Volunteer Grandparents (or Aunties/Uncles) Needed
This is a volunteer role quite like no other!
We are looking for awesome individuals or couples who would like to support a local family and act as a surrogate grandparent (or Auntie/Uncle).We have a waiting list of families all over NZ who don't have grandparents living nearby or for whatever reason they don’t have the amount of contact with their own grandparents that they would like, and are looking for people like you to fill the void! The arrangement is incredibly beneficial - families gain loving support and you get to feel a sense of purpose and belonging from the relationship.
Surrogate Grandparents was born out of a desire to address loneliness in New Zealand and recognised that this loneliness is as real for under-supported parents as it is for older people. The organisation’s matching process builds loving support networks for families - the bonds that form then address issues of social isolation and loneliness.
“The beauty of what we do is that each relationship that we match evolves in its own way; we merely plant a seed and then the family and their grandparent nurture it” says founder Jo Hayes. She goes on to explain that for some families it may be important to have someone to share outings with, while for others it may be sharing hobbies or attending school visits. You may love to share stories with young ones, while your surrogate grandchildren can put their technology skills to good use to help the you stay more digitally connected. This truly is a case of you get out what you put in.
Our biggest need currently is in Auckland, the Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay, Wellington & Christchurch. However we welcome applications from all over the country - we will find a family for you - wherever you are!
You are welcome to apply as an individual - or if you wish to apply with your partner (husband/wife) as something that you can volunteer with together - that is also very much welcome and encouraged.
Please check out our video for more information about us: www.youtube.com...
Please apply via our website, or email us on info@surrogategrandparents.org.nz for more information.
What's On: Improve Health with Qigong
Improve Health with Qigong
- Warkworth town Hall
Poll: Have you ever been bullied?
People associate bullying with children in schools, but it can actually stretch beyond childhood to workplaces or neighbourhoods.
This Friday is Pink Shirt Day, which began in Canada in 2007 when two students took a stand against homophobic bullying after a new student was harassed for wearing pink. People across the globe are now encouraged to wear pink on this day to take a stand against bullying and promote inclusivity.
Have you or your whānau ever experienced bullying? Share your thoughts on Pink Shirt Day below.
Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the Conversations column of your local paper.
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79.9% Yes
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19.6% No
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0.5% Other - I'll share below
ONE DAY YOU WILL DIE
Life is short. What would you do if you had just one more year to live?
It’s a scary question for a Life Coach to ask, but it’s one that’s well worth considering every year or so to help check your life is on track. It’s not a morbid question, it's a life-affirming one because it helps focus on what really matters and what you should be doing with your life.
You might want to start doing something that you have been putting off for years. It might be something big, or something relatively small. For example, you might have wanted to take up painting portraits, buy a dog, hire a camper van and explore the USA, or reconnect with an old friend you have not seen for years. The question highlights what’s important to you.
Thinking it through, I realised that I’ve known for a while as l get older, I need to improve my flexibility and balance. I’d like to practice Yoga, but the trouble hasd been I’d always come up with reasons why not: ‘men don’t go to yoga’ ‘I don’t have the right clothes for it’ ‘too expensive’ etc. Recognising life is short, the good news is I’ve now enrolled in a yoga class and feel good about it.
You might want to stop doing something. We all have bad habits we’d like to change, little things like cutting back on TV, doughnuts or social media, or bigger things like improving difficult relationships.
One coaching client I worked with was a kind and gentle guy at home and with friends, but he told me that at work he was the opposite. He was rude to customers, unhelpful to other staff, and generally a prize-winning grump.
Considering life is short, he came to realise he was suffering from work ‘burnout’ and was not behaving like the person he wanted to be. He eventually found a new job. Although it did not pay as well, it was less stressful and gave him space to be kind and gentle. In that way it was more consistent with his overall values.
Let me know what answers you come up with. I’d love to hear from you.
I offer a free introductory life coaching session. Call me now to book Ph 021 264 2506
This is a regular life coaching blog from Steve Brown Hibiscus Life Coach – please share with anyone you think would be interested.
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