FAQs

Our partner organisations are looking for skilled volunteers with recent, relevant experience in their specialist field. In most instances, volunteers will have a recognised professional, trade, or commercial qualification, and at least two to three years relevant experience. We recruit volunteers from a range of backgrounds, including education, business, tourism, IT, management, engineering, agribusiness, communications, health, law, community development and several trades.

Demand for skills can vary, so check the current volunteer vacancies page for up-to-date information about your skills area.

Our staff work with partner organisations to identify the requirements of each assignment, including the skills, knowledge and qualifications needed to do the job.

All volunteers work for a local organisation identified by our field staff overseas. These partner organisations include government agencies, national and international NGOs (non-government organisations), community-based organisations, training institutions and small local businesses.

The overseas partner initiates the assignment by contacting VSA and requesting a volunteer. VSA will not be your employer.

VSA is an organisation which is involved in long-term development. Most assignments are for one or two years but we also have short-term assignments from six weeks to one year.

For our long-term assignments we regularly place couples overseas, but for assignments of less than six months this is not possible. With long-term assignments, the accompanying partner will often find voluntary work in the local community. Occasionally assignments may be available for both partners in the same location. Accompanying partners must also complete an application form and go through VSA’s selection and briefing process. Like volunteers, accompanying partners must have either have NZ permanent residence or NZ citizenship. VSA will pay the accompanying partner’s flights, accommodation, and other relevant expenses, and they will receive a living allowance two-thirds of that of the volunteer.

No, unfortunately, VSA is not in a position to recruit families with accompanying dependent children. This is due to a number of reasons, including contractual, insurance, budgetary constraints, plus access to suitable housing, health and education services. This is also based on considerations for the communities and partner organisations we work with.

You must be a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident and be currently living in New Zealand. (Australian citizens living in New Zealand are also eligible to apply). Ideally, you will have lived in New Zealand for at least two years.

There is nothing preventing you from limiting your applications to positions that are advertised in a single country.

The requirements for volunteers to have at least a couple of years’ work experience and relevant qualifications means it is unusual to send anyone under the age of 25.

Students aged 30 and under who are in their final year studying Development Studies, Geography, Marketing, Communications or related disciplines at Otago, Victoria, and Massey universities or are from the School of Social Sciences at University of Auckland may be eligible to apply for VSA’s UniVol programme..

Impact of COVID-19

The safety, health and wellbeing of our volunteers is of absolute importance to us. We have a duty of care to all our volunteers and to the communities in which we work.

It is critical that we do not place any extra burdens on partner organisations, communities and the health infrastructure in the countries where we operate.

The medical advice over COVID-19’s risk factors, based on international, science-based evidence, is that certain groups of people are much more susceptible to more serious symptoms if they contract COVID-19.

These higher risk groups include people with certain existing medical conditions and those who are aged 65 and over.  

For example, international evidence from the Centre for Disease Control & Prevention has shown that people 65 and over are five times more likely to be hospitalised and 90 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than people in their twenties (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/covidview/index.html).

Based on this information, we have therefore made the difficult decision that people in these susceptible groups (including people who would be turning 65 while on assignment) will not be able to be deployed out of New Zealand while the pandemic continues or until a vaccine is developed and widely available.

We have not taken this decision lightly. We have done this to ensure the health of our volunteers and to ensure we do not place extra burdens on the communities where we operate. 

E-volunteers who are working remotely from New Zealand and whose assignment does not require overseas travel are not affected.

All volunteers must have the skills and experience to carry out the professional goals of the assignment and to meet the partner organisation's requirements. VSA also looks for people with the necessary personal attributes such as flexibility and tenacity to adjust to what will be a major change in every aspect of life. You will need to be adaptable and realistic, resilient and positive, and to have the ability to share skills with work colleagues and the community.

As a VSA volunteer you don't receive a salary. However, you do receive a living allowance which is adequate to support a modest lifestyle, covering food, local travel, communication and other costs. It will not stretch to cover luxuries, and you will not be able to save large amounts of money or meet financial commitments at home, such as mortgage repayments. VSA will cover accommodation costs, and you’ll receive establishment, rest and respite, and resettlement grants. VSA will provide return flights and arrange visas and permits. VSA also provides comprehensive travel insurance cover.

Volunteers receiving New Zealand Superannuation or Veteran's Pension, who are on assignment with VSA, can continue to receive this pension for up to three years (156 weeks) while they are away. We will write a letter to Work and Income on your behalf. You must be in New Zealand when you apply for National Superannuation.

VSA provides basic language tuition during the in-country orientation programme, and we strongly encourage all volunteers to learn the local language. Even the most basic language skills can help enrich your cross-cultural experience and reduce the frustration of being an outsider. In some cases, you will not be able to carry out your assignment without a good grasp of the local language.

While some of the countries VSA works in experience periods of political instability or unrest and are vulnerable to natural disasters, we give our volunteers a thorough briefing on keeping themselves safe while on assignment. Our field staff are always alert to any risks, and work with other agencies, including MFAT, to monitor any – rare – dangerous situations, and advise volunteers accordingly. Volunteers always have disaster preparedness plans, adequate emergency supplies and access to VSA’s resources in the event of an emergency.

VSA’s insurers require volunteers to be vaccinated prior to departure in accordance with the instructions of VSA’s medical adviser. VSA covers the cost of all recommended vaccinations. It is important that once selected, a volunteer actively begins the process of receiving vaccinations as delays can have implications, including delayed deployment.

If you have a pre-existing health condition that can be well managed, you may still be able to become a VSA volunteer. It is important that you tell us about your condition so that we are able to provide you with accurate information about relevant issues and any limitations that it might place on your assignment. All volunteers are asked to undergo a full pre-assignment medical and clearance process, before they are placed in the field.

Medical advice on COVID-19’s risk factors, based on international, science-based evidence, is that certain groups of people are much more susceptible to more serious symptoms if they contract COVID-19. These higher risk groups include people with certain existing medical conditions and those who are aged 65 and over.  For example, international evidence from the Centre for Disease Control & Prevention has shown that people 65 and over are five times more likely to be hospitalised and 90 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than people in their twenties (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/covidview/index.html).

Therefore, people in these susceptible groups (including people who would be turning 65 while on assignment) will not be able to be deployed out of New Zealand while the pandemic continues or until a vaccine is developed and widely available.

E-volunteers who are working remotely from New Zealand and whose assignment does not require overseas travel are not affected.

Given the physical and mental challenges that volunteering overseas can entail, it is important that VSA volunteers remain healthy on assignment.

All our volunteers undertake a comprehensive medical examination, including blood tests, appropriate to preparing for assignment. They will also attend a medical briefing as part of their pre-departure briefing course. The examination is carried out by VSA’s medical provider, the VolunteerCare Medical Team (a third party, independent medical organisation).

Before the VolunteerCare Medical Team can give medical clearance, it makes a thorough review of each candidate’s health status, including the risk of any pre-existing medical conditions. This is particularly important as VSA assignments are based in locations that may have limited medical facilities and limited access to emergency travel back to New Zealand, if this is required.

VSA has a comprehensive travel insurance policy which includes cover for unexpected or sudden illness or injury. Please note the Volunteer Travel Policy is not private medical insurance.

VSA’s travel insurance does not currently cover anything relating to COVID-19 (i.e. medical costs associated with COVID-19, repatriation, quarantine, border closures, etc). At this point in time, to the best of our knowledge, no insurance companies are covering COVID-19 for international travel or placements. This may change in time, especially once a vaccine is introduced and is readily available.

VSA works with the VolunteerCare Assistance Team which provides 24-hour assistance in case of a medical emergency, including evacuation to the nearest suitable hospital if necessary. We work with the VolunteerCare Medical Team, provided by a private medical management organisation Programme Care Ltd, with a team of internationally recognised experts. Its role is to support VSA volunteers and staff with their medical preparation and return medicals. This is coordinated nationally, on behalf of VSA.

Many of our returned volunteers say that the experience has been a life-changing one. They value the opportunity to learn about themselves and another country, to take on a challenge and meet it, to contribute in a way that is worthwhile and meaningful, to "give something back", to do something adventurous and interesting, and to gain new skills and new friends.

Support our volunteers, help us send more. There are a number of ways you can make a difference by supporting VSA. Choose which suits you best:

• VSA Future: Become a regular giver and help VSA plan for the future and meet the needs of the communities we support.

• Donate now: there’s no time like the present. Make a donation to support VSA volunteers working with communities in the wider Pacific.

• VSA membership – as a member you can have a say in the direction of VSA by attending our annual congress, standing for election on our Council, or voting for Council members.

• Bequest – By leaving a bequest to VSA you can make a lasting difference to the lives of people in the Pacific. Tell us you are planning on leaving a bequest so we can keep you informed about VSA.

• Word of mouth – Tell as many people as you can about VSA. Maybe inspire a few others to volunteer or support us in other ways. We’re really grateful for those who spread the word about the good work we’re doing.

VSA is currently recruiting volunteers for partner organisations working in the wider Pacific. See “Where do VSA volunteers work" for a list of these countries. If you are an organisation working in one of these countries, you can contact us and your request will be forwarded to the appropriate staff member in our International Programmes Unit.

Fundraising is about telling the story of the amazing work you will be doing and encouraging others to do their bit as well as you. It costs money to send volunteers overseas, so we ask all volunteers and accompanying partners to fundraise $1,000 for VSA before and during their assignment. Fundraising is your chance to show the world what you are doing and help VSA do even more of it. Every dollar raised is used to help us send even more volunteers in the future. Check out our A–Z of Fundraising on the website for some ideas about how to raise money for VSA.

VSA is New Zealand's largest and most experienced volunteering agency working in international development. Our Kiwi volunteers share skills with people in the wider Pacific to help them build a better future for themselves and their children. Our staff build relationships with in-country partner organisations (mostly government agencies and non-governmental organisations) and work with them to identify their priority development needs. This ensures all our assignments are designed in partnership and are locally identified, locally relevant, and locally delivered.

Yes, VSA’s UniVol programme; a partnership between VSA and Auckland, Massey, Otago and Victoria Universities.

To be eligible for UniVol you must be:

• a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident
• aged 30 years or under on July 31 2021
• enrolled in your final year of university studies (bachelor degree or higher) or have graduated in the last 12 months

Please Note: 

UniVols work in a variety of roles which include youth work, marketing and communications, administration, IT and computer training, hospitality and tourism, sports development, vet assistance, and monitoring and evaluation. Due to the wide range of assignments available on the UniVol Programme, VSA will consider applications from different academic disciplines and backgrounds.

Volunteers can apply to IRD to have any student loan interest accrued during their assignment written off. VSA will provide a letter in support of this application.

Although we have temporarily put our deployment of volunteers on hold due to COVID-19 restrictions and uncertainties both within New Zealand and across the wider Pacific, we’re continuing to recruit and build our talent pool of prospective volunteers so we can return to supporting our partner organisations and communities in the wider Pacific as soon as we can. We remain completely committed to our work in the Pacific.

As borders reopen and we start to redeploy volunteers, there will continue to be restrictions on who can be deployed in-country.

The safety, health and wellbeing of our volunteers is of absolute importance to us. We have a duty of care to all our volunteers and to the communities in which we work. 

This is particularly important as many VSA assignments are based in locations that have limited medical facilities and limited access to emergency travel back to New Zealand, if this is required. It is critical that we do not place any extra burdens on partner organisations, communities and the health infrastructure in the countries where we operate.

The medical advice over COVID-19’s risk factors, based on international, science-based evidence, is that certain groups of people are much more susceptible to more serious symptoms if they contract COVID-19. These higher risk groups include people with certain existing medical conditions and those who are aged 65 and over.  

Based on this information, we have made the difficult decision that people in these susceptible groups (including people who would be turning 65 while on assignment) will not be able to be deployed out of New Zealand while the pandemic continues or until a vaccine is developed and widely available.

We have done this to ensure the health of our volunteers and to ensure we do not place extra burdens on the communities where we operate. 

E-volunteers who are working remotely from New Zealand and whose assignment does not require overseas travel are not affected.