Volunteer at Ngā Manu

Do you enjoy being part of a team, love being immersed in nature and want to make a difference to your community?

Our volunteers are a vital part of Ngā Manu and we would love your support. We welcome volunteers from all walks of life, and have different roles depending on your skills, experience, availability and fitness. You must be over 15 years old to apply and acceptance.

available Volunteer roles at Ngā Manu

a group of Waikanae school children feeding the ducks and enjoying a day at Ngā Manu nature reserve on the Kāpiti coast.

Ngā Manu Kids' Party Host

Youth & Children | (Some)Afternoons / Weekends. Love working with kids and nature? Become a Kids' Party Host at Ngā Manu! You'll lead fun, nature-focused activities and guided walks for groups of up to 15 children (ages 5–10), making their birthday celebrations unforgettable.

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The lounge in Theo's Cottage an overnight stay experience at Ngā Manu nature reserve in Waikanae on the Kāpiti coast.

Theo's Cottage Housekeeping

Theo's Cottage is one of Ngā Manu's best visitor experiences. Guests get to experience the reserve after the public have gone and are treated to a stunning native bird dawn chorus. The housekeeping team cleans and resets the cottage ready for new arrivals. This role is flexible in terms of days and times and is shared among a group of committed housekeepers - join the team now. We require you to be flexible with days and times, plus have an eye for detail and pride in your work. We would need one to two hours per clean, up to 1-3 times a week.

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Night vision used for photography of the Kiwi during a Kiwi Night Encounter at Ngā Manu nature reserve in Waikanae on the Kāpiti coast.

Kiwi Night Encounter Guide

Do you love our national bird, the Kiwi, and want to support a local organisation that’s passionate about conservation? Then volunteering as a KIWI NIGHT ENCOUNTER GUIDE could be for you. Our Kiwi Night Encounter guides give small groups an introductory talk about the secret lives of our precious kiwi and then takes visitors to our behind-the-scenes kiwi breeding enclosure for a close-up experience. Kiwi Night Encounters run every night from Thursday to Sunday, and other weeknights by arrangement, at dusk. Full training is given, and guides always work in pairs.

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Groups of families spending a Summer day at Ngā Manu nature reserve in Waikanae on the Kāpiti coast.

Visitor Centre Host

If you enjoy interacting with people and adding value in a public facing conservation-based role this is perfect for you. Nga Manu Nature Reserve is looking for a great allrounder to welcome our visitors and sell our experiences and tours. You will be the face of Nga Manu welcoming our visitors in our visitor centre. The role includes explaining what to see and do at Ngā Manu, selling admissions, tours and retail merchandise. You'll add real value to Nga Manu and conservation broadly by offering and upselling tours, experiences and programmes. There are some general duties such as retail display, ensuring the shop and visitor centre is presented well, and maintaining our visitors' facilities including bathrooms when required.