Volunteering Changemakers Hui: 9-10 October 2025, the Grand Millennium Hotel, Auckland

Volunteering New Zealand’s annual conference is a key development opportunity for those leading volunteers.

Volunteer managers are changemakers across communities in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Keynote speakers and facilitated discussions will focus on volunteer management best practice, volunteer experiences, and approaches to volunteer engagement. Confirmed speakers include The Hon. Louise Upston, Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector, Tracey O'Neill, and Rochelle Stewart-Allen. Dr Paul Spoonley and Dr Andrew Lensen are back by popular demand. More speakers will be announced soon.

Optional Masterclass 9th October - Sustainable leadership: know your strengths, lead with empathy

Led and facilitated by Rochelle Stewart-Allen, The NGO Coach

This is an additional optional full-day interactive Masterclass on the 9th of October, being held at the same venue. It will be followed by a celebratory networking event in the evening of the 9th.

Overview:
This interactive and practical one-day workshop (10am to 4pm) is designed specifically for volunteer managers, coordinators, and leaders across Aotearoa New Zealand. Drawing from lived experience and grounded in nonprofit realities, this session supports participants to:

• Discover and explore their personal leadership strengths
• Understand and develop their leadership style
• Build sustainable, values-based leadership practices
• Navigate common leadership challenges in the volunteering sector
• Lead with empathy, care, and cultural responsiveness

To learn more, visit the Volunteering Changemakers Hui information site.

The Volunteering Changemakers Hui will be worth attending

The community and voluntary sector is facing challenges:

Many organisations struggle to recruit and keep volunteers
Funding is tight, squeezing volunteer management programmes
Many volunteers want casual opportunities rather than regular, long-term commitment

We need to come together and lead the future of volunteering for:

Our organisations – to ensure their viability
People and the planet – to serve others and those who need us
Social inclusion – to create community

Delegates at the Volunteering Changemakers Hui will:

Network and share with colleagues
Learn about volunteer impact, best practice in action and more
Work together to improve the future of volunteering

Ticket information

The Changemakers Hui and 9th October workshop and following celebratory networking event can be purchased separately or as part of a discounted packaged ticket
A suite of packaged tickets are available (at the bottom of the ticket list)
A closing networking event is included in the Changemakers Hui.

Accommodation, logistics and speaker details

Learn more about speakers, discounted accommodation options and other logistics on our Volunteering Changemakers Hui information site.

Are you a member? Get a discounted price

Check your membership status here: VNZ Membership list

Thanks to supporters of our event