Volunteers
Volunteers play a key role in helping Special Olympics NZ deliver so many opportunities, activities and great experiences for our athletes. We rely on 2500+ volunteers to support and enable the delivery of the programmes across New Zealand, facilitating access to year round training and competition for adults and children with intellectual disabilities.
Special Olympics NZ are looking for energetic volunteers to take on roles that are crucial for the smooth operation of clubs and events. We are committed to recruiting a diverse and vibrant team of volunteers who reflect the communities we live in.
What volunteer role is right for me?
Club volunteers
Club volunteer roles vary greatly, some volunteers are coaches who commit hundreds of hours every year while others give an hour or two to drive athletes to an event when it fits into their otherwise busy life.
Roles include
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Sports coach / Assistant coach
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Athlete 1:1 support
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Driver
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Administrator
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First Aider
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Treasurer
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Fundraiser
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PR (Photography, Social Media, Website)
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Chair Person
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Event Manager
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Data Entry / Results
How can I become a Club volunteer?
We encourage anyone interested in volunteering to contact your
Once you have gone through the application process and become a volunteer, the club you volunteer with will mentor you. The mentor will support in identifying the role(s) you would like to do and assist your skills development.
National volunteers
When big events like National Games come along, hundreds of people come together to roll out a great event for all our athletes. People volunteer their skills in photography, writing, data entry, journalism, graphic design and much more.
National volunteers help us out all over the country throughout the entire year.
If you have a skill and want to become a National volunteer, get in touch by emailing us at
Healthy Athletes volunteers
If you are a health care professional who would like to donate some of your time to help our athletes, Special Olympics New Zealand would love to hear from you.
For more information check out our Healthy Athletes page and email us at
Volunteer Recognition
We could not function without our outstanding volunteers, and have a number of awards to recognise and celebrate the outstanding work that individuals put in to support and run the Special Olympics clubs across the country.
For more information on volunteer awards