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Welcome to this special e-newsletter marking the 15th anniversary of the start of the Student Volunteer Army (SVA).
Fifteen years ago, Christchurch was coming to terms with the aftermath of the magnitude 6.3 earthquake that had struck on 22 February 2011.
Last Saturday, 300 students rolled into the RedZone as part of the SVA’s ‘BIG GIVE’ event, our largest annual activity, with University of Canterbury students, I reminded these students to look out for the driveway curbs – one of the only signs left where 7000 homes once stood and are now gone.
The Student Volunteer Army you see today is the result of many people contrbuting their time, energy, money, skills and passion for volunteering. The seed of the idea came to me after the Christchurch earthquakes where I started a facebook page. After each earthquake, it grew until we had over 11,000 people of all ages and backgrounds involved. It was coordinated by a team of 70+ volunteers from different organisations, clubs and backgrounds. The idea was simple and the motivation was there within all of us.
Those first few days were a blur, but what we were doing mattered. That response also shaped the model we use around New Zealand today. We encourage everyone to find a problem worth solving, build a team of people with different skills to your own, and work together to make it better.
To everyone who was apart of Student Volunteer Army after the earthquakes, or helped shape what is the SVA today, we want to acknowledge and thank you. I hope you can be proud of the movement that has been created and the legacy you left behind.
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248 secondary schools active in the SVA Service Award
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Seven university clubs
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Hundreds of disaster responses complete (around six per year now!)
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Programmes operating in Tasmania and South Australia
Thank you to everyone who volunteered in those early days, supported SVA along the way, served on an exec or board, donated or partnered with us. Most of all, thank you to our volunteers who keep showing up to help.
On this anniversary, I am delighted to say that the Student Volunteer Army is thriving. We would love to reconnect with those who helped build it. If you were part of SVA, please join our SVA Alumni LinkedIn or follow us on Instagram to stay connected.
See the TV1 News coverage of the 15th Anniversary here.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” — Margaret Mead
Sam Johnson
Founder and Chair
Student Volunteer Army
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