Recent news
Young Vinnies Recognised with an Arts Access Aotearoa Big A Award
Monday, 26 July 2010
The young Vinnies Group at St Francis Xavier school Tawa, along with Enliven Longview Resthome were the recipients of the Arts Access Aotearoa Community Partnership award for 2010. For the last 3 year the Vinnie Group, led by Angela Reiher, have been communicating with Longview residents creating oral histories. The national award recognises the contribution that this partnership has made and added to the community. More information can be viewed here: http://www.artsaccess.org.nz/index.php/whats-on/latest-news/big-a-awards-2010-showcase-inspiring-examples-of-creativity
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Contact: Anne Marie McCarten
Catholic agencies urge MPs to send Responsible Lending Bill to Select Committee
Thursday, 22 July 2010
See Attached for more information.
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Contact: Anne-Marie McCarten
Phone: 04 499 5070
Garin Vinnies Host Tongan Dinner
Monday, 21 June 2010
See attached article for more information.
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Contact: Philippa Winch
St Peter Chanel Vinnies Win Top Award
Monday, 21 June 2010
See attached article for more information.
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Contact: Philippa Winch
The Society in Tonga
Monday, 17 May 2010
The Society in Tonga is up and running with a new office which was blessed by Fr Lutoviko Finau
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Contact: Anne-Marie McCarten
Society News Part 2
Monday, 7 December 2009
Part 2
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Contact: Anne- Marie McCarten
Phone: 04 4995070
Society News Online Here
Monday, 7 December 2009
Part 1
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Contact: Anne-Marie McCarten
Phone: 04 499 5070
New National President
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
New National President
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Contact: Anne Marie McCarten
Pacific Appeal
Monday, 5 October 2009
A Pacific Appeal has been launched by the Society in New Zealand for their twinned conferences in Samoa and Tonga. Contact has been made with Samoa and funds donated from New Zealand will be used for particular projects acting upon the advice received from people working at the coal-face.
Council Presidents on behalf of their respective conferences have made donations direct to the National Office. Containers of clothing and canned non-perishable food are being shipped to Samoa and will be distributed by Vincentians in the areas most affected by the Tsunami.
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Contact: Anne-Marie McCarten
FullFill in Rotorua
Wednesday, 16 September 2009
The Society of St Vincent de Paul in Rotorua is running a FullFill Van on Wednesday nights from 5.30pm. They are currently visiting Wrigley Road, Harold Crescent, Wing Place and Ewert Street in the Fordlands Area. They are serving hot milo for children and tea and coffee for adults along with sandwiches and fresh fruit. A cup of soup is also available. All are welcome.
They will be visiting Pleasent and Western Heights on Tuesday nights from the end of September.
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Contact: Anne Marie McCarten
Youth Coordinators Training Day
Wednesday, 16 September 2009
The Youth Coordinators recently attended a weekend training workshop. Attached is an article giving more information.
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Contact: Del Soti
Loaves & Fishes
Thursday, 3 September 2009
The attached news item appeard in the local paper in Tauranga recently.
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Contact: Anne Marie McCarten
Project FullsTop Update
Thursday, 11 June 2009
The FullsTop Ministry is now in its third year of operation and is answering a real need for struggling families. Travelling to different suburbs, six nights a week, the van serves a weekly nutritious sandwich/drink meal to approximately 1000 people per month.
At every stop along the route, children of all ages and families appear for the food and a chat. There is a ready supply of extra sandwiches for those needing a school lunch for the next day.
The volunteers have come to know the children and families, and have a real sense of achievement in the relationships they have made. Based on caring and trust these relationships have enabled the volunteers to refer on those needing further support to the relevant social agencies.
Our goal is to continue to provide more than a meal - it is to reach those in less fortunate circumstances by offering a hand up, friendship, a listening ear and building of relationships.
FullsTop is a ministry providing nourishment for the four cornerstones of life: Spiritual/Physical/Mental & Emotional.
Interested in Volunteering? Phone Karen on 07 576-3219 or 027 244 399
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Contact: Anne-Marie McCarten
Society Branches Out
Wednesday, 23 July 2008
The Society of St Vincent de Paul in Hastings is dedicated to helping people within the community as well as the wider Bay region and they’ve just found a whole new way to do so with the organisations’s new Recycling and Refurbishing programme.
The new venture allows people to donate household items such as computers, TVs, video and DVD players, speaker cables and virtually anything else electronic - working or not. The items will then be repaired for resale. "The dream started in December 2007 and this is the result" Recycling and Refurbishing programme director Frank Newrick says. Electrical and electronic equipment is a huge part of our lives, but disposing of the equipment in a safe and friendly way, rather than merely adding dangerous materials and electrical waste into already brimming landfills.
"We will be looking for volunteers in the future to help test the equipment and assist with disassembling" programme manager Steve Connell says.
The Society’s workshop and showroom is located at 53 Tollenmache Road East, Longlands, in Hastings.
Website: http://www.svdprecycling.org.nz
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Contact: Anne-Marie McCarten
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Mobile Van Project ‘FullFill’ and Loaves & Fishes Project launched in Hamilton
Friday, 13 June 2008
The Society of St Vincent de Paul in Hamilton has successfully launched two new projects, “FullFill” a mobile van. with a mix of trained volunteers visiting various suburbs in the evenings, and “Loaves and Fishes”, providing lunches in schools with follow-up courses for the families.
Both these projects have been trialled in Tauranga where they are now successfully operational.
About The Mobile Van Project ‘FullFill’
A van visits the suburbs, each on a different night of the week. Ostensibly the van will be handing out free nutritious snacks and drinks to help recipients’ budgets stretch a little further. However, as well as providing assistance in the short term, this is really just a tool, a ‘way in’, to help make contact with people, build relationships and trust. This will in turn help with the sharing of problems and being able to put people in touch with the right social services to help with these problems. Other major benefits will be increased confidence and awareness of lifestyle options for the children as many children do not have enough positive things said to them, have scant knowledge of options for their lives and do not get to mix with many people beyond their community. Additionally there will be increased community networking and self help. For the volunteers there is to be gained the chance to mix with other sectors of society thereby helping understanding on many levels.
The van will follow a set route, one for each day of the week, with designated stops along this route and the same volunteers rostered for each route so as to enhance the building of relationships.
Why
Statistics (from official published reports, available on request) indicate, as a generalisation, that;
Maori/Pacific are more likely to earn less, not own their own home, have more children, live in lower Decile school areas and be living in overcrowded situations. Children in lower-socio economic situations also have less positive feedback and re-enforcement which has long term negative effects on neural function. Children in these families often have limited life experiences and perceived life options. Additionally many of these people do not seek the help that they need or may be entitled to.
These families will be our target beneficiaries.
From the Social Report 2007 produced by the Ministry of Social Development’ the ‘Desired Outcomes’ of ‘Social Connectedness’ are;
People enjoy constructive relationships with others in their families, whānau, communities, iwi and workplaces. Families support and nurture those in need of care. New Zealand is an inclusive society where people are able to access information and support.
This Project fits as part of the answer to the MSD’s desired outcomes.
About Loaves and Fishes
The aim of this project is to provide lunches, as a temporary measure, free of charge, to children, whose families are experiencing a period of difficulty. It is not intended as a service because a child has forgotten to bring his or her lunch, has decided to eat it on their way to school or a parent has merely decided not to make a lunch that day. Its aim is to provide a ‘hand-up’, rather than a ‘hand-out’. The lunches will be coupled with various free educational courses for the parents. The parents and courses will be matched to provide the best help for the family circumstances.
Why
There is a large body of evidence that shows the behavioural improvement in children that are well fed. There are also many statistics showing how many children are coming to school without breakfast and/or lunch. Assisting the parents to get involved in making their child’s lunches may help other areas in their family life.
Full project proposals, verifying statistics, expected community benefits and outcomes are available for further information.
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Contact: Anne-Marie McCarten
Planning Positively for the Future
Tuesday, 1 April 2008
Martin Cowling, one of Australia’s leading consultants on the management of not-for-profit organisations, spoke at the March 2008 National Council meeting on the differences between the various generations in today’s society; their lifestyles, the different ways they undertake volunteer activities and the way they communicate and organise their time and activities. The general feeling among Council members was that the presentation had ‘hit the nail on the head’ and that it was a real prod for the Society to act upon.
Martin has been engaged to undertake a survey of the Society in New Zealand. He is to survey a random sample of Presidents, Youth Coordinators and the National Board and report back before the July 2008 Board meeting.
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Contact: Anne-Marie McCarten