StarJam - Kāpiti Groovers - Volunteer Story Comp 2022

At StarJam, we run weekly workshops for young people with disabilities aged 6-25 in dance and song. In Kāpiti, we have 2 dance workshops. One of our workshops, the Kāpiti Groovers, have gone from being very close to dissolving due to lack of numbers and general connection as a group, to being one of our most tight knit groups! This is completely and utterly down to the hard work of our tutor and volunteers. Together, they worked hard to build a rapport with each and every one of our young people, discovered what it was they wanted out of workshops and then went on to deliver just that. I am so grateful to our volunteers in Kapiti, who show up every week and give their all to workshops without ever asking for anything in return.

What makes the volunteer or team of volunteers special?

This group is compassionate, full of energy and adaptable. I myself am based in central Wellington and manage 11 other workshops aside from theirs and I have them to thank for the strength of our workshops in Kāpiti.