Following the strong success of its 2024 pilot programme in Jiangxi Province and the expanded delivery across Jiangxi and Sichuan in 2025, HONGI is proud to announce a significant expansion of its China Volunteer Programme for 2026.
Next year, volunteers will have the opportunity to live and volunteer in seven distinct locations across China, each offering a very different regional, cultural, and social experience. This expansion reflects growing confidence from Chinese partner institutions, alongside increasing interest from New Zealand volunteers who are keen to experience China beyond a single city or province.
For 2026, volunteer placements will be available in Jiangxi, Sichuan, Fujian, Guangdong, Shanxi, Gansu, and Tianjin—spanning eastern, southern, northern, western, and coastal China.
One of the most important lessons from previous cohorts is that China cannot be understood as a single culture. Each province has its own history, dialects, food traditions, social rhythms, and ways of life. Volunteers consistently describe how moving between regions reveals entirely different sides of the country.
Returning volunteer Tia experienced this firsthand. After completing her initial placement in Jiangxi Province in 2024, she returned in 2025 as a group leader in Mianyang, in Sichuan Province.
“Jiangxi and Mianyang were completely different experiences,” Tia said. “Both were incredibly welcoming, but the culture, food, pace of life, and even how people interacted felt very distinct. It really opened my eyes to just how diverse China is.”
Her journey from eastern China to the southwest captures the reason behind HONGI’s regional expansion—giving volunteers the opportunity to understand China as a country of many cultures, not a single story.
For many volunteers, this increased choice is a major draw. Stevie, who volunteered in 2024, says the expansion makes the programme even more appealing.
“I loved my time in China and always hoped I could return and experience another region,” Stevie said. “Knowing that future volunteers will have so many options across the country is amazing. Every place offers something different.”
That sense of curiosity and exploration is encouraged within the programme, while still grounding each placement in meaningful, school-based and community-focused exchange.
For Axel, who volunteered in Jiangxi Province in 2025, the new locations have already sparked interest in returning.
“I’d love to go back to China and experience a completely different province,” he said. “Fujian really interests me. I’ve heard there are strong cultural connections between some of Fujian’s indigenous communities and Māori culture, especially around identity, land, and tradition.”
These reflections—where volunteers begin drawing cultural parallels and asking deeper questions—sit at the heart of the programme’s people-to-people focus.
Each region selected for 2026 offers something unique. Jiangxi, where the programme began, remains known for its strong community connections, slower pace of life, rich natural landscapes, and welcoming host schools. Sichuan, including cities such as Mianyang, blends a relaxed lifestyle with vibrant food culture, deep history, and respected education institutions.
Fujian offers a coastal perspective, shaped by maritime trade, overseas Chinese communities, and long-standing connections beyond China—elements that resonate strongly with New Zealanders. Guangdong provides insight into modern, globally connected China, with fast-growing cities, innovation, and exposure to contemporary urban life.
Shanxi showcases some of China’s oldest history, with ancient temples, traditional courtyard architecture, and a strong sense of heritage. Gansu, stretching along the historic Silk Road, introduces volunteers to dramatic landscapes, desert environments, and a diverse mix of ethnic cultures. Tianjin, as a major northern city near Beijing, offers a window into large-scale urban China, where historic neighbourhoods sit alongside modern institutions and international influences.
While the volunteer role remains consistent across all locations—supporting English learning, cultural exchange, and community engagement—the surrounding environment, lifestyle, and cultural experience can differ greatly from one placement to another.
Looking ahead to 2026, HONGI aims to send over 100 volunteers to China across two intakes, creating one of the most regionally diverse, non-profit volunteer exchange programmes between New Zealand and China.
For prospective volunteers, this expansion means greater choice, deeper learning, and a broader understanding of China—not as a single destination, but as a country shaped by many histories, cultures, and communities.
Applications are now open for the 2026 HONGI China Volunteer Programme. Whether it’s your first time overseas or you’re hoping to return and explore a new part of China, 2026 offers more opportunities than ever before to learn, connect, and grow through meaningful cultural exchange.
👉 Learn more about the programme and apply through the HONGI website.
