Volunteer with us
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”
The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand relies on the passion, talent, and dedication of our volunteers. Every week, volunteers play a vital role in keeping our history alive, welcoming visitors, and helping us educate the public. By giving your time, you become an active defender of memory, helping us build a more empathetic and inclusive Aotearoa New Zealand.
Find your place: Who we are looking for
We welcome volunteers from all walks of life, Jewish or non-Jewish. Whether you have a few hours to spare on a Sunday, contribute to a one-off project, or possess professional skills to share, you fit into one of our core community groups:
Heritage and community keepers: Individuals with personal or family connections to the Holocaust who want to ensure these critical stories are preserved and respected.
History and archival enthusiasts: Researchers, teachers, or students who possess a deep interest in historical truth and want to work directly with our collections.
Social justice advocates: People passionate about human rights who want to counter modern discrimination, bias, and antisemitism.
Retirees and social seekers: Seniors looking for a regular, meaningful social routine where they can apply decades of life experience to a vital cause.
Career builders and students: Corporate workers or students looking to donate high-impact professional skills (like marketing, IT, or legal advice) to a non-profit, whilst helping build their CVs.
Current volunteer roles and requirements
1. Visitor hosts
Location: Wellington
Shifts Available: Sundays and Mondays: 9.45 am - 1.10 pm (Public opening hours: 10 am - 1 pm)
The role: You are the face of the Centre. You will maintain a welcoming, safe, and inclusive environment, welcome visitors, introduce our mission, and guide guests through our core exhibits. You will also undertake basic admin tasks, maintain our daily visitors log, handle merchandise sales and room setup for events. This can be a regular slot, or on a casual basis.
2. Volunteer educators
Location: Wellington and Auckland
Shifts: Scheduled around group and school bookings (typically Years 7–13, as well as adult groups like U3A, Rotary, and corporate teams).
The role: Deliver structured, impactful educational programmes developed by the Centre. You will always work and present as a team, never alone. This role will be on a casual basis, as needed.
Requirements:Must have previous teaching experience (formal or informal learning environments), effective presentation skills, and a commitment to completing our internal presenter training course and observation sessions.
Other needs:
Volunteers also actively support the Centre across fundraising, collections management, library management, social media, marketing, and special project work depending on their skills and availability; many volunteers give service across departments.
The benefits of volunteering
Giving your time to the Centre is a deeply rewarding experience. As a valued member of our small team, you will enjoy:
Tangible museum and archival experience: Gain practical, behind-the-scenes insights into running a cultural institution.
Deepen your knowledge: Expand your understanding of the Holocaust and its unique historical connections to New Zealand.
Teach and empower others: Play an active part in passing vital life lessons and empathy on to the next generation.
Skill development: Grow your confidence, public speaking, and leadership abilities.
Holocaust Centre Membership: Receive a complimentary free Holocaust Centre of New Zealand Membership after 3 months of active volunteer service.
How to apply
Ready to join our community? Becoming a volunteer is simple:
Submit an expression of interest: Complete our online application form to let us know which role suits your background and location.
Induction and training: We provide comprehensive training, orientation periods, and resource materials so you feel fully supported.
Police vetting: Because our volunteers work extensively with school groups and sensitive historical data, all successful applicants undergo standard New Zealand Police Vetting.
Service partnerships
The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand partners with:
Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington for interns under its Bachelor of Arts - Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Internship programme.
Austria Services Abroad, an organisation recognised by the Austrian Ministry of Social Affairs according to the Austrian Law for Voluntary Work for sending people abroad within the framework of alternative national service or voluntary work.
Got questions?
If you have a specific interest and queries in educational delivery, please contact our Education Director: educdirector@holocaustcentre.org.nz
For all other enquiries, please contact our Operations Manager: operations@holocaustcentre.org.nz