Volunteer with VSA

Kia ora, Halo and warm Pacific greetings
  
Te Whāinga | Our Purpose is

Te Hono Tangata - Te Huringa Ora.  

Ka hono a Te Tūao Tāwāhi i ngā tūao pūkenga ki ngā whakahaere me ngā hapori i te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa me tua atu, hei tautoko i ngā wawata kua tautuhia ā-rohe, ā, kia tutuki ai te panoni toitū. 

Connecting People – Transforming Lives. 

Volunteer Service Abroad connects skilled volunteers with organisations and communities in the Pacific and beyond to support locally identified aspirations and achieve sustainable change.  

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About the role:

This is your opportunity to become a VSA Volunteer to share your experience, skills and knowledge to serve and build capacity in the Solomon Islands. Work alongside our local partner organisation to plan and create a brighter future for all.
  
We are looking for an experienced researcher or someone with the right level of transferrable skills, who understands and shares the spirit of volunteering, with a keen interest in building capability in the Pacific. This will be a 12 month assignment based in the Western Provinces of the Solomon Islands.

VSA will provide support by funding and organizing your flights, visas, insurances, accommodation, living allowance and utilities while you are on assignment.
  
Ngā tino Pūkenga/Wheako – Essential skills/experiences for the role:
If you are interested in this opportunity, below are some of the key skills and experiences that we’re looking for.

• Undergraduate qualification in arts, history, international development or social sciences
• At least five years’ experience conducting social or historical research in rural and/or remote communities
• Meticulous organisation and communication skills

Important note: Due to our VSA funding requirements, our volunteers must be a NZ citizen or NZ Permanent Resident to progress further in our recruitment process.

Our Partner Organisation: Western Provincial Government:
Western Province is the largest of the nine provinces of Solomon Islands and is renowned for its beautiful tropical islands and world class diving and snorkelling locations. Beautiful coral reefs, WWII wrecks, eco-tourism lodges and headhunting shrines are other attractions in the province that makes it the biggest tourist destination outside of Honiara. Western Provincial Government (WPG) has been operating since 1978 when the country became independent.
 
The province has its own Provincial Government Administration head by a Clerk. The role of the WPG is to develop the province, particularly rural areas. Planning is an important part of the WPG’s activities as this helps to ensure that development occurs in a considered manner. Western Province was identified by the Solomon Islands Government as an area of significant tourism growth. The New Zealand Government has invested significantly in an airport in Munda which was constructed to international standards

The Assignment:
This assignment will be a partnership between the Western Provincial Government (WPG) and the VSA. The WPG has recently employed a Cultural Officer who was employed in 2024 after the office had been closed for around 21 years. The office is currently working on publication of oral history for the province. A key part of the work that the office is doing is documentation of the process of making products of cultural relevance in local communities.

Since reopening the officer has discovered that past research recordings and documents of historical significance had been misplaced, destroyed or damaged. The office would like to conduct some research and do some mapping of sites of cultural significance and put together materials on these. The office is also working with the tourism officer to come up with products to market to tourists. The products that they would like to develop are targeted at tourists. The products will be intangible experiential products that showcase the rich culture and traditions of the people of Western Province.

A volunteer on this assignment will support the cultural officer to work with communities to research and record stories from communities. They will also visit sites of cultural significance to communities, document and map these, and where possible, appropriate and feasible support the communities to create tourism products. The volunteer can also support with the correct storage and all material that are currently.
  
The Country – The Solomon Islands:
The Solomon Islands has over 900 islands, 5,000 rural villages and 550,000 people. Between 1999 and 2003 it experienced a period of conflict which took a heavy toll on the country and left a need for reconciliation and on-going peace and security measures.

A request for assistance by the government in 2003 led Australia, New Zealand and other Pacific Island countries to form the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) which restored peace and security. The VSA has established a strong presence in Solomon Islands through its ongoing partnerships with multiple in-country partners, including strong relationships with Solomon Islands Government. 

Me pēhea te tuku tono| How to apply:
Apply for this opportunity through our website.
For more information or if you have any questions on this assignment, email volunteer@vsa.org.nz.

To review the full assignment description please copy and paste the below link into your browser:



For a copy of the Assignment Description, please click the apply button which will direct you to the VSA website.  You will be able to download a copy from the advertisement.
  
  
  
 

We are looking for a volunteer with:

• 12 Month Assignment in the Solomon Islands
• Flights, accommodation and living expenses provided
• Record the Oral histories and traditions of the Solomon Islands