Around 70% of our workforce are volunteers at Hato Hone St John. That’s a team of 8,000 volunteers supporting Aotearoa communities in roles across ambulance services, event first aid, community programmes, education and much more.
As a volunteer for Hato Hone St John you’ll learn new skills, make lifelong friends, build your confidence, have access to a range of benefits and give back to your community.
But don’t take our word for it, here’s what our volunteers have to say:
We acknowledge the hard work and dedication of our Hato Hone St John volunteers with a number of initiatives designed to celebrate them at a national level:
- Volunteer Team of the Month: Each month we highlight teams who have been nominated by their peers. They receive a $200 prezzy card to do as they wish as a team.
- National Volunteer Week: Annual weekly celebrations in June, downloadable resources are available, volunteers highlighted, giveaways and more
- International Volunteer Manager Day: Annual celebration in November, downloadable resources are available, volunteers highlighted, giveaways and more
- International Volunteer Day: Annual celebration in December, downloadable resources are available, volunteers highlighted, giveaways and more
- FREE Volunteer T-shirts: Our t-shirt campaign is available annually, and volunteers have the option to order a free volunteer t-shirt
- Storytelling: showcasing the impact our volunteers have on their communities via internal and external channels
Outside of these national initiatives, local level teams regularly celebrate their volunteers with their immediate teams and managers.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- How do volunteers support the work of Hato Hone St John?
Our volunteer sustainability strategy, Mahi Aroha, is a five-year strategy that was formed after in-depth consultation with over 600 volunteers.
The strategy addresses how Hato Hone St John will strengthen the volunteer experience across all programmes so that volunteers feel valued, visible, and fulfilled and therefore, want to continue their journey with us.
Mahi Aroha also addresses how we recruit, onboard, train, recognise and support volunteers.
Read a detailed overview of our strategy (PDF) or have a look at a one-page summary of the strategy (PDF).
- What types of volunteering are there?
We have a range of volunteer programmes that you can support:
- Ambulance Operations
- Event Health Services
- Archives
- Governance
- Fellowship
- Chaplaincy
- Retail Stores
- Therapy Pets
- Health Shuttles
- Community Carers
- Friends of the Emergency Department and Hospital Friends
- Caring Callers
- Youth
- Community Education
- Area Committees
- How will I be supported in my role?
You will receive in-depth training and onboarding for your role as well as ongoing support from your manager, your colleagues, and the wider Hato Hone St John team. Volunteers have access to wellbeing resources, mentoring, training, development, and IT support.
- What other benefits can I access?
Volunteers can access many support and benefit programmes including:
- Mentorship programme
- Reward & recognition scheme
- Training and development
- Social events for volunteers and their families
- Access to retail and other partner discounts.
- How much time do I need to commit?
For some roles you can give as little as an hour, for others we ask for a set number of hours per week. However, volunteering at Hato Hone St John is flexible and we will work with you to best fit your volunteer role into your other whānau and work commitments.
For the most part, we ask prospective volunteers to be available to support the role for at least 12 months.
- How do I apply?
You can view and apply for our current vacancies on our careers website.
You will need to answer a few straightforward questions, and ideally add your CV or a letter on why you would like to volunteer.
As soon as we receive your application, you will get an email confirming your application is in our system. You can track your application status at any time by logging in.
If you don't have a CV, or you need advice on writing a cover letter, check out our How to prepare section.
- Will I be interviewed?
If you are shortlisted, we will want to meet you and have a chat. This will give you the opportunity to find out more about the volunteer position, and about Hato Hone St John.
- Are there pre-employment checks?
All our Hato Hone St John team, including volunteers, work closely with people in our communities. We need to know anyone wearing our uniform is healthy, has a clean record and will uphold our reputation as one of Aotearoa New Zealand's most trusted charities.
During the recruitment journey, you'll be assessed against Hato Hone St John medical standards , and may need to complete other pre-employment checks such as police and criminal record checks, and drivers' licences or credit checks in some cases.
- Do I need to provide references?
You will be asked to provide referees who can confirm your background and experience. Ideally, they should be managers you have reported to in your recent career history. If you don't have a recent manager, you can provide a character reference.
- When can I start?
When the process is complete, you will sign a Volunteer Agreement and we will officially welcome you to Hato Hone St John!
We will let you know when to start and provide all the training you need to become a valuable member of the team.
- Need more information?
If you want to know more about the volunteer roles on this site, or you have any questions about volunteering, please contact us.