Join a RNZYS Committee, or Volunteer in other ways!

Posted August 3, 2023

In Club Racing, Member Interest, News, Squadron Events, Uncategorised

As we continue to sail into exciting new waters through our reset journey, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYS) invites you to become more involved as an active volunteer within our esteemed club.

We are thrilled to extend this special call for members to put their hand up for the General Committee and various other committees or wider volunteer roles within the club, and join the vibrant volunteer community that is enjoyed by many.

Volunteering at RNZYS is an incredible opportunity to contribute your unique skills and passion to our club community. Whether you are an experienced sailor, a seasoned event planner, a marketing guru, a tree lover, maintenance superstar, or a strategic thinker, there’s a role for you to make a difference.

1. General Committee
The General Committee plays a vital role in shaping the future of our club and in many ways is not dissimilar to the Board of a $6 million dollar company. If you have a strong commitment to RNZYS, possess excellent leadership qualities, and a vision for its continued success, consider nominating yourself for a General Committee role when nominees are called from the 4th to 10th of August.

As a General Committee member, you will actively participate in decision-making processes, provide valuable input, and work collaboratively with other members. Our General Committee needs experts in Food and Beverage, Property Management, Finance, Law and Business Leadership to give us the best chance of success and lead our club into the future.

General Committee members also serve on a minimum of one subcommittee in a leadership role and each month, contribute 15-20 hours to Committee meetings, meeting preparation, supporting the delivery of committee initiatives and general club activities. To be considered for the General Committee you must be a Full Member of the RNZYS.

2. Sub Committees

We have various specialised committees that focus on specific aspects of our club’s operations. These include:

Sailing Committee: Contribute to the planning and execution of racing events that keep our sailing community energised.

Race Management Committee: represent the Race Officials who run our racing. R

um Race Committee: Organise and host our Rum Racing social programme.

Cruising Committee: Organise and host our Cruising Series, cruising dinner and other cruising focused events for Members.

Boat Maintenance Committee: Support the club’s fleet of boats, including this season, the introduction of the new Elliotts and ensure we have sound management plans for each boat.

Handicap Committee: Join our dedicated team of handicappers to support our racing offering.

Membership and House Committee: Help us grow and nurture our membership base, ensuring that every member feels valued and engaged and support all house activities including organising unforgettable social gatherings, and celebrations that bring our members together.

Sustainability Committee: Support all areas of the club to improve our sustainability efforts.

Kawau Committee: Support our activities at Kawau Island including the reforestation project.

Future Auckland Committee: Consider non-sailing issues that may impact on our members and club operations such as the Unitary Plan, relationship with Panuku and Auckland Council.

If you are interested in joining any of our sub committees please email feedback@rnzys.org.nz. All committee members are required to be club members.

3. Wider Volunteer Roles

We also offer various wider volunteer roles during events and regattas and through the year that suit a variety of individuals. These roles are equally essential and provide a fantastic opportunity to participate and engage with our membership and wider community on a more casual basis.

We welcome everyone to volunteer and support the club – and there is no requirement for membership to support the club through voluntary work.

Volunteer Opportunities include but are not limited to:

Race Management Team – assist our Race Officers with running our programme of races through the year. This includes helping to start/ finish races, laying buoys in the mark boat, and many other on and off water roles

Judges and Umpires – helping our qualified Judges and Umpires with protest hearings, arbitration & on water judging for major events.

Youth Training Week ‘Camp Parents’ – spend a week at Kawau as part of our Youth Week supporting our team and the students.

Kawau Property Maintenance – shortly we will be having two weekend working bees to deal with building related maintenance requirements.

Event Host – join our team and host our New Member nights, and Pins presentation events and many others by welcoming guests, and assisting with the smooth running of a specific event.

Boat Maintenance – volunteer short periods of time to assist with specific boat maintenance tasks.

Race Management Volunteers – join our team and learn all the aspects of running great yacht races. All ages are welcome. Media – help us out with writingphotography and videography to share with members.

Rib Safety Boat drivers – support racing and events like our Squadron Weekend at Kawau by driving our Ribs to support event needs.

Kawau Island Tree project – join us as we plant the next 2000 trees as part of our legacy project and maintain the project through active weeding and management.

Start/Finish Boat – volunteer yourself and your boat to start and/or finish some of our destination races. Volunteering at RNZYS not only allows you to give back to the community you love but also provides a platform for personal and professional growth. By participating in committees or wider volunteer roles, you’ll expand your network, gain valuable experience, and forge lasting friendships with fellow enthusiasts.

If you’re interested in any of these wider volunteer opportunities, please join us on Saturday 24th September, 10am for a volunteer information session. Over complimentary hot drinks and morning tea, we’ll give an overview of the options and have time to discuss.

Please RSVP to reception@rnzys.org.nz or let us know if you can’t make it but still want to be involved. We look forward to having you join our volunteer team!

Should you have any questions or require more information about specific committee roles or volunteer opportunities, please don’t hesitate to reach out! Together, we can chart the course for a brighter and more vibrant future for RNZYS.

We eagerly await your involvement in shaping the path ahead! Fair winds and happy sailing, we look forward to seeing you at the club soon.

We eagerly await your involvement in shaping the path ahead! Fair winds and happy sailing, we look forward to seeing you at the club soon.