General Manager: Cheryll Martin

Cheryll is the General Manager of Volunteering Auckland (since 1995).   

Cheryll is a current Executive Member of the New Zealand Federation of Voluntary Welfare Organisations [NZFVWO].  She was a member of the Ministerial Reference Group for the International Year of Volunteers, 2001; and was a community representative on the Ministry of Social Policy Volunteers & Volunteering Policy Project.

Cheryll has a particular interest in where volunteering fits within our communities from all aspects – arts, sport, conservation, health, social services, etc and the impact it can have on both the individual, the community/voluntary sector and the communities within which we live, work and play.  She is also a strong believer in making volunteering accessible and sees volunteering as an active form of Citizen engagement.  She also advocates for the right to spontaneous voluntary action and the freedom of an individuals’ choice of where and how to volunteer towards the benefit of the common good. Cheryll is also a strong advocate of the principles behind effective volunteer management and of the need for community groups/non-profit organisations to revisit their volunteer management practices regularly. 

Additionally, Cheryll has 1 daughter, 3 grand-daughters, 1 cat and is the volunteer  coordinator for the Auckland Stock and Saloon Car Club at Waikaraka Park, Auckland where she enjoys participating in Demolition Derbys.

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Services Coordinator [Internal]: Marja van Straaten

 Marja has been with Volunteering Auckland since January 1999. Her current role is Services Coordinator [Internal] and this involves ensuring that the office runs smoothly, with adequate staffing levels for admin support and our recruitment and referral programme; this includes supervision and training of staff. 

She also liaises with member organisations so we have their up to date information and current volunteer vacancies so our database holds accurate information for our team to work with.

Marja enjoys most about her work is seeing a very positive side to people in general.  First of all the fabulous team of volunteers who make it all happen at VA, and there are those who have gone well beyond what could be expected.  And then there are those who come through our doors looking for a voluntary opportunity to make a difference in the community; whether it be to give something back, course related study, work experience or building new networks, they all give of their time and skill to make a difference to someone else’s life.  This is a spirit of Volunteering and a great environment to work in!

Her days off are spent with family and friends and her 5 grandchildren who keep her on her toes!  

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Services Coordinator [External]: Giselle Fasher

Giselle Fasher has been with Volunteering Auckland since June 2009. She brings her skills from a advertising and PR background to coordinate the Team Volunteering Programme and Volunteering Auckland’s marketing activities.  Giselle says that moving from a corporate environment to the Not-for-Profit sector has been a big change and she’s constantly discovering new aspects of the volunteering sector. “Although not always visible it is certainly wide-reaching!”

Giselle’s heritage is Greek, Scottish and English and she grew up in South Africa. She emigrated to New Zealand in 1996 where she met her Kiwi husband…a good move, she says!  In her free time Giselle enjoys spending time with her husband, walking Auckland’s lovely beaches (when the weather’s favourable!) or skiing (when they can afford it!), catching up with friends, reading, learning about other cultures and following creative pursuits (currently re-learning to draw with pastels).

Giselle’s current favourite quote is: ‘“Love thy neighbour” is a command, not a piece of advice.’ – Bono, The Observer, 2006.

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PA to General Manager: Angela Radosits

Angela Radosits has been with Volunteering Auckland since November 2008.  She brings her skills from a non-profit organisation (Open Society Institute Budapest - member of the Soros Foundation network) to assist the General Manager as well as coordinate the logistics for Volunteering Auckland’s training programme.  Angela says that moving from Hungary to New Zealand has been a big change and she is very excited to learn more about New Zealand’s voluntary sector.

Angela’s heritage is Croatian, German, Hungarian and Polish and she grew up in Hungary. She came to New Zealand for the first time in 2007 for two weeks as a tourist and one year later she came back to stay for more.  She says, “It`s not hard to fall in love with this country, the beautiful nature and all the colours you can hardly see anywhere else.”  She has been living in Auckland since January 2008.  She enjoys spending time in the nature, doing line-dancing, beading and meditating.

One of Angela’s favourite quotes is: “I wanted all things that might enjoy life…I was given life I may enjoy all things…” seen in Rapaura Gardens, Coromandel, New Zealand.

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