Volunteer Roles – Get Involved with the New Zealand Alpine Club Canterbury Westland Section

The Canterbury Westland Section is looking for passionate members to help shape and support our club activities. We’re seeking volunteers for the following roles:

• Winter Instruction Coordinator

• Summer Instruction Coordinator

• Section Evenings Organiser

• West Coast Representative

If you’re keen to give back to your local alpine community, help others build skills, and create opportunities for people to get into the mountains we’d love to hear from you.

Winter Instruction Coordinator 

Purpose:Coordinate and support the delivery of our winter instruction programme.

Key Responsibilities:

• Plan and schedule winter instruction courses (e.g. snowcraft, avalanche skills, alpine skills).

• Liaise with instructors and support their availability.

• Work with the Section Committee to set course dates.

• Ensure safety, documentation, and communication are managed effectively.

• Promote courses to members.

Summer Instruction Coordinator

Purpose: Oversee the organisation of summer instruction and skills development opportunities.

Key Responsibilities:

• Coordinate rock climbing and navigation instruction courses.

• Work with instructors to set course content and dates.

• Support participant communication and registration processes.

• Help identify new opportunities for summer-based skills development.

Section Evenings Organiser 

Purpose: Create engaging and social club evenings that bring members together.

Key Responsibilities:

• Organise guest speakers, films, or member presentations.

• Book venues.

• Promote events to members.

• Help foster a welcoming and inclusive club culture.

• Run the evening and introduce the night and speaker.

West Coast Representative  

Purpose: Represent members based on the West Coast and strengthen connections across the region.

Key Responsibilities:

• Act as a point of contact for West Coast members.

• Share local insights with the Section Committee.

• Help initiate or support West Coast-based trips and events.

• Encourage local participation and engagement.

Roles Are Dynamic

Our current roles continue to evolve as the club grows. If you’re interested but feel you might fit slightly outside the descriptions above, we still encourage you to get in touch.

We’re open to shaping roles around the right people and adjusting current committee positions to make the best use of everyone’s strengths.

Passionate About Something Else?

We’re also looking for enthusiastic and diverse members who want to contribute more generally. That might look like:

• Organising climbing events

• Running club trips

• Supporting instructional days

• Helping with new initiatives

• Bringing fresh ideas to the Section

If you’re passionate about getting into the mountains and giving back to your local alpine community, there’s likely a way to get involved.

If any of the above sparks your interest — or if you have a different idea about how you’d like to contribute — please contact Sam at cw.chairperson@gmail.com

Let’s keep building a strong, skilled, and connected alpine community together