The recent Volunteer Awareness Week brought with it a whole raft of inspiring stories of the excellent work done by many thousands of community volunteers throughout New Zealand.

This annual celebration provides an opportunity to acknowledge the work of the many ‘unsung’ volunteers who selflessly give their time for the benefit of the wider community.

The events of Awareness Week struck a particular chord with me, by illustrating the importance that ‘promoting awareness’ plays in running a successful and progressive prison volunteering operation. It is especially important that Corrections staff right across the country are aware of the vital service our volunteers provide to prisoners. Volunteers represent the community that our prisoners will ultimately be released into, and I am determined that all of our volunteers are treated with courtesy and respect at all times. It is my expectation that all staff recognise the value of volunteers and professionally facilitate safe and secure access into prisons.

Equally, it is important that volunteers maintain a keen awareness of the potentially volatile nature of the prison environment. In practice, this means keeping abreast of the basic safety rules and cooperating with custodial staff at the gatehouse and while on the prison site.

It is through increasing awareness and working in partnership that we can make the prison volunteering experience a safe and rewarding one.

Harry Hawthorn
General Manager
Prison Services

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