Building systems and connections in the Pacific
For Molly Oldfield, volunteering has never been a passing interest – it’s the thread that has guided her life since leaving university. After graduating from Victoria University of Wellington, she wasn't sure of her next step until she saw an email about the Volunteer Service Abroad Te Tūao Tāwāhi (VSA) UniVol programme. Eager to contribute her time and apply the skills she gained at university while also immersing herself in a new culture, Molly embraced the opportunity to volunteer overseas.
Her first assignment with VSA took her to Papua New Guinea where she volunteered as a Student Support Services & Resources Coordinator. The experience lit a spark that has shaped every job and adventure since, from returning for a second assignment with VSA in PNG, to working as an Education Field Assistant and Program Coordinator where she supported daily operations and oversaw day-to-day logistics for volunteers in Cambodia with another volunteer organisation, and eventually finding work with International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ) – another international volunteering programe based back home in Taranaki, New Zealand.
When Molly felt she'd achieved everything she set out to in her management role at IVHQ, she found herself once again scanning for VSA opportunities and landed one in Suva, Fiji, as the Organisational Capacity Development & Implementation Mentor with Cure Kids in Fiji. The organisation works closely with Fiji's Ministry of Health & Medical Services to improve child health outcomes across Fiji, and the Pacific. Cure Kids has established two key projects to improve children's health – one for children living with rheumatic heart disease (RHD) and the other for children who need access to oxygen. Both focus on addressing urgent healthcare needs while ensuring benefits are sustained for future generations.
Molly's role touches nearly every corner of the organisation from streamlining operations, strengthening HR systems and Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) curriculum development, to policy writing and implementation, improving data management and helping staff to secure crucial grants.
Only four months into the role, one of Molly's proudest achievements has been introducing a new HR platform to replace a patchwork of spreadsheets and manual processes. Previously, staff leave balances, contracts and safeguarding records were scattered across emails, apps, and even stored "in people's heads." Molly took the time to assess the gaps, research affordable software, negotiate costs and will soon be guiding the team through set ups and imputting all the HR data into the new software. The result is a simple, mobile-friendly system that reduces the margins for error, saves time, and ensures policies and records remain accessible long after her time in Fiji comes to an end.
Molly says that the key to success is taking time to listen and build trust before making any changes. "Volunteers are always so passionate and want to do so much, but the first few weeks should be about learning how everything works and building up relationships with those around you," she reflects. Sharing daily breakfasts and lunches with her colleagues has been a highlight – an expression of Fiji's warm, communal culture that she has embraced wholeheartedly.
Looking back, Molly credits volunteering with shaping both her career and her outlook. "You'll get so much more than you can ever give," she says. Her journey is proof that when you pair professional skills with an open heart and mind, the impact reaches far beyond the assignment, strengthening organisations, uplifting communities and forging friendships that last a lifetime.
