C
617 days ago

Restock science kits for Kiwi kids – volunteer Top-up Team superstars needed

Cate from Island Bay

Help the House of Science, a Charitable Trust, with its work taking awesome practical science kits into primary and intermediate schools. The ‘Top-up Team’ helps clean, sort and replenish science kits that have been loaned out from our Wellington Branch's kit library (based at Miramar Central School) to local schools from the South coast up to Pukerua Bay.

You don’t need to know anything about science to be a valued volunteer member of our Top-Up Team, but you can’t help but get interested in all the cool activities in these kits and you’ll wish they existed when you were at school!

Volunteers are needed once a fortnight during school terms on Thursday afternoons and/or Friday mornings and/or Friday afternoons. A two hour shift would be most practical, but longer help would be very welcome! It can be a regular thing, or you might be keen to go on a list of just 'now and then' volunteers - either way, we'd love to hear from you!

We're looking for people who:
- want to be part of a small but fun volunteer team making a contribution to Kiwi kids' education
- can confidently read and follow recipes, checklists and instructions
- have good attention to detail and do 'sweat the small stuff'
- aren't afraid to ask for help when they're not sure about something
- care about making everything ‘just right’ so schools receive quality resources
- can lift and move around carrying items of up to 10 kg
- can get themselves to our base at Miramar Central School.

Note: a Police check will be required, since you'd be working on school grounds.

If you're interested, please If you're interested, please contact Cate Shave on cate.shave@houseofscience.nz or 021 554 702.

More messages from your neighbours
19 days ago

Six tips for improving security around your home

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

1) Improve outdoor lighting
Ensure that streets, driveways, and front yards are well-lit. Motion-sensor lights around homes deter trespassers by reducing hiding spots and illuminating their movements.

2) Trim your trees
Overgrown shrubs and trees provide cover for intruders. Keeping them well-trimmed around windows and doors improves visibility and reduces potential hiding spots.

3) Secure Entry Points
Ensure doors, windows, and gates are always closed when you are away from the house. Upgrade to more secure locks, deadbolts, or even smart locks for added protection.

4) Add a security camera
Place security cameras in the main entry points to your home. Doorbell cameras are also relatively cheap and a great way to keep track of who is visiting your home when you aren't there.

5) Start a Neighborhood Watch Program
You could reach out to members on Neighbourly to form a group of neighbors who can regularly keep an eye out for suspicious activity and report it. You could also check with Neighbourhood Support to see what is existing in your area.

6) Introduce yourself to your neighbours
The closer you are to your neighbors, the more likely they’ll notice when something unusual or suspicious is happening around your property

Feel free to share anything that you do around your area to deter crime.

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7 days ago

What workplace change would you like to see most?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

This coming Monday is Labour Day in New Zealand. This public holiday marks when the eight-hour workday and 48-hour workweek became law in 1899. The idea started with Samuel Parnell, a carpenter in Wellington, who in 1840 refused to work more than eight hours a day. Since skilled workers were in short supply, his employer had to agree.

As more skilled workers arrived, employers tried to change working conditions, but Parnell and others kept pushing for better rights. In 1890, Parnell led a Labour Day parade of 1,500 people to promote the eight-hour day. He passed away shortly after, and nine years later, Labour Day became an official public holiday.

Do you feel that we have reached the ideal in working environments yet? What rights are you passionate about relating to employment? Share your thoughts!

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9 hours ago

Combining biking with bus travel

Sue from Brooklyn

Hi neighbours
Anyone out there who, like me, would love to bike more, but have difficulty getting their bike on the rack on the bus ? It's sometimes necessary, so as to avoid steep hills and roads where I don't feel safe.
Metlink say their drivers aren't meant to help.