Become a Sanctuary Volunteer
We need you!
The Sanctuary is only possible thanks to the dedication and care of our 300-strong community of volunteers. Each year, they give over 20,000 hours to the Sanctuary. We couldn’t do it without them – they are the backbone of the Sanctuary.
We need you (as an individual, a group or a business) to help restore and care for this unique environment – become a Sanctuary volunteer and get involved in this incredible community project.
There are thirteen different volunteer teams you can choose to join, for as little or as much time as you have – many of our volunteers are members of more than one team. View our teams below and the timings and availability for each team is listed on the form at the bottom of the page.
“Volunteer work is satisfying, good exercise, engages the brain and a social connection”
“Really enjoy helping out at the visitor centre. Wish I could do more but only have a couple of days during the working week available and generally no weekend availability”
If you are a business or organisation and interested in Corporate Volunteering for your team, please complete this form here.
Tour Guiding Team
If you enjoy engaging with the public and sharing your knowledge of conservation and the Sanctuary, join our Tour Guiding Team. Your role is to take visitors on various themed walks in the Sanctuary e.g. glow-worm / night walk, trees, plants, birds etc.
Field Support Team
This team is based at the Sanctuary Visitor Centre and works together to prepare the thousands of tracking cards we use to detect pests and checking those cards when they are returned from the field.
Visitor Centre Hosts
If you enjoy engaging with the public and are available for a minimum commitment of six hours / two shifts a month, join our VC host team. Full induction and training provided before first day.
Planting and Gardening Team
If you enjoy native plants and wildlife and are of moderate fitness – join our Planting & Gardening Team. Your role is the gathering, propagating and planting of natives around the Visitor Centre and campground.
Fence Inspection Team
If you enjoy walking/hiking distances (sometimes over difficult terrain (rocky, steep, slippery) and have good eyesight for spotting fence mesh damage – join the Fence Inspection team to help ensure the integrity of the pest-proof fence.
Fish Support
If you enjoy helping to care for fish – join our Fish Support team and help care for our fish in the Visitor Centre.
Bird Monitoring Team
If you’re capable of identifying birds both by sight and sound, join the Bird Monitoring Team. You must be relatively fit and be confident working independently in the bush. People with prior experience conducting five-minute bird counts would be great. There are two bird monitoring projects—please ask the bird monitoring team coordinator about these.
Track Maintenance Team
If you are of good physical fitness, have a set of good boots(!) and enjoy being out in the Sanctuary – join the Track Cutters! Your role is to maintain the tracks throughout the Sanctuary.
Assets Team
Maintaining facilities, building and vehicles as well as carpentry and building works in the yard and around the fence. If you are of average fitness and enjoys a variety of practical tasks, join the assets team.
Events & Promotions Team
Helping at events and to raise crucial funds for everyday costs in the Sanctuary, such as maintenance of the protective fence.
Fence Maintenance Team
If you are of moderate fitness and enjoy using tools and being in the outdoors around our fenceline – join the Fence Maintenance Team. Your role is general maintenance of the fence to retain pest-free status.
Weeding Team
If you are of moderate fitness and enjoy being in the outdoors – we’d love your help removing invasive plants from the Sanctuary.
Pest Detection Team
If you enjoy rugged hiking in the busy, have good boots (!) and are of moderate fitness – join the Pest Detection Team. Your role is walking through the Sanctuary and checking and setting tracking tunnels and traps.
The Process
Starting as a volunteer at the Sanctuary is simple and you will be fully guided through every step. You can kick off the process of by filling out the form below. The details of your volunteering interest will then be sent to Sabrina our ‘Volunteer Connector’; Sabrina will get in touch with you to further explore your interest in volunteering with the Brook Sanctuary.
Once your interest is confirmed, Sabrina will then introduce you to the relevant volunteer team leader(s), and they will then take over the process of inducting you into the team, introducing you to other team members, going over Trust policy and procedures, health and safety training and more. The team leaders are responsible for rostering team members and communicating team news and events to members. As a volunteer you will be invited from time to time to special events, and you’ll receive an internal newsletter intended to keep volunteers informed of news and developments across the organisation.
He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.
What is the most important thing in the world?
It is the people, the people, the people.
Complete the form below to start the process