Dove volunteers make phenomenal hospice and wellness services possible
Each year Volunteering Auckland celebrates International Volunteer Leaders Day with our annual LoVE Awards, honouring outstanding volunteer programmes and Leaders of Volunteer Engagement.
This year we went on a secret mission to Dove Hospice and Wellness, where we presented the 2024 LoVE Award for outstanding Volunteer Programme. With the help of Dove Executive Trustee Simon Jones, we sprang the surprise at Dove’s Mt Wellington distribution centre – where astonished Volunteer Advocate Bridget Burnett accepted their award.
The Volunteer Programme Award is given to an organisation which demonstrates overall excellence in making a significant difference for people, a community group, or cause.
Dove Hospice and Wellness epitomises all of these things.
We were inspired by the amazing work Dove does – and the impact they have on the lives of the people they care for and support.
They provide inpatient respite and end-of-life care at the Dove Wing, based in St Andrews Village in Glendowie. At Dove House, also at St Andrews, they provide a huge range of wrap-around clinical care and therapies including counselling, physiotherapy, reiki, and massage.
Many people now survive cancer and recover – but going through treatment and everything else associated with a cancer diagosis is incredibly challenging and difficult, both for the person themselves and their family. So, by contrast with many other hospice organisations, 75 percent of Dove’s work is a ‘return to wellness’ journey to support people on the road to recovery.
We were also particularly awestruck to learn that Dove is able to provide all their wellness and palliative services free of charge – and does all this with NO government funding. An impressive 95% of their funding comes from Dove’s eight retail shops, with the remaining 5% from events, donations, and bequests.
This phenomenal fundraising feat is thanks to the dedication and commitment of nearly 200 volunteers at their retail shops at Epsom, Glen Ines, Meadowbank, Mt Wellington (including a warehouse and distribution centre), Newmarket, Panmure, Remuera, and St Heliers.
Other volunteers help at the Dove Wing and Dove House in a range of roles including gardening, helping in the kitchen or laundry, assisting in the library, driving, and helping patients with journals.
‘Dove's work simply would NOT be feasible to run the shops without our volunteers. And without the funds from the shops, we would not be able to offer our no-cost services.’
Under the guise of a business-as-usual interview for the Volunteering Auckland website, Bridget Burnett told us: ‘Dove's work simply would NOT be feasible to run the shops without our volunteers. And without the funds from the shops, we would not be able to offer our no-cost services.’
There are between 180-200 regular long-term volunteers – who mostly do one morning or afternoon shift each week – and many of whom stay for many years.
They’re supplemented by casual volunteers including students doing the Duke of Edinburgh award, and corporate teams doing a day of community service.
We asked Bridget what makes Dove’s programme so successful – attracting so many great volunteers, and ensuring they have such a positive experience that they stay long term.
‘It’s a range of things,’ Bridget says.
While Bridget has overall responsibility for Dove’s volunteer programme, she’s quick to point out that it’s a team effort. The paid managers at each shop play a pivotal role in the success of the volunteer programme – both with the day-to-day shop management and rostering, but with the all-important volunteer relationships.
‘A lot of is that is the personal touch, and making volunteers feel appreciated.’
Simple gestures – such as a phone call or card if a volunteer is unwell, or perhaps a ‘proper’ coffee if they’ve struggled through terrible traffic to get to the shop to do their shift – can mean a lot.
‘It’s also giving volunteers something they enjoy doing. The ability to find out what they interested in and enabling them to do that is really important.
‘Some like working with books. Others like working on the till. Some volunteers like knowing things like whether the shop is meeting targets. Other volunteers want to learn more English and feel part of New Zealand life. For some it’s a great way to meet new people.
‘We also get a lot of volunteers who’ve had some kind of connection with us, or with another hospice, and want to give back. It’s lovely to have that connection.’
Bridget’s passionate about her role as Volunteer Advocate. She visits the shops regularly and loves talking with volunteers whenever she can.
She says meeting with volunteers is one of her favourite parts of her role.
‘People have led the most incredible lives and I love hearing their stories … learning what they’ve done with their lives. Sometimes they’ve done the most amazing things … or you learn the most unexpected things about their life story.’
Executive Trustee Simon Jones adds: ‘Our volunteers are a part of our family. We have some very important philosophies – such as acting with integrity, encouraging diversity, and acting with respect.
‘We see how our volunteers really embody this. These things are really important. It’s how you build trust, and build engagement.
‘When you walk into one of our shops, you can see everyone is happy. They’re talking with each other and talking with the customers – and it’s a lovely and welcoming atmosphere.’
Congratulations
Our warmest congratulations to the Bridget, Simon, the shop managers and, of course, the many volunteers who so enthusiastically donate their time and skills to Dove Hospice & Wellness.
You are very worthy recipients of Volunteering Auckland’s 2024 Volunteer Programme Award.
By Ruth Jackson
Volunteering Auckland
PHOTO: Volunteer Advocate Bridget Burnett with volunteer Jan Gemmell
KEEN TO DO SOME VOLUNTEERING?
Check out the hundreds of volunteering opportunities available on the Volunteering Auckland website:
https://volunteeringauckland.org.nz/individuals/opportunities
