Voluntary roles proving hard to fill
PHOTO: ODT FILES
Queenstowners seem less willing to put their hands up for voluntary roles than before, a community arts stalwart says.
Queenstown Arts Society chairwoman Tracy Porteous says the organisation has been looking for a treasurer for nearly six months, and the situation's "getting urgent".
It's also getting difficult to fill its committee roles, something she's aware other local non-profits are also struggling with.
Porteous says she's noticed a "sea change" in people's willingness to volunteer, and thinks the Covid pandemic and ensuing economic shock may be partly to blame.
"I think the new economic realities of life are slowing people down in terms of giving service to the community."
A fine arts photographer who has been the arts society's chair for the past 18 months, she says incorporated societies are required by law to fill the roles in their constitutions. Those requirements are set to become more stringent next year when new legislation comes into effect.
When a lack of volunteers puts too onerous a burden on committee members, there's a risk of people walking away.
She's urging locals to think about how they can contribute, because in her experience "you receive a lot in return".
"You feel more connected, and you see the value of the effort you make, which feels good."
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