Volunteers are such a crucial part of our cross-sector learning model at Te Uru Amokura | Springboard Trust. The sharing of diverse perspectives and approaches across sectors strengthens strategic leadership skills not only for our school leader participants, but also for our volunteers.
The insights we receive from volunteers via our evaluation surveys powerfully demonstrate these benefits and also help us continuously improve our programmes and volunteer experience. We’re thrilled to share a summary of our volunteer evaluation surveys from 2024 which you can read below. Here are some highlights for volunteers:
· Extremely high satisfaction – Net Promoter Score of 85
· Enhanced professional skill development and confidence
· Application of reflective and collaborative practices in their workplaces
· Personal growth and inspiration through working with school leaders
2024 Te Uru Amokura | Springboard Trust Volunteer Evaluation Summary
This evaluation highlights the strong engagement, high impact, and ongoing development offered by the 2024 Te Uru Amokura | Springboard Trust volunteer experience. Feedback across all areas confirms the vital role volunteers play in supporting educational leadership in New Zealand.
Participation continued at high levels, with 156 volunteers supporting Te Uru Amokura | Springboard Trust’s programmes and a substantial portion contributing across more than one initiative. The 49% response rate to the volunteer survey provides a robust foundation for understanding community sentiment. Demographically, the volunteer base closely mirrors Pākehā/NZ European rates nationally, but there remains an under-representation of Māori, Pacific, and Asian ethnicities. Growing diversity remains both a challenge and an opportunity—one that Te Uru Amokura | Springboard Trust recognises as essential for deepening its impact and inclusivity.
Volunteer satisfaction is extremely high. The opportunity to connect with diverse communities, support meaningful purpose, and develop both personally and professionally were rated as the most significant benefits. Nearly all survey respondents experienced growth in applying their skills, understanding different perspectives, and contributing to positive change—reflected in strong weighted averages (all above 5 out of 6) across every impact item. The particularly high Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 85 further underscores volunteers’ willingness to recommend Te Uru Amokura | Springboard Trust to others.
Skill enhancement and application stood out as the most reported professional development outcome, underlining the hands-on, practical nature of volunteering with Te Uru Amokura | Springboard Trust. Volunteers also consistently reported wider benefits: exposure to new contexts and diversity; increased confidence; leadership development; strategic thinking; and reflection. Many noted a sense of personal fulfilment and pride in giving back, accompanied by greater empathy and sector awareness.
Volunteer feedback indicates that volunteering with Te Uru Amokura | Springboard Trust encourages participants to adopt more open, reflective, and collaborative approaches when navigating challenges in their professional lives. There is also a deepening empathy for the unique challenges within the education sector and the value of collaborative and reflective practices.
The experience of working closely with school leaders left a profound impression on volunteers. Themes of resilience, dedication, and professionalism in principals were repeatedly emphasised, with many likening school leadership to high-level executive roles in terms of complexity and responsibility. Volunteers expressed increased humility and admiration for educators, a broader understanding of the leadership journey, and recognition of the loneliness and pressure school leaders often face. Collaboration with school leaders, as well as with each other, was described as both professionally instructive and personally inspiring.
While the programme is highly regarded, volunteers offered several constructive ideas for further improvement:
- Increasing opportunities for peer networking and connection
- Improving communication and defining clearer expectations and feedback loops
- Streamlining workshops and time management for greater focus and efficiency
- Enhancing induction processes and preparatory materials
- Better matching of volunteers to school leaders
- Exploring more options for in-person engagement
- Recognising and showcasing volunteer contributions, especially for those in business
- Offering expanded roles and empowering volunteers with greater flexibility
These practical suggestions underscore a desire for deeper collaboration, ongoing learning, and more visible celebration of volunteer impact.
The tone of volunteer comments is overwhelmingly positive, animated by a sense of pride, gratitude, and humility in being able to contribute to a worthwhile cause. Volunteers value both the opportunity to help others and their own learning and growth through the Trust. The spirit of continuous improvement, balanced with appreciation, reflects a mature and committed community.
Meaningful Insights and What Stands Out
- Te Uru Amokura | Springboard Trust volunteers are motivated by both altruism and self-development, with personal fulfilment and the sense of making a difference coming through clearly.
- Diversity, particularly ethnic diversity, remains an area for growth and will be critical to future programme relevance and reach.
- The programme not only delivers for schools and leaders, but also consistently upskills and develops volunteers, reinforcing Te Uru Amokura | Springboard Trust holistic model of community impact.
- Volunteers highly value being trusted to adapt and tailor their approach, seeking empowering, flexible, and self-directed ways to contribute and connect.
Te Uru Amokura | Springboard Trust’s volunteer model is more than just a way to support school leaders; it actively builds a thriving, reflective, and motivated community dedicated to educational and personal growth. By acting on volunteer insights—especially around inclusivity, connection, and communication— Te Uru Amokura | Springboard Trust can help sustain and grow the impact of volunteering well into the future.
