Volunteer with VSA

Kia ora, Gude and warm Pacific greetings,
  
Te Whāinga | Our Purpose is

Te Hono Tangata - Te Huringa Ora.  

Ka hono a Te Tūao Tāwāhi i ngā tūao pūkenga ki ngā whakahaere me ngā hapori i te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa me tua atu, hei tautoko i ngā wawata kua tautuhia ā-rohe, ā, kia tutuki ai te panoni toitū. 

Connecting People – Transforming Lives. 

Volunteer Service Abroad connects skilled volunteers with organisations and communities in the Pacific and beyond to support locally identified aspirations and achieve sustainable change.  

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About the role

This is your opportunity to become a VSA Volunteer to share your experience, skills and knowledge to serve and build capacity in Papua New Guinea. Work alongside our local partner organisation to plan and create a brighter future for all.
  
We are looking for an experienced Entrepeneur or someone with the right level of transferrable skills, who understands and shares the spirit of volunteering, with a keen interest in building capability in the Pacific (while embracing a new cultural experience).

This assignment aims to train, mentor, and support young people and community members in entrepreneurship and small business development, enabling them to transform ideas into sustainable ventures.

By nurturing entrepreneurial skills, confidence, and resilience, the role will equip participants to identify local opportunities, develop viable enterprises, and contribute to reducing unemployment while improving community well-being.

The length of this assignment in the Papua New Guinea will be 9 months.

VSA will support you by funding and organizing your flights, visas, insurances, accommodation, living allowance and utilities while you are on assignment.
  
Ngā tino Pūkenga/Wheako – Essential skills/experiences for the role
If you are interested in this opportunity, below are some of the key skills and experiences that we’re looking for.

•  Qualification in entrepreneurship, business management, economics, vocational training,
  or a related field.
  Experience
• Designing and delivering training programmes in entrepreneurship, small business development, or livelihood creation.
• Supporting SMEs, community-based enterprises, or agribusiness ventures, ideally in resource-constrained or rural settings.
• Strong mentoring, coaching, and facilitation abilities, with proven capacity to transfer knowledge in accessible and engaging ways for youth and community members.
• Microfinance, cooperatives, savings groups, and other small-scale financing mechanisms for community enterprise development.
• Partnership-building with community leaders, government agencies, churches, and NGOs to strengthen livelihood programmes.

     Desirable

• Prior experience working with youth or women’s groups in livelihood and entrepreneurship development.
• Knowledge of digital tools and mobile platforms for training, mentoring, or financial inclusion.
• Understanding of gender equity and social inclusion approaches in community enterprise. 

 
  
Important note: Due to our VSA funding requirements, our volunteers must be a NZ citizen or NZ Permanent Resident to progress further in our recruitment process.
  
Our Partner Organisation – (Name of Organisation and insert information below and delete this bracket)

The Archdiocese of Rabaul, based at Vunapope in Kokopo, is a key provider of healthcare, education, and social support across East New Britain Province. It manages St Mary's Hospital and a network of rural clinics under Catholic Church Health Services (CCHS), ensuring accessible healthcare in line with national standards.

Today, the Archdiocese is expanding its role in community development by addressing youth unemployment, improving livelihoods, and strengthening social cohesion. Young people in Papua New Guinea continue to face persistent challenges, including limited formal employment opportunities and social pressures, particularly in rural and marginalised areas. Yet PNG youth are widely recognised for their creativity, resilience, and cultural strengths, which can be harnessed to drive positive change. In addition, the country's abundant natural resources—especially in agriculture and agribusiness—offer significant opportunities for youth-led enterprise and sustainable community development.

The Assignment

In partnership with the VSA PNG Programme, the Archdiocese of Rabaul is committed to empowering youth and strengthening community resilience through practical, inclusive, and values-based approaches to enterprise development. The assignment will combine training, mentoring, and hands-on experience to help participants create ventures that are both economically viable and socially and culturally relevant. By fostering local innovation, strengthening livelihoods, and promoting community ownership, this initiative aims to build stronger, more cohesive ward communities across East New Britain Province.
  
The Country – Papua New Guinea
Most people living in Papua New Guinea (PNG) are Melanesian, but some are Micronesian or Polynesian. PNG has over 800 known languages although there are three official languages: Tok Pisin, English, and Hiri Motu. Numerous indigenous languages are still used by people from a society that ranges from traditional village-based life to modern urban living.

Underlying the Papua New Guinean culture is the wantok system. Wantok, or ‘one talk’, refers to the people who speak your language or your extended family/clan; a Papua New Guinean’s primary loyalty will be to their wantok.
  
The country is predominately Christian, with indigenous faith and spirituality still important to many locals.
  
The people of Papua New Guinea are famously warm and hospitable and the isolated mountain ranges are often home to unique fauna and flora found nowhere else in the world.
  
Me pēhea te tuku tono| How to apply:
Apply for this opportunity through our website.
For more information or if you have any questions on this assignment, email volunteer@vsa.org.nz.

Applications close on: 16th November 2025

For a copy of the Assignment Description, please click the apply button which will direct you to the VSA website.  You will be able to download a copy from the advertisement.

We are looking for a volunteer with:

• Design and deliver tailored training programmes on entrepreneurship
• Coach youth and community members to develop business ideas and test them out
• Provide guidance on accessing microfinance and small scale financing operations