Can you fill in a form or make a family meal?

The recent Volunteer Awareness Week (June 14 - 20) was an opportunity for Corrections to acknowledge the importance of volunteers and encourage more volunteers to join us.

We are especially looking for people who can give their time to teach prisoners basic life skills, hobbies, crafts and cultural activities.

“We need people with normal life skills who can show prisoners how to fill in a bank account form, budget for a family, or do basic cooking,” says Acting National Advisor Volunteers Diane Hallot.

“Many prisoners have had no-one to teach them the things most of us take for granted.”

She says some of the most important things volunteers teach are more intangible, such as social skills.

“They normalise the prison environment by providing contact with the outside world. Almost all prisoners will be released one day, and volunteers help to prepare them for that day.”

She says cultural input from the community is also vitally important.

“We would love to hear from people who speak te reo Māori, and those interested in becoming kaiwhakamana (kaumatua as special visitors to prisons) and fatua pasefika (volunteers who offer cultural support to pacific people in prison).”

If you, a friend or family member is interested in volunteering at Corrections, please email volunteering@corrections.govt.nz or ring Diane Hallot on (04) 495 8428 for more information.