We walked to the Sustainability Trust and listened to a presentation on the organization. We also took a tour of the facility. I learned how difficult it can be to work in a small trust because there is limited funding for what you are trying to accomplish. For example, the manager of the Trust talked about how the organization use to employ certain in-house workers, such as designers. However, due to limited funding and budget reallocation, these positions were no longer part of the Trust. Also, the Trust relies heavily on volunteers, who make up the bulk of the labor. The manager admittedly stated that the Trust’s work would not be financially feasible without the hard and dedicated work of these volunteers. The manager talked about how every day at the Trust is different, and she is asked to wear many different hats, which is something that differs from working at larger organizations. For example, she told us that one day she could be doing strictly paperwork and the next day she could be helping sort trash. It was interesting how she mentioned this so nonchalantly, as she is so used to taking on this work. On the tour of the facility, I learned how the Trust utilizes the very small space it occupies, and how the use of that spaces changes based on events. After the tour, I took a bus to the base of Mount Albert. On the way up the mountain, I learned through the signage how the top is used as a park and a center for volunteers.
