Hilary Smith is President of the national executive committee of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages in Aotearoa New Zealand (Incorporated) Te Rōpū Whakaako Reo Ingarihi ki Iwi Reo Kē (TESOLANZ). She is also active in the committee of MANATESOL, the Manawatu branch of TESOLANZ. TESOLANZ is a networking community for all English language teachers - including teachers of migrants or international students, and informally or formally in primary schools, private language schools, or tertiary institutions.
For more information on TESOLANZ and its branches, click here.
Hilary has also contributed to the training of English Language Partners in Palmerston North, the local branch of English Language Partners New Zealand (formerly ESOL Home Tutors). Home tutors volunteer to work with a new arrival to Aotearoa New Zealand on their English.
For more information on English Language Partners New Zealand, click here.
Steve Haslett is a former President (2002-2004) and remains actively involved in the work of the New Zealand Statistical Association (NZSA). He is currently a member of the Executive and a member of the Survey Appraisal and Public Questions Committee (SAPQC), which responds to requests for evaluation of statistical issues which are in the public interest.
For more information on the work of the SAPQC, click here.
Steve is also the current Managing Editor of the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Statistics.
Steve as NZSA President presenting Alistair Scott with life membership, Palmerston North (2003). Photo: NZSA.
Hilary and Steve are both committed to supporting the work of VSA (Te Tuao Tawahi: Volunteer Service Abroad). In the last 40 years VSA has sent over 2000 volunteers to work with local colleagues in Asia, Africa and the Pacific. This is a two-way process where volunteers contribute to and learn about issues of international development, both overseas and when they return home.
For more information on VSA and the work of VSA volunteers, click here.
Hilary receiving VSA life membership from Governor General Hon Anand Satyanand, VSA President Gavin Kerr, and VSA Chair Farib Sos, Wellington (2006).
Hilary was a VSA volunteer in Tonga (1981-82) and Papua New Guinea (1984-85), and a co-sponsored VSA and United Nations Volunteer in the Lao PDR (1988-91). Click here for an article she wrote about her experiences in VSA's magazine Vista. The support of New Zealand-based volunteers for VSA's work is essential. Hilary currently chairs the Manawatu Branch, and chaired the VSA Council, VSA's national governing body, from 1996 until 2005. This involved leadership of the elected council members from around Aotearoa New Zealand, and occasional representation overseas, as shown below.
VSA volunteer Polly Maitland and counterpart Hiêp demonstrate physiotherapy equipment, taken during Hilary's trip to the VSA project in Qui Nhon, Viet Nam (2004).
National University of Samoa, venue for the Pacific Association of Teacher Educators (PATE) Conference in Apia, Samoa (2004). Hilary presented on the place of VSA volunteers in Pacific education.
