8 December
The tireless efforts of a number of volunteers at Tongariro-Rangipo Prison were celebrated when Corrections presented the inaugural Volunteer Recognition Awards at a ceremony late last week, in association with International Volunteers Day.
Teams and individual volunteers who travel from Taihape and the Bay of Plenty to the prison regularly were acknowledged and thanked for their positive contribution to prison life.
Prison Manager Dave Pomeroy believes these awards are extremely important in acknowledging the hard work volunteers put in.
“The amount of time these people freely give is invaluable and I’d like to congratulate today’s award recipients for their efforts and dedication,” he says.
“Many of our volunteers offer constructive activities in prisons and are part of rehabilitative and reintegrative processes available to prisoners, which is a key tool in reducing re-offending.
“The existence of a diverse and energetic pool of volunteers brings a community perspective to our services and contributes towards helping offenders to positively return to the community,” says Mr Pomeroy.
This diversity of experience and knowledge was reflected in the award recipients honoured today. The individual award was presented to Neal Windsor, a member of Prison Fellowship New Zealand. Mr Windsor is now retired after 40 years of service, lately traveling from Mt Maunganui once a month to offer spiritual guidance and assistance to prisoners at Tongariro-Rangipo.
It is a similar story for the four volunteers from St David’s Church in Taihape who were acknowledged with the team award. Three of the four are from the same family and they have been travelling to the prison for nearly 14 years.
“The benefits of providing constructive activities for prisoners, such as art and design tuition, cannot be overstated. Bored prisoners are more likely to be disruptive and troublesome for Corrections staff. Constructive activities motivate prisoners to change their lives and, for some, offer the possibility of using newly-learned skills post release,” says Mr Pomeroy.
Corrections is always looking for new volunteers who can bring constructive activities into prisons. At present there is a particular need for volunteers who can assist with literacy support, creative writing, life skills, health promotion, sports activities and a wide range of arts activities. If you know someone who may be able to help, they can email volunteering@corrections.govt.nz or phone (04) 495 8428 for more information.
ENDS
Notes to reporter: