the many NZILA volunteers are this year’s Resene New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architecture Awards judges who recently completed a road trip visiting all shortlisted, built projects.

This year’s theme is #AotearoaofKindness and Henry says it is worth highlighting the theme in connection with NZILA.

“Surprisingly even our profession is experiencing a lack of kindness and respect at times so it is worth reminding members that so many of our people are volunteers, giving up their time to help our Institute and I know I speak for the Executive Committee when I ask people to remember that in their correspondence.”