On the 22nd of February 2011, a 6.3 magnitude earthquake devastated Christchurch, New Zealand. During the following month, 11,000 students volunteered 75,000 hours cleaning up liquefaction silt across the city. They were known as the Student Volunteer Army, and today the Student Volunteer Army legacy continues as a national education charity focused on providing meaningful volunteering opportunities for primary, secondary and tertiary aged young people in Aotearoa. At primary level, the SVA Schools programme extends the SVA spirit to 1000 classrooms nationwide. Each year, 32,000 students identify a local project, build a team, develop a plan, operate their project, and report on what they have achieved. The programme teaches cooperation and leadership skills to young kiwis and helps them become lifelong volunteers! The SVA Service Award is a nationwide framework to measure, incentivise, reward and deepen the volunteer-based relationship secondary school students have with their community. Operating in over 30% of public, private and special schools in New Zealand, the SVA Service Award is a five level, badge based system. Young volunteers log their hours (approaching 150,000!), earn SVA Service Award pins, build an SVA Summary of Service and use it in job, scholarship and tertiary applications. The University of Canterbury Student Volunteer Army (UC SVA) has flourished since it was founded in September 2010. Today, UC SVA engages with over 3000 volunteers every year, providing a unique experience by combining the fulfilment of volunteering with the fun of working with other like-minded students. The largest club on campus operates a variety of volunteering events, from small weekend projects to large-scale Connect the Community events and camps.
External link for Student Volunteer Army
49 Creyke Road
Christchurch, Canterbury, NZ
Student Volunteer Army reposted this
📢 Student Volunteer Army is seeking board trustees. The Student Volunteer Army (SVA) Foundation, born from the 2010 Canterbury earthquake response, is a dynamic charity empowering a global volunteer movement. ☑ Applications will remain open until positions are filled ➡ IoD members can find out more at https://lnkd.in/gG2HcbT9
We couldn't be prouder of the SVA Volunteers in Otago for their incredible mahi over the weekend. ❤️ If you want to understand how the Student Volunteer Army works, and how our work in peace time prepares us to respond in times of crisis, then listen to this interview with Paige Bowman—SVA Otago President and all-round legend. Thank you to #HummingbirdCoffee for making our crisis response work possible, and to everyone who supports us at sva.org.nz/donate to empower incredible volunteers like Paige. https://lnkd.in/ghbKAbKW
Last month, the Student Volunteer Army hit a momentous milestone... SVA volunteers have logged more than two million hours of volunteering on the SVA App! This is one we've been watching approach for some time and we're so proud of all of our volunteers for making it happen! At minimum wage, that's nearly $50,000,000 worth of work making communities better—teaching, coaching, planting, rebuilding, and all the other extraordinary mahi aroha that SVA volunteers do. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Here's to the next million hours 😁 #StudentVolunteerArmy
We’re pleased to share with you the SVA Annual Report for FY2023-24, which is now available to read on our website here: sva.org.nz/reports As we reflect on the challenges and successes of the last year, we’re reminded how invaluable you are to the SVA journey. All young people have the potential to become extraordinary members of their community. It’s people like you, giving us support year after year, who help unleash their potential. To see more of what you’re helping rangatahi achieve, take a look at this short thank you video. Ngā mihi maioha.
We couldn't be prouder to partner with the team at AA Insurance NZ. Thank you for helping to make our mahi possible! 🙏
Our partnership with the incredible Student Volunteer Army is helping boost community resilience year-round 💪 Our Claims Assist team were delighted to work alongside SVA recently to develop training resources for SVA volunteers. We shared real life scenarios and insights on supporting people experiencing vulnerability, effective community messaging and boosting teamwork in a crisis. We’re so proud to help grow the skills of these incredible ākonga (students).
Fantastic to have our CEO hosted on Kiwi Yarns! Thank you Brodie Kane and AA Insurance NZ for your support. We're very fortunate to have partners as passionate about building resilient communities who help each other as we are! #StudentVolunteerArmy
Student Volunteer Army CEO Emily Byrne joined Brodie Kane on her Kiwi Yarns podcast to chat about her volunteering journey and the incredible mahi tens of thousands of student volunteers are doing in local New Zealand communities. Student Volunteer Army (SVA) are equipping students across Aotearoa with the skills to respond in a crisis, while empowering them to build stronger communities through volunteering for generations to come. We're proud to support SVA to help prepare and build more resilient communities and continue SVA’s work in this space. Listen to Emily's inspiring conversation about her passion for helping others on Kiwi Yarns here: https://lnkd.in/gkdz827u
Huge congratulations to our SVA Canterbury and SVA Lincoln Execs for organising an absolutely awesome Big Give this weekend 🤩 and thank you to the hundreds of volunteers who showed up for their community. We reckon SVA Canterbury President Ro says it best: "Young people are our future... They want to help, they’re there to help, and they know how to.” 💙 #StudentVolunteerArmy #TheBigGive
Student Volunteer Army reposted this
As Auckland Anniversary weekend approaches, we’re reminded that this time last year, thousands of New Zealanders were going through the darkest time of their lives. When the floods hit on January 27 2023, SVA mobilised over 1,300 volunteers to conduct welfare checks, help clear debris and offer support to some of the worst-affected communities in Tāmaki Makaurau. One year on, we’d like to take this opportunity to extend a huge thank you to our volunteers who worked tirelessly to help others during this time. What you do truly makes all the difference 💙 #StudentVolunteerArmy
As Auckland Anniversary weekend approaches, we’re reminded that this time last year, thousands of New Zealanders were going through the darkest time of their lives. When the floods hit on January 27 2023, SVA mobilised over 1,300 volunteers to conduct welfare checks, help clear debris and offer support to some of the worst-affected communities in Tāmaki Makaurau. One year on, we’d like to take this opportunity to extend a huge thank you to our volunteers who worked tirelessly to help others during this time. What you do truly makes all the difference 💙 #StudentVolunteerArmy
Wishing you all a joyous Christmas and a Happy New Year! ⭐ The Student Volunteer Army team will be taking a break to celebrate the season from Friday, December 22nd 2023. We'll be back, recharged and ready to make a difference, on Monday, January 8th, 2024. Whether you're a volunteer, supporter or partner, you have been instrumental to all we have achieved this year. Thank you for joining us on our journey. #StudentVolunteerArmy