IHC Volunteering Programme - Waikato
The IHC volunteer programme is about one-to-one friendship in the community. This is what makes being a volunteer for IHC so unique.
Spend time doing what you want to do, when you want to do it, with a person with an intellectual disability.
You don't need to do anything different. Just keep doing what you usually do and include someone with similar interests, for example you like to walk your dog? Then take your new friend. You enjoy going to cafes for a coffee? You can take your friend as well.
This is a great way to give something back to the community without you making any changes to your life.
You and the person with the intellectual disability choose how you spend your time. It is not time specific. There is choice. There is flexibility. The emphasis is on fun together.
The relationship is one-to-one. This means that you spend time with only one person, so you both to get to know each other in order to develop a friendship. You must be at least 17 years old to apply.
Go out and have fun, in just the same way as everyone else does.
Why one-to-one?
Because many people with an intellectual disability tell us that most people in their lives are paid staff and family. By getting involved in the IHC one-to-one programme you can make a change in one person's life just by being a friend! Simple!
Life is better with friends! Help a person with an intellectual disability experience a good friendship and have fun in the process, doing the things you enjoy. What greater gift can you give than friendship!
Do you enjoy getting out and about, watching sport, have an interest in fishing, planes, vehicles or trains?
Do you enjoy going for short walks, browsing the shops, visiting cafes or going to the movies? Help a person with an intellectual experience, who is lonely, to experience a great friendship with you, to also do these things
Be an advocate and make a difference for people with intellectual disabilities
