Student Volunteer Army

01/06/2026

We are so pleased to share that our founder and chair Sam Johnson has been appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours, for services to the community and youth.

Sam and 12 friends started SVA in 2011 with a Facebook post. Within days, 11,000 students had followed their lead and showed up with shovels. The Student Volunteer Army now operates in 258 secondary schools and six universities, runs disaster responses across the country, and last year alone recorded 852,643 hours of volunteering by young New Zealanders.

The honour recognises Sam, but the citation tells a story that belongs to a lot of people. Every student who signed up, logged hours, showed up for a neighbour, or led a project at their school is part of what this recognises. Young people are contributing to their communities every single day. SVA exists to make sure that contribution is seen, counted, and celebrated.

Congratulations, Sam. We are glad the country is seeing you too.

05/05/2026

We’re on the hunt for a storyteller. 🎥✨

Not just any storyteller…
Someone who feels the impact, spots the moments others miss, and knows how to bring them to life.

At Student Volunteer Army, incredible things happen every day—people showing up, communities coming together, small actions creating real change. We need someone who can capture that energy and share it with the world.

If you love:
Turning real stories into powerful content
• Creating videos that make people stop scrolling
• Writing meaningful posts that inspire young students
• Putting together engaging newsletters
• Experimenting with fresh, creative ideas and formats

Then we want to hear from you.

This is a volunteer internship (ideal for students or early-career creatives) where you’ll gain hands-on experience, build a strong portfolio of real work, and receive mentorship along the way—all while being part of something genuinely impactful.

If you’re already part of an SVA club or registered with us, that’s a big plus—we’d love someone who knows the vibe and lives the impact. But if not, bring the energy anyway.

This isn’t just comms—it’s storytelling, creativity, and showing the real impact behind what we do.

Keen? Show us what you’ve got.
Apply via the link in our bio and send through something you’ve created—video, post, anything that tells a story.

21/04/2026

Lucas at moved from Taiwan to New Zealand in 2023, and he joined SVA a year later.

He described his SVA experience as helping him "bridge the cultural gap and understand the power of collective youth action."

For Lucas, serving at Heart Kids NZ, Activate Church, and the Auaha Makerspace (Te Kete Aronui Rototuna Library) has been my most transformative experience.

At the Auaha Makerspace, Lucas spent 60 hours assisting PHD Simon Laing. He found supporting younger students in exploring technology and seeing their confidence grow through hands-on creation incredibly rewarding.

At Heart Kids NZ, Lucas experienced another side of volunteering. He practised patience, empathy and emotional awareness while fundraising.

A defining moment for Lucas occurred in mid-September 2025. Just one week after his knee surgery, He returned to fundraise for Heart Kids NZ. Even while recovering and with a heavy bandage on my leg, he felt a strong purpose to support children facing health challenges.

Lucas has learned the valuable lesson of resilience and perseverance from this experience and of how challenges can shape people for the better and give us a deeper purpose to serve others.

Finally, Lucas has one piece of simple advice for all the student volunteers, and that is TRY EVERYTHING!!!

21/04/2026

The Student Volunteer Army also has our own SVA Service Award Programme to recognise the incredible contribution of student volunteers.

When students log 5, 32, 250, and 500 hours through our platform, SVA sends a physical badge to onboarded schools to celebrate these important milestones.

Students also receive an SVA certificate, a Summary of Service, and digital badges as part of their recognition.

Onboard your school now and join the SVA Service Award Programme today!

19/04/2026

SVA is closely monitoring the heavy rain situation in Wellington.

With more wind and rain predicted, SVA does not advise our student volunteers to participate in any response work today.

In extreme weather, your safety always comes first.

In the meantime, SVA is talking to local authorities today to plan how we can best support the community once the weather clears.

Please stay home, check on your family, friends and neighbours, and keep an eye on our social media for any updates on SVA’s response work.

If you need support from SVA, please reach out to us at [email protected].

18/04/2026

15/04/2026

If your region is impacted by Cyclone Vaianu, don't wait around. This is what Sam learned from 15 years of experience with SVA.

1. Identify what you can help

Can you physically help with the clean-up? Do some baking for people affected? Could you encourage your school leaders or teachers to organise a Student Volunteer Army when school starts? Will you be the organiser—like Sam was—and help mobilise people?

2. Build your team

The key thing is not to volunteer alone. Gather a small group—a carload is ideal, or at least one other person. If you're part of a school or club, try to organise a minivan or bus. Can’t drive? Ask your parents, older siblings, or friends to help! It’s not about the number of people—it’s just about helping.

3. CREATE a plan, and get an adult to check it

Watch the news and check local community pages to see who might need help. Then think about when it would be safe to go and what you’ll need. Always wait for the weather to clear, and be sure to volunteer in groups. SVA is deploying groups all the time, so we may be able to help—or just head out to the areas you know are affected and muck in.

4. Think about your safety

Wearing gloves is very important, as flood debris is usually contaminated. You’ll have most of the safety equipment you need at home: gloves, old clothes or sports gear that can get dirty. Always take a water bottle and some food with you. A first aid kit in the car is always a good idea too!

5. Make it happen

Showing up and offering help is #1. Make sure to tell an adult where your group is going and when you’ll be home.

10/04/2026

Cyclone Vaianu is going to reach New Zealand this weekend.

As always, the student volunteer army is ready to step up for communities across New Zealand.

But this can’t be done without your help.

This year, SVA has set up a new disaster response fund to help rebuild our communities after crises.

By donating to SVA’s disaster response fund, you will support us to step up for people who might be affected by Cyclone Vaianu.

Thank you in advance for your generous support of us!

https://svafoundation.raiselysite.com/

10/04/2026

We’ve already been making a huge impact across Southland in 2026 — and we’re only just getting started 💛

So far this year, Southland Student Volunteer Army has been proud to support some amazing initiatives, including The Shoe Booth, Southland Community Challenge, and Cancer Society Otago Southland Relay for Life.

On top of that, our students have been out in their own communities, stepping up and doing awesome mahi where it’s needed most — and we couldn’t be prouder.

And we’re not slowing down anytime soon 👊
We’ve still got 5 more events locked in for the rest of 2026, with even more to be announced!

If you’d like to support what we do and help us keep making a difference, you can donate here:
👉 https://svafoundation.raiselysite.com/

Need a hand with an event or community project?
We’d love to help — get in touch with us at:
📩 [email protected]

Let’s keep building a stronger Southland, together 💛

Central Southland College Fiordland College James Hargest College Menzies College Māruawai College Southland Boys' High School Southland Girls' High School St Peter's College, Gore NZ Verdon College

09/04/2026

Here is what you can do to prepare for Cyclone Vaianu before it reaches New Zealand this weekend.

Swipe to learn more ->

Student Volunteer Army is preparing to mobilise if needed after the cyclone!

Please don't hesitate to contact us via email at [email protected] if you need help with any cleanup as a result of the flood.