Age friendly volunteering builds future leaders

Intergenerational and age friendly volunteering is about walking together. When older and younger people share roles and swap skills, knowledge sticks and relationships grow. Succession planning becomes simple: pair people up, share the load, and keep a named second-in-command for each role so nothing stops if someone moves on. The Office for Seniors toolkit backs this inclusive approach and offers practical steps communities can use. Te Tari Kaumātua

The 2024 State of Volunteering shows more New Zealanders are casual volunteers, giving a few hours a month. Building smaller shared roles and short handovers fits real lives and keeps programmes moving as leaders change. Treat co leads and buddy systems as normal, and keep short handover notes so new people can start fast. Volunteering New Zealand

Social cohesion is often described as the glue that holds Aotearoa together. The Helen Clark Foundation reports only 49 percent of New Zealanders agreed with positive cohesion statements in 2024, compared with 56 percent in Australia. Intergenerational volunteering helps close that gap because it builds trust and belonging while growing new leaders at the same time. The Helen Clark Foundation

The recipe is simple. Welcome all ages, write clear role briefs, match buddies across generations, keep a short emergency cover plan, and refresh your succession list each year.

If you would like templates or a quick check of your current setup, reach out to us and we will help you design an age friendly, future ready volunteering plan.