Vista Volunteer Service Abroad Te Tu-ao Ta-wa-hi 2021 - Connecting people - transforming lives
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Vista
Volunteer Service Abroad Te Tu-ao Ta-wa-hi
2021
Connecting people – transforming lives
1
Vista is a celebration of
Volunteer Service Abroad’s
amazing volunteers.
As it has for everyone, the past year has challenged
VSA. But out of this challenge has come the
opportunity to reflect on the work we do and the
value we have brought to communities across the
Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua world and to Aotearoa over the last 59 years. And,
vitally, to prepare well to meet change ahead.
I walk backwards into the future That reflection and planning is captured in the pages
with my eyes fixed on my past of this edition of Vista along with the optimism we
feel for our future. We hope you enjoy reading it.
Connecting people – transforming lives
Get in touch
Email vsa@vsa.org.nz This document is printed on environmentally
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Call 0800 872 8646 Chlorine Free (ECF) Third Party certified pulp
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www.vsa.org.nz Printed and supported by Wakefields Digital.
Front cover - “Untitled” by Maryam Al-haseny
2 3
Volunteer Service Abroad
Te Tūao Tāwāhi
Values Our Stories
Commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi Rising to the challenge 6
Respectful partnerships From the past to the future 8
People at the forefront 12
Working and learning together
The public good 14
Cross-cultural understanding
A half century connection 16
F airness, social justice and
self-determination Leading real change 18
The power of volunteering Enduring relationships 20
Volunteer Service Abroad Te Tu- ao Ta- wa- hi
Patron: Her Excellency the Right Honourable Dame
Patsy Reddy GNZM QSO DStJ
Volunteer Service Abroad Te Tūao Tāwāhi Inc is a registered
charity (CC36739) under the Charities Act 2005. President: Dr Simon Mark Council Chair: Hōne McGregor
Council members: Kirikaiahi Mahutariki (Deputy Chair), John Bowis,
© VSA. All rights reserved. ISSN 1176-9904 Reproduction of
Deidre Brookes, Kirsty Burnett, Peter Elmsly, Tarita Hutchinson,
content is allowed for usage in primary and secondary schools,
Evan Mayson, Jose Luis Sousa-Santos, Dana MacDiarmid, Simon Trotter
and for tertiary studies.
Chief Executive Officer: Stephen Goodman MNZM
4 5
One of the questions in that “COVID-19 brought into
conversation has been “what
sharp and immediate
does a good development
outcome look like?”. “Localisation focus the need for
is the big shift,” says Steve, changes to the way
“it’s a global shift, and I think
we do things. Changes
it’s part of the maturing of the
development sector. It’s the that were, in retrospect,
understanding that enduring inevitable.”
capacity building and enduring
change has to be driven locally.
“It’s been a tough year and
we’ve had to make some tough
And VSA’s work doesn’t just
Hōne McGregor and Stephen Goodman decisions like the decision to,
have to be joined up at a local
for the first time in our history,
Rising to the challenge
level. There’s also a recognition
bring all of our volunteers back
that there has to be greater
home. And I think what we’ve
coherence within the sector in
learned is that the work that we
New Zealand. Hōne describes
For VSA CEO Steve Goodman, In its 59 year history VSA has do is needed and has a place,
this in terms of a platform,
the urgency and effect of the evolved to meet the changing but it needs to work differently
“We’ve looked internationally
pandemic on the organisation’s needs of its partners, and this so we’ve been reconfiguring
as part of our review process
operations has been profound change has long been part ourselves to meet the challenges
and we’ve picked up a gap in
but has also offered some of the organisation’s internal of this new environment.
New Zealand’s strategy around
opportunities. “One of the things conversations. VSA Chair Hōne aid and development - we need
“This is something that a lot
about Covid is it brought into McGregor says the pandemic a national volunteering strategy
of organisations in this space
sharp and immediate focus the has been an opportunity to that we can launch from.”
are realising now. That to work
need for changes to the way we look at VSA’s work through a
in a dynamic space, you have
do things. Changes that were, in new lens. “We’ve had ongoing Steve says a key component
to be able to work dynamically
retrospect, inevitable. discussions with our partners, of establishing that joined up
within your organisation. I’m
with our volunteers, with our key strategy is the work VSA does
“The changes in the way the really proud of how VSA and our
stakeholders. There’s no silver with the Ministry of Foreign
world connects, demographic people have adapted to this, and
bullet but we have this mosaic of Affairs and Trade (MFAT). “With
change, climate change - all of I’m looking forward to our future
modalities and approaches that our partnership with MFAT
these issues were, over the and the change it will bring.”
reflect a new best practice that there’s a lot we can do in that
next five to ten years, going to we were already reaching toward space to build something that’s
force us to reassess how we before the pandemic.” quite succinct but operates as a
do things and what good framework for what we do.”
outcomes look like.”
6 7
From the past to the future
Rachel Harrison’s experience with some analysis around that.
as a volunteer could have been To be honest, it was early days,
cut short by the COVID-19 so unfortunately I was only just
pandemic, but instead it led to starting to figure out what I was
e-volunteer work that has in turn doing when I had to leave.”
led to development work for
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand. Rachel initially carried on
volunteering remotely, but
Rachel was just six weeks into distance from a very hands on
“a relational approach to
her UniVol assignment with the team made things difficult, and
Youth Development Division of after a few months she stopped development is so important” Rachel E-volunteering
the Ministry of Internal Affairs in working on this assignment,
Tonga when the call was made although she still stays in
to bring all VSA volunteers back touch with the team. She has, as 55 years of VSA’s presence “It started with talking to
to New Zealand in March 2020. however, continued doing some in Tonga. The work for the past VSA volunteers who had
High Commission was volunteered in Tonga, from 1969
helping to organise the at the earliest, right up until the
celebration of this milestone last couple of years. I spoke to
year, and was originally a side them about their assignments,
project for Rachel while she what they did, what they
was on assignment. learned, what knowledge, skills
and experiences they brought
“Even though most of the back to New Zealand, and if
planned anniversary events they had maintained any kind of
had to be cancelled in Tonga, connection with Tonga. I then
Tonga Volunteers return to New Zealand (March 2020)
there was still scope to have used this information to write
some kind of celebration, and a profile on each volunteer, and
“The Ministry of Internal work for the New Zealand so I worked on highlighting these were shared on the High
Affairs gives out youth grants High Commission in Tonga. the depth and breadth of the Commission’s Facebook page.
to different youth groups right relationship between New
across Tonga’s islands for The year 2020 marked 50 years Zealand and Tonga across that “All the volunteer profiles then
livelihood and income generating of diplomatic relations between period of time. became part of an exhibition
activities, and I was helping out New Zealand and Tonga, as well in December, which coincided
8 9
with International Volunteers’ community in New Zealand.
Day. The profiles were printed This assignment focuses on
and displayed both in the VSA the relationship between the
office in Wellington and also two countries. The connections
in a cafe on the main street of and networks she has made,
Nuku’alofa, which was a bit of has stood her in good stead
a social hub. We then had a for her work at Caritas, looking
simultaneous launch event in after their Tonga programme.
both locations, with a Zoom “The work I did with the Tongan
link connecting the attendees – community totally translates into
volunteers, partner organisations, what I’m doing now, whether it’s
government employees and working with people in Tonga,
community members – at the or Kiribati, or Fiji, or Tangata
two celebrations, which was Whenua partners in Aotearoa -
very special.” those cultures are all different
but it’s about recognising At the launch (L to R): Tonga volunteers and Programme Manager (PM) Bruce Johnson;
Rachel is now working on that a relational approach to Sally Drager; Rachel Harrison; Tina Mackie (PM); David Cramp
profiling members of the Tongan development is so important.”
Returned volunteers reunited (L to R):
Michael Monti; Clive Kenyon; John Faisandier
Dancer: ‘Ana To’iahi Havea
The VSA event for the joint launch of “VSA in Tonga - celebrating 55 years of partnership” exhibition. 10 (L to R): Sokopeti Sina (lay pastor and community leader), Stephen Jackie Frizelle speaks at the event 11
Goodman (VSA CE, Jackie Frizelle (MFAT Divisional Manager)
“You can get so much more done and really help
people just by being open and empathetic.”
obvious to you once you finish build trust and build those
an assignment. For me it relationships but if you really
probably took well over a year make an effort at doing that at
for that stuff to really settle in, the outset it paves the way for
to start to properly see how it the success of that work.
did impact my worldview and
my ways of thinking. “The nature of VSA assignments
is all about collaboration,
“Probably the biggest thing partnership, and capacity
Matt on assignment I think that stands out for me building, and that model is
would just be the importance really underpinned by taking the
People at the forefront of relationships. It really instilled
in me this desire with everything
time to understand the people
you are working with at the
I do to really put the person, the outset. That way of thinking has
people, right at the forefront really influenced my work as a
In 2018 Matt Lambie took up a VSA’s got such long-standing
of things. public servant, you can get so
UniVol assignment in Bouganville relationships throughout the
much more done and really help
as a Programme Quality Officer region. That gives them the “I learned in Bougainville that people just by being open
with World Vision. “So I was ability to really understand it takes considerable time to and empathetic.”
there for about 18 months and the issues at hand and to
I mean it just it’s such a far cry support a whole range of local Bougainville Matt with his teammates from Arawa Football Club
really from life back here but organisations and agencies.
I do miss it, I miss it a lot. I
say that to people all the time “I just think it’s the most
and I think that’s where I come sustainable and the most ethical
back to saying VSA is the most model for development and it’s
incredible organisation for probably the most cost effective
enabling you to have those as well.”
experiences.
For Matt the personal impact
“I met VSA people in of the assignment was huge.
Bougainville, in Papua New “That’s a massive thing and
Guinea and in Vanuatu and each I think it’s something that’s
time what really stood out is that probably not immediately
12 13
The Public Good
Any VSA volunteer will tell you She says her time in Timor-
the assignment you embark Leste was a turning point in her
on isn’t always quite the one career. “I did a one-year VSA
you end up doing. But for Dana assignment with a grassroots
MacDiarmid heading into Timor- NGO called Empreza Di’ak which
Leste to do a communications focused on communications.
assignment led to a longer
stay than she had anticipated, “I did do some of the traditional
a change of career focus, and marketing and communications
to building skills that are now work - writing plans and Dana on Assignment with Empreza Di’ak
helping many Kiwis when they strategies, managing social maternity cover contract at the I do now in peacetime and
are at their most vulnerable. media as well as a lot of New Zealand Embassy in Dili during emergencies.
training, but I also got some as a local staff member.”
Dana now works as a senior great extra exposure into things “That’s basically coordinating
emergency management like social enterprise and small “The embassy role was covering and working with agencies
advisor with the Planning team business development, for the Deputy Head of Mission to support people that have
at the National Emergency gender-based violence - it’s a very small mission and been affected by national
Management Agency (NEMA). programs and empowerment. so the work included a bit of emergencies and provide them
Put simply, her job is to make everything; it was managing the that emergency relief and safety
sure that people caught up in “The unexpected bit was that finance team and then it was net when they need it. Working
national emergencies have the at the end of my assignment, trying to source a brand-new to ensure we have more resilient
support they need. and because of the relationships work car and then managing communities and provide
I’d built during it, I got an the residences and then policy support to those in need really
opportunity to do a six-month advice and meeting with aligns with VSA’s values.
businesspeople or politicians...
“Volunteers are “I’m also on the VSA Council
“So it was really broad and one so I’m getting to see how other
contributing back
piece of it was doing a revision volunteers are also contributing
through public service of the contingency plans for back through public service
here - the work just emergency evacuation. When here - the work just keeps giving
I came back to New Zealand and giving. I think that’s really
keeps giving and
and wanted to do something special and really good for our
giving” new I was able to draw on that volunteers and also for Aotearoa
experience to shift into what New Zealand.”
Dana MacDiarmid 14 15
but my other passion that aspects to my life: one was the
developed in the first year professional job teaching English
through my students was and developing curriculum and
development projects in the the other one was this wonderful
countryside. rich experience out in the
countryside.
“There was communist
insurgency around us in the Deeply involved in Thai society
northeast; there were a few and engaged with his work,
parts of the northeast that were Chris did two two-year
regarded as not safe to go; assignments back to back at the
Khon Kaen was absolutely fine university. “I didn’t feel I had
Chris and villagers on Khon Kaen student led work camp – Ubonratchathani province
but that political ferment was enough time to do what I wanted
A half century connection not that far away. to achieve in two years so I went
back for a second assignment,
“There was military rule then at the invitation of the University
in Bangkok and some of my of course. After four years I had
50 years ago northeast Thailand, looking back students were angry and this yearning to go back to my
Chris Hawley now, was seen by the western frustrated with the corruption family roots. I travelled on a
took up a VSA world including our government and the lack of freedom of truck with other young people
assignment in New Zealand as the next speech and they channelled their for four months across Asia from
at a newly vulnerable domino to fall. idealism into negotiating with Kathmandu to London.
founded remote villages in the northeast
university in Khon Kaen, Thailand. “The university was new, only and developing agreed projects “In London I found a job
An assignment that was to inform about three years old when with villagers to, for example, almost immediately. It was
the rest of his life. I arrived, it only had two faculties build a school or a library or under the Harold Wilson
and they wanted to get quality something like that which Government and involved dealing
“I was assigned as an English English language teaching going they’d never had before. with workplace racism in British
language specialist to help there because their students industry. My experience in
develop curriculum and teach needed English in order to do “I was asked to join them and Thailand and learning Thai - to
at Khon Kaen university up in postgraduate work, especially so I spent my breaks in very look at the world in a different
the northeast of Thailand,” says young staff, and to graduate remote parts of Northeast way - was vital to that and I
Chris. “This is the early 70s when and get jobs. Thailand living in the temple spent a lot of time working with
the war was raging across the with a hundred students and Muslim and Hindu and Buddhist
Mekong river just to the north of “I loved it - I made many good three or four hundred villagers immigrants who were suffering a
Khon Kaen in Laos and Cambodia friends with students and staff, building something together. lot of prejudice in the workplace
and particularly Vietnam and which has continued until now So for me there were two at the time.
16 17
“When I returned to New Lao border people who were
Zealand a few years later, the arriving, had been where they
first people from Chile were lived, and understood where
arriving as refugees from the they were coming from. I like to
Pinochet dictatorship. think that helped them in their
I somehow connected with resettlement here.”
people who were asked by the
government to do the on-arrival Chris’ refugee work led to
program for Chilean refugees another stint at VSA, this time
so I got involved with that and as a staff member. “I joined VSA
within a few weeks of that again as a Development Director
happening the first refugees and I persuaded the VSA Board
began to arrive from Vietnam. and the government that we Chris and students at Khon Kaen University
should go back into Indochina
“That led to me getting and start going to the top of the Those programmes ran for Pacific to develop a whole range
involved in establishing the cliff. I’d been working with the more than 20 years. In the 90’s of exchange and cooperation
Mangere Refugee Centre ambulance at the bottom of the as New Zealand’s international programmes. And of course
Education programme and cliff for 10 years with refugees outlook expanded beyond there was a business element
then coordinating refugee here and I thought it was time its traditional Anglo western to it, but I wanted to build
education based in Wellington we Kiwis went back to those partners, Chris began to play friendships between my people
for ten years. And of course the countries to work on projects a role in building relationships and this country and the people
VSA work I had done meant that helped people earlier on.” between New Zealand and Asia. of the Asia Pacific for the future
I could speak in Thai with benefit of all of us. I guess I’m
many of the Cambodian and “I was talking with John still idealistic like that.”
Hinchcliff, he was the President
of what was then called the “I think that all goes back to
Auckland Institute of Technology my time with VSA. I’d grown up
and he encouraged me to go reasonably conservatively and
and work there to develop an I think Thailand was where I first
international strategy from really understood what it is like
scratch for them. to be able to look through other
people’s eyes. And with it to
“I brought with me all my understand that the world is not
connections with the Asia black and white but that with
Pacific region and spent a lot a bit of effort and care you can
of time visiting and travelling connect with anyone and find
in Asia, Latin America and the remarkable friendships.”
Chris and villagers on Khon Kaen student led work camp - Ubonratchathani province
18 19“On my last school visit, we “I like to think of these
went to one of the top schools programmes as incubators
in the Solomon Islands and
discovered that all of the and accelerators for future
students were defecating leaders”
over the ocean. That need
for infrastructure is really eye “And we’re seeing Downer
opening”. volunteers bringing back
Kumeroa (Cooms) White - farewell In Choiseul new skills to New Zealand
Cooms has brought that back and a matured worldview that
Leading real change to New Zealand with her and benefits their work and
is now a Water Site Engineer communities here.”
within Water Construction in
Tauranga - a career path she For Cooms, that gain has
Ask Downer Talent Development Kumeroa (Cooms) White –
credits to her experience on included adaptability and
Manager Ryan Jacobs about the knows that first-hand. In 2019
assignment. resilience, and also a new way
partnership the firm has had with she was one of four Downer
of looking at her work. “One
VSA for the past six years and young professionals on
VSA Stakeholder Engagement of the things I took away from
he’s effusive and enthusiastic. assignment to the Solomon
Director Mary Curnow works my time on assignment is
“I like to think of these Islands. “I know my ‘why’”
closely with Downer on the that for the locals culture is
programmes as incubators and says Cooms, “I mean why
programme. She says working everything. To do the job
accelerators for future leaders I want to do engineering, why
with the infrastructure firm you’ve got to understand the
and so for me a huge part of I want to specialise in water.
has had huge benefits for all culture and add value.”
that development and that Water literally gives life - you
involved. “We’re seeing the kind
acceleration into leadership is can’t live without it and spending Ryan describes it as a maturing
of professional development
by being exposed to real time on assignment really made “It’s about their [young
opportunities for cadets and
personal growth. it clear how important water and professionals’] outlook and the
development gains for local
good sanitation is.” way in which they’re actually
“That’s what you get when you communities that you’d expect,
but we’re also seeing a broader approaching their work and then
step out of your comfort zone Downer’s VSA assignments
and deeper set of gains. when they’re looking at what
and experience the unknown, involve in-country partnership
opportunities come up down
whilst using the skills that with the Ministry of Education
“In the Solomon Islands six the road this all plays into the
you’ve harnessed. Seeing how and Human Resource
years of structured infrastructure decision making. They develop
that impacts a community or Development’s asset
development has provided a different sense of maturity
a society allows you to come management team. Cooms’
certainty and continuity that’s and understanding.
back with a completely different work focused on developing
really putting agency in the
perspective on where your career procurement contracts for “It would be great if we could
hands of locals.
is going and why you’re doing school infrastructure including send more people on these
everything that you’re doing. ablution blocks and dormitories. assignments.”
20 21After so many decades as “Many of those students
part of the Tongan community
have remained good
Paul looks back on his VSA
assignment fondly. “I really friends and I still see
feel the VSA experience was some of them on almost
the opening of the door to a
a day-to-day basis”
very valuable cross-cultural
experience and becoming over
time a fluent speaker Tongan. something to Tonga. I’ve been
I’ve also been able to gain a engaged here in a wide range
Paul in Tonga - 1967
very good perspective and to of activities. I was in education
Enduring relationships
find that often what one sees as a teacher and also as Director
and what one believes one of Catholic education and as an
sees differs quite markedly educational administrator. I’ve
when you look at it from the done 40 years in the aviation
“By 1970 I was married to the two-way relationship. Many of different perspectives than industry both in airlines and now
lady I met when I was a VSA those students have remained that of a European.” and ground handling.
volunteer at the age of 18 and good friends and I still see some
we’re still together after 50 of them are still on almost a So what has changed in Tonga “I’ve also been a farmer first
something years of marriage but day-to-day basis. over a half a century? “A lot of of all as a market gardener and
we got married in 1970 and by changes of course but most of later in growing of watermelons
the time 1978 came around we Paul still sees his former these changes are surface you and so on for export, and then
had three daughters.” students - many now in their know, you see more vehicles also been part of reinvigorating
seventies - because of the you see better houses you see the coffee industry, ran a tissue
If anyone can lay claim to their decision he made in 1979 to different agricultures etc etc. culture laboratory to try and
VSA assignment being a return to Tonga with his wife What’s of more interest to me improve propagation, and even
life-changing event it’s Paul Tafolosa and their children after is not so much those changes to today we’re still involved in
Karalus. As a new school leaver a decade back in New Zealand but actually the continuities, the propagation now doing vegetable
in 1967 he and a group of studying to become, then underlying continuities that I seedlings and my wife is a very
other school leaver volunteers working as, a teacher. think when you recognise them keen and very successful florist
embarked to Tonga to work in leads to a much-much deeper and and so our next venture
partnership with St John’s High “The object was to come back to appreciation and understanding will probably be more into
School as a student teacher. Tonga to give our daughters the of a culture.” floriculture.
opportunity at some later point in
“Well I really don’t know life to be able to decide whether And it’s clearly a culture and a For Paul, a one year assignment
whether we were the teachers they wish to devote themselves country that Paul loves and has many decades ago has led to a
or the students were teaching to New Zealand or to Tonga. dedicated his life to. “I would life rich in enduring relationships
us but it was a good working hope that I’ve contributed and experiences.
22 23Through VSA skilled Kiwis share their experience and
knowledge directly with local people and communities.
Working alongside our amazing partner organisations,
together we create new opportunities for people that
will continue to ripple across communities and
generations to come.
Costs covered. Diverse industries.
Connecting people – transforming lives
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