Team volunteering is one of the fastest-growing areas of corporate social responsibility in New Zealand. Companies are booking team volunteer days to give their employees meaningful experiences while contributing to their communities.
But a good team volunteer day doesn't happen by accident. Here's what coordinators across NZ have learned.
1. Match the activity to your team
Not every opportunity suits every team. A tech company might thrive at a community garden day. A construction crew might prefer habitat restoration. Think about physical ability, interests, and what will actually engage people — not just what looks good in a newsletter.
2. Book well in advance
Popular opportunities fill up, especially one-off events like tree plantings, beach cleanups, and street appeals. Most organisations need at least two weeks' notice to prepare for a group, and some seasonal activities book out months ahead.
3. Brief your team properly
Share the details: what to wear, what to bring, where to park, what the day looks like. The host organisation will usually provide this, but it's your job as coordinator to make sure your team actually reads it.
4. Keep it real
The best team volunteer days are genuinely useful. If the host organisation is stretching to find work for your group, it probably isn't the right fit. Look for opportunities where your team size is actually needed — street appeals, large planting days, community events.
5. Follow through
Thank the host organisation. Share photos (with permission) internally. Ask your team what they thought. And consider making it regular — the organisations that benefit most from corporate volunteering are the ones with ongoing relationships, not one-off photo opportunities.
On Volunteers, you can filter for team-friendly opportunities and use the "Book as a team" feature to manage the whole process.