The organisation won Volunteer South’s National Volunteer Week celebration stories competition, submitting a story that highlighted the benefits of its programme, which matches volunteers with adults with an intellectual disability.
IHC Dunedin volunteer co-ordinator Gillian Marshall said the purpose of the gathering was to thank the volunteers.
"To celebrate your contribution and the impact that you have on your friends, on the community, their families, their carers and the wider community and the IHC itself.
"You have a massive impact and you all give your time freely and we couldn’t thank you enough for doing that," she said.
Volunteer South operations manager Charlotte Molloy said the the purpose of the organisation was to connect volunteers with the community.
"It always speaks to my heart when I actually get to be in a room with people that are doing it.
"The community work that happens in New Zealand and right across the world is so important and I think a lot of it goes unseen, so it is a great opportunity to celebrate you and the people you work with."
This was the first time Volunteer South had run the celebration stories competition and the judging panel said the submitted stories were "fantastic".
They were moved by the "beautiful relationships" that developed between the IHC Dunedin volunteers and those they had been partnered with.
"Knowing that you are out and about and finding those same connections and ways of enjoying each other, being out in the community and being seen and just having that lovely open time, it changes the world," she said.
IHC New Zealand national manager volunteering and community development Sue Kobar said the volunteers were "absolutely amazing" and she was very proud of the volunteer programme.
She also thanked Ms Marshall for the work she had done since starting her role less than a year ago.
"You are doing an amazing job and I just can’t wait to see what you do over the coming years."
