Free online workshop to support volunteer recruitment in Rotorua

Be Collective community development manager Alex Drummond. Photo / Supplied

Rotorua community groups are "heavily reliant" on a dwindling base of volunteers but one organisation has come up with a solution.

There is now a new way of accessing help via an online platform that could change the way communities connect.

Be Collective, which is supported by Rotorua Trust, the Department of Internal Affairs, and Rotorua Lakes Council, is re-imagining ways to engage, connect and give in the community in an effort to encourage more people to volunteer.

The Rotorua Trust is supporting Be Collective by hosting an online workshop on Friday at 12.30pm.

Rotorua Trust chairman Stewart Edward said Be Collective was "a fantastic initiative" that streamlined the process of connecting volunteers with organisations.

"Volunteers are becoming few and far between and this platform is a great way to connect people, adding value for everyone involved, whether you're an organisation looking for volunteers or looking to volunteer," he said.

"In Rotorua we are starting to see a groundswell of support for new ways of managing volunteer effort, and Be Collective adds to that movement. Rotorua has an active community of charities, social enterprises, and support groups, all heavily reliant on a dwindling base of volunteers.

"Volunteers want to connect with causes they care about and find opportunities remotely and this is an effective way to do that."

The workshop is free for community organisations that want to connect with volunteer opportunities.

The Rotorua Trust is supporting Be Collective by hosting an online workshop. Photo / Supplied

It will provide an overview of Be Collective, how to get set up with the platform, and detail ways people can connect with community groups and volunteers.

Be Collective community development manager Alex Drummond said he understood the challenges organisations were facing as they struggled to find volunteers.

"We see ourselves as a community organisation with a technology solution," he said.

"We bring communities together by making it easier to partner and share opportunities, organise volunteer effort and reward those people who show up time and time again for the causes they care about.

"A big part of what we're about is building the credibility and visibility of volunteer effort. Be Collective provides every volunteer a social CV, which gives them verified testimonials for their community work."

Workshop details:
Building a Rotorua Digital Ecosystem through Be Collective - Friday April 23, 12:30pm – RSVP to Lee-Anne@rotoruatrust.org.nz. Link to join webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ahWC1-n9QBSte5iOioWhOQ