Hi Martin,

Andy sent this to Vol QLD on my behalf...

Don

-----Original Message-----
From: ozvpm@yahoogroups.com [mailto:ozvpm@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
Martin J Cowling
Sent: Thursday, 3 December 2009 11:49 PM
To: ozvpm@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: {Disarmed} RE: [OzVPM Newsgroup] Press Release: Vol Qld
launches scholarship for Managers of Vols

Hi all
I have zapped this message across to Jelenko Dragisic, the CEO of
Volunteering Queensland as I know he would be concerned about this
experience.
It is a great initiative and I be interesting  to know what went wrong with
the responses. Don, do you know  specifically where you send the enquiry to?
I.e. Which email or form? Anyone else tried the system?
Thanks

--            Martin J Cowling
>> CEO
>> People First -Total Solutions
>>
>> Effective People, Better Organisations, Stronger Society
>>
>>
>> Telephone:
>> Australia: 1 300 781 357 (local call charge)
>> USA/Canada: 1 888 606 7387 (Toll free)
>> United Kingdom: 020 8133 7991
>> New Zealand:
>> Other International: +61 3 9016 3450
>>
>> www.pfts.com.au
>>
>> Everything about this email and its attachments, is only for the eyes and
>> ears of the person(s) to whom it has been addressed (i.e. the persons
whose
>> names appear in the "To" section of the email; however, those listed in
>> sections "CC" and "BCC" may also consider themselves included in the
>> addressee group!). In the event that there is no physical, emotional or
>> spiritual resemblance between you and the intended recipient(s), you have
>> been mistakenly or deliberately omitted from the addressee group, someone
>> has sent it to you, or you have pinched it. If you're not supposed to
have
>> access to this email, please do not forward it to others. Please delete
the
>> email and when done - please let us know of our error at
privacy@...
>> Oh, one more thing: views expressed in this message are those of the
>> individual sender, except where the sender specifically states them to be
>> the views of People First -Total Solutions. Thank you for reading and
>> understanding this - and have a good day!




On 3/12/09 6:43 AM, "Don Cameron" <donc@...> wrote:

>
>
>
>
>
> Hi Andy, Bernice,
>
> Just by way of feedback - my original query and contact details were
forwarded
> to Volunteering Queensland 3x weeks ago however to date there has been no
> reply.
>
> We have decided not to proceed further with scholarship enquiries however
this
> is still disappointing on several fronts, mostly because it again
reinforces
> that oft-heard criticism of volunteer associations - a lack of
professionalism
> when it comes to volunteer/constituent communications. It's not only
potential
> volunteers who are frustrated by poor organisational processes.
>
> Don
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ozvpm@yahoogroups.com <mailto:ozvpm%40yahoogroups.com>
> [mailto:ozvpm@yahoogroups.com <mailto:ozvpm%40yahoogroups.com> ] On Behalf
Of
> Don Cameron
> Sent: Monday, 9 November 2009 6:36 AM
> To: ozvpm@yahoogroups.com <mailto:ozvpm%40yahoogroups.com>
> Subject: RE: [OzVPM Newsgroup] Press Release: Vol Qld launches scholarship
for
> Managers of Vols
> Hi Bernice,
>
> The original post was made here, and I thought if represented Vol QLD
might
> like to offer explanation here... it's all good PR for them and in their
> interests to better explain the scholarship.
>
> I'm sure my daughter will give them a call if she thinks it's worth
further
> investigation. I'm just being like any other Dad in looking out for her
> interests :-)
>
> Don
>
>
>
>
>>>



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links

Hi all

For anyone who is interested, a brief summary of some of the 2009  IVMDay
activities and achievements from around the world has now been compiled and can
be found on the OzVPM Home Page at www.ozvpm.com

Cheers
Andy Fryar
OzVPM

Hi all
I have zapped this message across to Jelenko Dragisic, the CEO of
Volunteering Queensland as I know he would be concerned about this
experience.
It is a great initiative and I be interesting  to know what went wrong with
the responses. Don, do you know  specifically where you send the enquiry to?
I.e. Which email or form? Anyone else tried the system?
Thanks

--            Martin J Cowling
>> CEO
>> People First -Total Solutions
>>
>> Effective People, Better Organisations, Stronger Society
>>
>>
>> Telephone:
>> Australia: 1 300 781 357 (local call charge)
>> USA/Canada: 1 888 606 7387 (Toll free)
>> United Kingdom: 020 8133 7991
>> New Zealand:
>> Other International: +61 3 9016 3450
>>
>> www.pfts.com.au
>>
>> Everything about this email and its attachments, is only for the eyes and
>> ears of the person(s) to whom it has been addressed (i.e. the persons whose
>> names appear in the "To" section of the email; however, those listed in
>> sections "CC" and "BCC" may also consider themselves included in the
>> addressee group!). In the event that there is no physical, emotional or
>> spiritual resemblance between you and the intended recipient(s), you have
>> been mistakenly or deliberately omitted from the addressee group, someone
>> has sent it to you, or you have pinched it. If you're not supposed to have
>> access to this email, please do not forward it to others. Please delete the
>> email and when done - please let us know of our error at privacy@...
>> Oh, one more thing: views expressed in this message are those of the
>> individual sender, except where the sender specifically states them to be
>> the views of People First -Total Solutions. Thank you for reading and
>> understanding this - and have a good day!




On 3/12/09 6:43 AM, "Don Cameron" <donc@...> wrote:

>
>
>
>
>
> Hi Andy, Bernice,
>
> Just by way of feedback - my original query and contact details were forwarded
> to Volunteering Queensland 3x weeks ago however to date there has been no
> reply.
>
> We have decided not to proceed further with scholarship enquiries however this
> is still disappointing on several fronts, mostly because it again reinforces
> that oft-heard criticism of volunteer associations - a lack of professionalism
> when it comes to volunteer/constituent communications. It's not only potential
> volunteers who are frustrated by poor organisational processes.
>
> Don
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ozvpm@yahoogroups.com <mailto:ozvpm%40yahoogroups.com>
> [mailto:ozvpm@yahoogroups.com <mailto:ozvpm%40yahoogroups.com> ] On Behalf Of
> Don Cameron
> Sent: Monday, 9 November 2009 6:36 AM
> To: ozvpm@yahoogroups.com <mailto:ozvpm%40yahoogroups.com>
> Subject: RE: [OzVPM Newsgroup] Press Release: Vol Qld launches scholarship for
> Managers of Vols
> Hi Bernice,
>
> The original post was made here, and I thought if represented Vol QLD might
> like to offer explanation here... it's all good PR for them and in their
> interests to better explain the scholarship.
>
> I'm sure my daughter will give them a call if she thinks it's worth further
> investigation. I'm just being like any other Dad in looking out for her
> interests :-)
>
> Don
>
>
>
>
>>>



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi all
Cross posting this from our sister group in England (UKVPM's)
It is yet another good example of what the UK are doing right in volunteerism at
the moment that we can all be learning from
Andy Fryar
OzVPM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Greater London Volunteering

London's leading voice for volunteering

News Release: 5th December (UN International Volunteer Day)

Recession Boom for Volunteers: 2.5 Million Volunteers to Benefit from
Excellent Management

5th December marks the launch of London's Volunteer Management
Charter, the first of its kind across the UK. Over the past year 90% of
Volunteer Centres in the UK have had an increase in volunteering
enquiries. This is clearly evident in London with figures increasing by
over 600% in thef irst 6 months of 2009 compared to the same period in
2008 for Volunteer Centre Greenwich. Greater London Volunteering's
network aims to ensure that new volunteers resulting from the
recession's impact will find relevant, interesting andvaluable
opportunities.

The Charter has been developed by Greater London Volunteering in close
consultation with the London Volunteer Centre network. It gives clear
guidance to what makes for excellent volunteering experiences, and
provides assurance for volunteers looking to get involved in and support
London's communities.

Over 50 partner organisations have joined together to begin to respond
to the huge increase in demand for volunteering opportunities in the
capital.

Researchby YouthNet in 2009 evidenced the need for an increased supply
ofvolunteering opportunities. This is further echoed by The Institute of
Volunteering Research's findings in 2008 which identifies the need
to respond to the demand for volunteering with an improved supply of
quality opportunities and by strengthening the volunteering
infrastructure.

Working through the Volunteer Centre network across Greater London, the
Experts in Volunteering team will be reaching out to organisations of
all shapes and sizes over the next 3 years.

Quotes

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson:

"I welcome the London Volunteer Management Charter as an exciting
initiative that will continue to improve volunteering experiences in our
capital. Every hour donated by volunteers helps make London a more
civilised and pleasant place in which to work, visit and live. Earlier
this year we launched our volunteering website where there is an
abundance of volunteering opportunities. I would urge more people to get
out there and give it a go."

Sean Cobley, Chair, Association of Volunteer Managers:

"The Association of Volunteer Managers really welcomes initiatives
such as GLV's Charter of Good Practice which promote good volunteer
management,and help to highlight that volunteer involvement needs to be
planned and resourced properly. "

Editors notes

The Charter supports organisations to prepare and support volunteers,
and will be followed up with advice, training and referrals to develop
volunteering programmes.

The Charter has ten strands of good practice which are Equal
Opportunities, Expenses, Induction, Organisational Involvement, Personal
Development, Recruitment Process, Resolving Difficulties, Reward and
Recognition, Safe Volunteering Environment, and Support.

Volunteer Centres in London support at least 50,000 people, matching
them to nearly 10,000 voluntary and community groups. (IVR 2008)

By signing the Charter organisations are committing to developing the
strands above and will be offered a Volunteer Management Health Check,
where one of the Experts in Volunteering Team will draft an action plan
to look at areas where the organisation can improve.

The programme is as much about developing volunteer management from
scratch, as it is to recognising volunteer management practices that are
adhering to best practice.

The GLV Experts in Volunteering programme is funded by the Big Lottery
Fund to 2012, and is driven by the need to increase the supply of
quality volunteering opportunities for volunteers, whilst supporting
voluntary groups to deliver vital activities to local communities.

GLVacts as the regional umbrella body for regional volunteering
development agencies and Volunteer Centres, or their equivalent, to
influence, communicate, capacity-build and coordinate provision of
support for volunteers and volunteer-involving organisations.

For volunteering opportunities in London please visit the 'Volunteer
London' website at www.london.gov.uk/volunteer
<http://www.london.gov.uk/volunteer> .This website has been created to
make it easier for Londoners to find fantastic opportunities to lend a
helping hand in their communities. There is a wealth of detailed
information on a range of organisations to suit every interest such as
gardening, mentoring or caring for people, working with animals and
getting involved in sports and arts groups

Further information: www.expertsinvolunteering.org.uk
<http://www.expertsinvolunteering.org.uk/> or www.glv.org.uk
<http://www.glv.org.uk/>

Anne Layzell, Experts in Volunteering Development Manager

Greater London Volunteering

The Blackfriars Foundry, 156 Blackfriars Road, London SE1 8EN

Telephone: 020 7953 7317 | Email: anne@...
<mailto:anne@...>

07931588449

IVR research

London Volunteering Health Check- All fit for 2012

Hi all

We are pleased to let you know that information about the 2010 Retreat is now
available and bookings will immediately open for an exciting Retreat in March,
2010 in Adelaide.

The theme next year is:
Volunteer Management ~ What does it take?

Andy and Martin are back and joined this year international Faculty member Jayne
Cravens from the USA. We also have invited DJ Cronin from Queensland and Meg
Webb of Volunteering Tasmania to be our 2010 guest Faculty.

To download a brochure or book for next year's event visit www.vpmretreat.com.au

We are hoping for 21 graduates and 31 new people to join us, and hope to see you
there

Kind regards

Andy Fryar and Martin J Cowling

I agree.  That is why volunteer managers need a proactive national body to
represent them.

Bernice



From: ozvpm@yahoogroups.com [mailto:ozvpm@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Don
Cameron
Sent: Thursday, December 03, 2009 5:44 AM
To: ozvpm@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [OzVPM Newsgroup] Press Release: Vol Qld launches scholarship for
Managers of Vols





Hi Andy, Bernice,

Just by way of feedback - my original query and contact details were forwarded
to Volunteering Queensland 3x weeks ago however to date there has been no reply.

We have decided not to proceed further with scholarship enquiries however this
is still disappointing on several fronts, mostly because it again reinforces
that oft-heard criticism of volunteer associations - a lack of professionalism
when it comes to volunteer/constituent communications. It's not only potential
volunteers who are frustrated by poor organisational processes.

Don

-----Original Message-----
From: ozvpm@yahoogroups.com <mailto:ozvpm%40yahoogroups.com> 
[mailto:ozvpm@yahoogroups.com <mailto:ozvpm%40yahoogroups.com> ] On Behalf Of
Don Cameron
Sent: Monday, 9 November 2009 6:36 AM
To: ozvpm@yahoogroups.com <mailto:ozvpm%40yahoogroups.com>
Subject: RE: [OzVPM Newsgroup] Press Release: Vol Qld launches scholarship for
Managers of Vols
Hi Bernice,

The original post was made here, and I thought if represented Vol QLD might like
to offer explanation here... it's all good PR for them and in their interests to
better explain the scholarship.

I'm sure my daughter will give them a call if she thinks it's worth further
investigation. I'm just being like any other Dad in looking out for her
interests :-)

Don



No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 9.0.709 / Virus Database: 270.14.89/2539 - Release Date: 12/02/09
05:32:00



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi Andy, Bernice,

Just by way of feedback - my original query and contact details were forwarded
to Volunteering Queensland 3x weeks ago however to date there has been no reply.

We have decided not to proceed further with scholarship enquiries however this
is still disappointing on several fronts, mostly because it again reinforces
that oft-heard criticism of volunteer associations - a lack of professionalism
when it comes to volunteer/constituent communications. It's not only potential
volunteers who are frustrated by poor organisational processes.

Don



-----Original Message-----
From: ozvpm@yahoogroups.com [mailto:ozvpm@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Don
Cameron
Sent: Monday, 9 November 2009 6:36 AM
To: ozvpm@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [OzVPM Newsgroup] Press Release: Vol Qld launches scholarship for
Managers of Vols
Hi Bernice,

The original post was made here, and I thought if represented Vol QLD might like
to offer explanation here... it's all good PR for them and in their interests to
better explain the scholarship.

I'm sure my daughter will give them a call if she thinks it's worth further
investigation. I'm just being like any other Dad in looking out for her
interests :-)

Don

³it screams lack of priority in response to an organisations volunteer
management principals and practices ³

Sophia, In essence that's it. Something we talk about in our training

--            Martin J Cowling
>> CEO
>> People First -Total Solutions
>>
>> Effective People, Better Organisations, Stronger Society
>>
>>

Suggest contacting Volunteer Australia or state centre?


On 2/12/09 11:48 AM, "Andy Fryar (OzVPM Administration)" <andy@...>
wrote:

>
>
>
>
>
> Oh OK then
>
> If anyone else in the group has any knowledge of this initiative I'd
> love to learn more
>
> Cheers
> Andy Fryar
> OzVPM
>
> Martin J Cowling wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> > no
>> >
>> > On 2/12/09 11:11 AM, "Andy Fryar (OzVPM Administration)"
>> > <andy@... <mailto:andy%40ozvpm.com>  <mailto:andy%40ozvpm.com>>
>> > wrote:
>> >
>>> > >
>>> > > Hi Martin
>>> > >
>>> > > It all sounds as though it was very interesting - I am sorry I was not
>>> > > able to get there, so thanks for sharing this feedback with the group
>>> > >
>>> > > As a Board member with a regional Volunteer Centre I am interested to
>>> > > learn more about what was said regarding "a major restructure of the
>>> > > relationship between
>>> > > Volunteering Australia, the state centres and local volunteer centres".
>>> > >
>>> > > Was this expanded upon in the report at all?
>>> > > Do you have any additional information?
>>> > >
>>> > > Thanks
>>> > > Andy Fryar
>>> > > OzVPM
>>> > >
>>> > > Martin J Cowling wrote:
>>>>> > >> >
>>>>> > >> >
>>>>> > >> >
>>>>> > >> > I was just at the International Association for Volunteer Effort
>> > 12th Asia
>>>>> > >> > Pacific Conference in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. There were five
>>>>> representing
>>>>> > >> > Australia:
>>>>> > >> >
>> >
>> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>> >
>> >



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Yes, that's definitely one reason
Could you imagine a potential donor of cash not getting a response to their
cash donation. Why do we treat time differently?

--            Martin J Cowling
>> CEO
>> People First -Total Solutions



On 2/12/09 11:47 AM, "Raelene Harding" <rmitchell@...> wrote:

> This is a most unfortunate situation for any potential volunteer. May I
> suggest that perhaps there is no succession planning to the Volunteer
> Managment/Coordinator role whilst absent due to leave
> Rae Harding
> Jamestown
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>
>>>



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Yes, but this would not account for the 70% (according to Martin's survey) of
organisations that never respond to potential volunteer enquiries?

We publish an SLA monthly, to our executive, which states we respond to all
volunteer enquiries within 24 working hours.

I agree with Kerry, it screams lack of priority in response to an organisations
volunteer management principals and practices.

Sophia


________________________________
From: ozvpm@yahoogroups.com [mailto:ozvpm@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Raelene
Harding
Sent: Wednesday, 2 December 2009 10:48 AM
To: ozvpm@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [OzVPM Newsgroup] Plea of a Potential Volunteer



This is a most unfortunate situation for any potential volunteer. May I suggest
that perhaps there is no succession planning to the Volunteer
Managment/Coordinator role whilst absent due to leave
Rae Harding
Jamestown

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]





This e-mail, together with any attachments, is confidential and intended for the
named recipient(s) only. If you are not the intended recipient or have received
this message in error, you are asked to immediately notify the sender and delete
this message and any copies of this message from your computer system network
and destroy any printed copies of this email. Any form of unauthorised
disclosure, modification, distribution, publication or use of this e-mail
message is prohibited.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Martin J Cowling <martin@...> wrote:

> Further to that, many of you will know the research we do
> annually to find the response rate to volunteer enquries:
>
> 70% never reply to a potential volunteer,.....a scary
> statistic backed up by volunteer centres we talk to
> 30% reply
> 0% in 48 hours

And now you know, if you didn't already, any time a corporation or government
proudly and loudly announces a new, aggressive campaign to encourage more people
to volunteer...

And my husband's frustrating attempts to try to be a volunteer firefighter in
the USA lead to these blogs-o-mine in October:

"How easy is it to volunteer at your organization?"
http://blogs.forumer.com/jcravens/&thisy=2009&thism=09&thisd=30

"What really happens when someone wants to volunteer with you?"
http://blogs.forumer.com/jcravens/&thisy=2009&thism=10&thisd=2

These numbers are just sad.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Ms. Jayne Cravens MSc
Portland, Oregon

http://www.coyotecommunications.com

www.ivisit.com id: jcravens.4947
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

I wish more people would post about volunteer management-related workshops and
conferences they attend! I think it's really helpful!

Martin, what topic did you and Erin present on? (oops, just ended a sentence
with a preposition)

Martin, and anyone who was there, what workshops did you yourself find most
interesting?

And for anyone -- what does IAVE mean to you? How have you found it
useful/relevant to your work? Is anyone from IAVE on UKVPMs or OZVPM?


<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Ms. Jayne Cravens MSc
Portland, Oregon

http://www.coyotecommunications.com

www.ivisit.com id: jcravens.4947
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

This is a most unfortunate situation for any potential volunteer. May I suggest
that perhaps there is no succession planning to the Volunteer
Managment/Coordinator role whilst absent due to leave
Rae Harding
Jamestown

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Oh OK then

If anyone else in the group has any knowledge of this initiative I'd
love to learn more

Cheers
Andy Fryar
OzVPM


Martin J Cowling wrote:
>
>
> no
>
> On 2/12/09 11:11 AM, "Andy Fryar (OzVPM Administration)"
> <andy@... <mailto:andy%40ozvpm.com>>
> wrote:
>
> >
> > Hi Martin
> >
> > It all sounds as though it was very interesting - I am sorry I was not
> > able to get there, so thanks for sharing this feedback with the group
> >
> > As a Board member with a regional Volunteer Centre I am interested to
> > learn more about what was said regarding "a major restructure of the
> > relationship between
> > Volunteering Australia, the state centres and local volunteer centres".
> >
> > Was this expanded upon in the report at all?
> > Do you have any additional information?
> >
> > Thanks
> > Andy Fryar
> > OzVPM
> >
> > Martin J Cowling wrote:
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > I was just at the International Association for Volunteer Effort
> 12th Asia
> >> > Pacific Conference in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. There were five representing
> >> > Australia:
> >> >
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>

--
Andy Fryar
Director & Founder
     ~ OzVPM ~
Ph: 0413 515 851
email: andy@...
Website: www.ozvpm.com

Be sure to visit our bookstore at www.ozvpmbookstore.com



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

no


On 2/12/09 11:11 AM, "Andy Fryar (OzVPM Administration)" <andy@...>
wrote:


>
> Hi Martin
>
> It all sounds as though it was very interesting - I am sorry I was not
> able to get there, so thanks  for sharing this feedback with the group
>
> As a Board member with a regional Volunteer Centre I am interested to
> learn more about what was said regarding "a major restructure of the
> relationship between
> Volunteering Australia, the state centres and local volunteer centres".
>
> Was this expanded upon in the report at all?
> Do you have any additional information?
>
> Thanks
> Andy Fryar
> OzVPM
>
> Martin J Cowling wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > I was just at the International Association for Volunteer Effort 12th Asia
>> > Pacific Conference in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. There were five representing
>> > Australia:
>> >



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Further to that, many of you will know the research we do annually to find
the response rate to volunteer enquries:

70% never reply to a potential volunteer,.....a scary statistic backed up by
volunteer centres we talk to
30% reply
0% in 48 hours

--            Martin J Cowling
>> CEO
>> People First -Total Solutions
>>
>> Effective People, Better Organisations, Stronger Society
>>
>>
>> Telephone:
>> Australia: 1 300 781 357 (local call charge)
>>
>>
>> www.pfts.com.au
>>
>> Everything about this email and its attachments, is only for the eyes and
>> ears of the person(s) to whom it has been addressed (i.e. the persons whose
>> names appear in the "To" section of the email; however, those listed in
>> sections "CC" and "BCC" may also consider themselves included in the
>> addressee group!). In the event that there is no physical, emotional or
>> spiritual resemblance between you and the intended recipient(s), you have
>> been mistakenly or deliberately omitted from the addressee group, someone
>> has sent it to you, or you have pinched it. If you're not supposed to have
>> access to this email, please do not forward it to others. Please delete the
>> email and when done - please let us know of our error at privacy@...
>> Oh, one more thing: views expressed in this message are those of the
>> individual sender, except where the sender specifically states them to be
>> the views of People First -Total Solutions. Thank you for reading and
>> understanding this - and have a good day!





On 2/12/09 9:03 AM, "keszea" <keszea@...> wrote:

>
>
>
>
>
> Hello All
>
> For a long time now I have been talking about a quick response time to
> inquiries from potential volunteers in my training sessions. In my consultancy
> role I sometimes write Volunteer Engagement Policies for oganisations. In the
> Volunteer Inquiry Policy I will often write a clause saying volunteers will
> receive a reply and/or information within 24 hours. At times some
> organisations extend that a little - but no more than a week (extend
> especially if the Volunteer Manager works part time).
>
> About a month ago I applied by email to be a volunteer. I have not received a
> reply. Due to work travel I can not be a reliable on site volunteer. I already
> do online volunteering but this was a more hands on role but something I could
> undertake no matter where I am.
>
> Since there is no acknowledgement of my email do I keep trying - because if
> they haven't replied to my initial inquiry what does that say about their
> volunteer management practices? So please always reply as quickly as possible
> to an inquiry or your organisation will be losing some credibility in the
> community as not respecting potential volunteers.
>
> Reply to a volunteer today - to celebrate International Volunteer Day early!
>
> Cheers
>
> Kerrie Spinks
> People First -Total Solutions
>
>
>
>
>>>



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi Martin

It all sounds as though it was very interesting - I am sorry I was not
able to get there, so thanks  for sharing this feedback with the group

As a Board member with a regional Volunteer Centre I am interested to
learn more about what was said regarding "a major restructure of the
relationship between
Volunteering Australia, the state centres and local volunteer centres".

Was this expanded upon in the report at all?
Do you have any additional information?

Thanks
Andy Fryar
OzVPM


Martin J Cowling wrote:
>
>
>
> I was just at the International Association for Volunteer Effort 12th Asia
> Pacific Conference in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. There were five representing
> Australia:
>

--
Andy Fryar
Director & Founder
     ~ OzVPM ~
Ph: 0413 515 851
email: andy@...
Website: www.ozvpm.com

Be sure to visit our bookstore at www.ozvpmbookstore.com



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hello All

For a long time now I have been talking about a quick response time to inquiries
from potential volunteers in my training sessions. In my consultancy role I
sometimes write Volunteer Engagement Policies for oganisations. In the Volunteer
Inquiry Policy I will often write a clause saying volunteers will receive a
reply and/or information within 24 hours. At times some organisations extend
that a little - but no more than a week (extend especially if the Volunteer
Manager works part time).

About a month ago I applied by email to be a volunteer. I have not received a
reply. Due to work travel I can not be a reliable on site volunteer. I already
do online volunteering but this was a more hands on role but something I could
undertake no matter where I am.

Since there is no acknowledgement of my email do I keep trying - because if they
haven't replied to my initial inquiry what does that say about their volunteer
management practices? So please always reply as quickly as possible to an
inquiry or your organisation will be losing some credibility in the community as
not respecting potential volunteers.

Reply to a volunteer today - to celebrate International Volunteer Day early!

Cheers

Kerrie Spinks
People First -Total Solutions

I was just at the International Association for Volunteer Effort 12th Asia
Pacific Conference in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. There were five representing
Australia:

* Kylee Bates ex Deputy CEO of Volunteering Australia who represents
Australia on the IAVE Board
* Cary Pedicini. Current Chief Executive Officer. Volunteering Australia .
VA are the in country representative of IAVE in Australia
* Anne Franzi Ford, Manager of. Volunteer Services - Peter MacCallum. Cancer
Centre and Retreat Graduate
* Judith Miralles  from Judith Miralles & Associates
* Myself, Martin J Cowling, People First-Total Solutions

All of the Aussies made at least one presentation through the conference.

There were delegates from many countries in the region...more on the Asian
side then Pacific: I met or reconnected with people from Australia,
Bangladesh Canada, Fiji,  India, Korea (120 delegates!), Lebanon (they are
officially considered part of Asia), Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, USA, Sri
Lanka,. The CEO of Volunteering Ireland also came along!

The Conference started on the Thursday evening with a very upbeat and fun
night with food, local dance and mostly short speeches. The flags of the
countries represented were marched in.

There were two days of plenary and workshops. These were  translated but
these could be difficult. In addition quality of the workshops was quite
mixed. I went to an interesting session in mandarin on volunteer motivation.
It was very difficult to follow, however due to translating issues.

I tried to take the lessons learnt from that when I presenting with Erin
Barnhart from Idealist in the USA and we were being translated. They sent
four translators in my room when I was presenting. Winder what  that meant?
We got great feedback, however, and people laughed in multiple accents when
we included light hearted moments!

  On the Sunday, field trips to different projects were organised.

On the Friday evening, we went out as small groups of delegates to different
(and yummy) restaurants around the city. While fun, we also engaged in some
very good learning's and discussion.

Nine of the countries represented gave reports about their work including
Volunteering Australia. Thailand talked about the impact the Tsunami has had
on volunteering and developments since. Singapore noted that they have
significantly raised their volunteering rates. Lebanon is organising the
first Arab world conference to share what's going on in that part of the
world.

Australia noted the impact of the bushfires and the spontaneous rise of
volunteers that arose in the wake of the fires.  Other achievements:
*  the Federal government  working on a national agenda for volunteering
* the National Conference in 2008
* the establishment of the Volunteer Research Agenda Advisory Group
* qualifications for managers of volunteers

2010 for Volunteering Australia it was reported, includes National
Volunteers week 10-16 May,  the  national conference 27 - 29 October 2010
in Melbourne and a major restructure of the relationship between
Volunteering Australia, the state centres and local volunteer centres.

Singapore will be hosting the 2011 World Volunteerism Conference in January
2010 and I know they will do a great job. If you can get a cheap (and
hopefully tax deductible airfare), think about going!

Ps Pictures of me at the conference are on my FaceBook!!


--            Martin J Cowling
>> CEO
>> People First -Total Solutions
>>
>> Effective People, Better Organisations, Stronger Society
>>
>>
>> Telephone:
>> Australia: 1 300 781 357 (local call charge)
>>
>> www.pfts.com.au
>>
>> Everything about this email and its attachments, is only for the eyes and
>> ears of the person(s) to whom it has been addressed (i.e. the persons whose
>> names appear in the "To" section of the email; however, those listed in
>> sections "CC" and "BCC" may also consider themselves included in the
>> addressee group!). In the event that there is no physical, emotional or
>> spiritual resemblance between you and the intended recipient(s), you have
>> been mistakenly or deliberately omitted from the addressee group, someone
>> has sent it to you, or you have pinched it. If you're not supposed to have
>> access to this email, please do not forward it to others. Please delete the
>> email and when done - please let us know of our error at privacy@...
>> Oh, one more thing: views expressed in this message are those of the
>> individual sender, except where the sender specifically states them to be
>> the views of People First -Total Solutions. Thank you for reading and
>> understanding this - and have a good day!





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi Andy,  I tried to send this through to the ozvpm but I am not sure why it
wont deliver the message…would you mind posting on my behalf.
Thaks
Leticia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HI Don & DJ,

I agree with Don that VM are being well represented in the committee.  AAVA have
not been approached by the Senator or the department but we have been and are
being consulted by a few of the people that are on the committee.  So whilst we
don't have our name in lights I can assure you we are being consulted and our
opinions are being considered.  I am meeting with and having lunch with the
Senator on Friday so I will be having further discussions with her then.

Leticia Vargas
President
Australasian Association of Volunteer Administrators (AAVA)

Hi  Diarmuid,

May I suggest that volunteer management as a profession is very well
represented on the advisory group by a number of highly credentialed and
experienced individuals - if however you are concerned that your association
is not represented, (along with the thousands of others), why don't you
approach a few of the advisory group members and see if they wish to join?

Cheers, Don



-----Original Message-----
From: ozvpm@yahoogroups.com [mailto:ozvpm@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
Cronin, Diarmuid
Sent: Monday, 30 November 2009 10:26 AM
To: ozvpm@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [OzVPM Newsgroup] Compare and Contrast: Support for Volunteer
Management

Hi all



Firstly some news form the UK




Bursaries fund for volunteer managers


By Kaye Wiggins, Third Sector Online, 26 November 2009

Office of the Third Sector will provide money for training and best practice
work

The Office of the Third Sector
<http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector.aspx>  has announced that £1m
in bursaries for volunteer managers will be available from April next year.

The bursary fund is the latest part of the OTS's £3m volunteer management
fund, announced in May, which will be made available to charities and
volunteering organisations.

The £1m fund will support training for volunteer managers who coordinate
day-to-day volunteering activities as well as for people involved in
volunteer management strategy.

Infrastructure body Capacitybuilders <http://www.capacitybuilders.org.uk/> ,
which is distributing grants from the fund, has invited expressions of
interest.

Angela Smith, Minister for the Third Sector, said: "This programme will
enable volunteer managers to be better connected to existing support, share
knowledge effectively and raise awareness of the benefits of good volunteer
management."







Secondly I ask us to  now take a look at the Volunteering Policy Advisory
Group appointed and chaired by Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion
and the Voluntary Sector.



According to a recent report their first meeting discussed
* the critical role that volunteering plays in encouraging an inclusive and
engaged community;
* ensuring the structures and regulatory environment that support
volunteering are appropriate;
* the importance of taking a whole-of-person approach to volunteering that
recognises the diversity of skills and experiences people have the offer;
* strategies to attract younger generations to the benefits of volunteering
in response to the ageing of the population;
* the need to change perceptions of the 'traditional volunteer' and to
challenge existing stereotypes of who volunteers and what is meant by
volunteering;
* the need for more research into volunteering and to better understand
Australia's past volunteering history; and
* the need to recognise and celebrate the contribution of volunteers.



I ask where is the discussion on the value of strengthening and supporting
volunteer management?  While I absolutely applaud some of the discussion
points above I do want to reiterate my concern that Volunteer Management is
not being represented or heard. That is to say that there is no
representative from the Australasian Association of Volunteer Administrators
on board this group as I have pointed out before.



I believe that my profession is not being represented on the Volunteering
Policy Advisory Group. This after all is a group with the agenda of guiding
Australia's vision for volunteering to 2021. I cannot accept the view, as
stated by some on this forum, that Volunteer Management is well represented
on this group due to the fact that some on the group have experience of
Volunteer Management. Those who hold this view are missing my point. And
that is that the Volunteer Management sector must have their unique voice
represented. This was the ideal opportunity to demonstrate that effective
and forward thinking Volunteer Management is critical to the advancement of
volunteering in our nation. Even if others don't hold this view, it is a
view that should be represented. However we have missed this opportunity. I
once again ask AAVA why they are not at the table??????



From my observations the UKs Association of Volunteer managers seems to have
a bigger say and indeed impact on the volunteering sector there. They appear
to collaborate well with their peak body Volunteering England and with
Government. I have seen them consulted by media when certain issues have
arisen.  Another example is that Volunteering England is to open an enquiry
into the rights of volunteers next month. Volunteer managers will be
represented at this enquiry by the chair of their association. This is just
one example of how proper collaboration can work!



I of course write as an individual Volunteer Manager and as such the views
expressed here are mine and mine alone!   I'd love to know if you share my
view or if you take a different viewpoint?



Cheers



DJ Cronin

Volunteer Manager

Brisbane







































..

































.














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and any attached files is strictly prohibited. If you have
received this e-mail message in error please immediately
advise the sender by return e-mail, or telephone, listed below.
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the individual sender, except where the sender specifically
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This communication should not be copied or disseminated
without permission.
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links

Hi all



Firstly some news form the UK




Bursaries fund for volunteer managers


By Kaye Wiggins, Third Sector Online, 26 November 2009

Office of the Third Sector will provide money for training and best practice
work

The Office of the Third Sector
<http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector.aspx>  has announced that £1m in
bursaries for volunteer managers will be available from April next year.

The bursary fund is the latest part of the OTS's £3m volunteer management fund,
announced in May, which will be made available to charities and volunteering
organisations.

The £1m fund will support training for volunteer managers who coordinate
day-to-day volunteering activities as well as for people involved in volunteer
management strategy.

Infrastructure body Capacitybuilders <http://www.capacitybuilders.org.uk/> ,
which is distributing grants from the fund, has invited expressions of interest.

Angela Smith, Minister for the Third Sector, said: "This programme will enable
volunteer managers to be better connected to existing support, share knowledge
effectively and raise awareness of the benefits of good volunteer management."







Secondly I ask us to  now take a look at the Volunteering Policy Advisory Group
appointed and chaired by Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion and the
Voluntary Sector.



According to a recent report their first meeting discussed
* the critical role that volunteering plays in encouraging an inclusive and
engaged community;
* ensuring the structures and regulatory environment that support volunteering
are appropriate;
* the importance of taking a whole-of-person approach to volunteering that
recognises the diversity of skills and experiences people have the offer;
* strategies to attract younger generations to the benefits of volunteering in
response to the ageing of the population;
* the need to change perceptions of the 'traditional volunteer' and to challenge
existing stereotypes of who volunteers and what is meant by volunteering;
* the need for more research into volunteering and to better understand
Australia's past volunteering history; and
* the need to recognise and celebrate the contribution of volunteers.



I ask where is the discussion on the value of strengthening and supporting
volunteer management?  While I absolutely applaud some of the discussion points
above I do want to reiterate my concern that Volunteer Management is not being
represented or heard. That is to say that there is no representative from the
Australasian Association of Volunteer Administrators on board this group as I
have pointed out before.



I believe that my profession is not being represented on the Volunteering Policy
Advisory Group. This after all is a group with the agenda of guiding Australia's
vision for volunteering to 2021. I cannot accept the view, as stated by some on
this forum, that Volunteer Management is well represented on this group due to
the fact that some on the group have experience of Volunteer Management. Those
who hold this view are missing my point. And that is that the Volunteer
Management sector must have their unique voice represented. This was the ideal
opportunity to demonstrate that effective and forward thinking Volunteer
Management is critical to the advancement of volunteering in our nation. Even if
others don't hold this view, it is a view that should be represented. However we
have missed this opportunity. I once again ask AAVA why they are not at the
table??????



From my observations the UKs Association of Volunteer managers seems to have a
bigger say and indeed impact on the volunteering sector there. They appear to
collaborate well with their peak body Volunteering England and with Government.
I have seen them consulted by media when certain issues have arisen.  Another
example is that Volunteering England is to open an enquiry into the rights of
volunteers next month. Volunteer managers will be represented at this enquiry by
the chair of their association. This is just one example of how proper
collaboration can work!



I of course write as an individual Volunteer Manager and as such the views
expressed here are mine and mine alone!   I'd love to know if you share my view
or if you take a different viewpoint?



Cheers



DJ Cronin

Volunteer Manager

Brisbane







































..

































.














NOTICE: CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION
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information that is confidential and subject to privilege. If you
are not the intended recipient, and have received the e-mail
in error, you are notified that any use, dissemination,
distribution, forwarding, printing or copying of the message
and any attached files is strictly prohibited. If you have
received this e-mail message in error please immediately
advise the sender by return e-mail, or telephone, listed below.
You must destroy the original transmission and its contents.
Any views expressed within this communication are those of
the individual sender, except where the sender specifically
states them to be the views of Ramsay Health Care.
This communication should not be copied or disseminated
without permission.
------------------------------------------------------------------------



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

A lot of truth here in this article. Share many similar concerns with some
things I see in Australia


--            Martin J Cowling
>> CEO
>> People First -Total Solutions


On 18/11/09 6:40 PM, "andy_fryar" <andy@...> wrote:

> This is an article from a Canadian paper (the Star) which was brought to my
> attention by the President of Vol Canada. While IMO it is written from a
> slightly biased viewpoint, I think it highlights the mindset of some people in
> our communities and again draws attention for the need of non profits to have
> sound volunteer management pracrices and personnel in place. Interested in
> your opinions.
>
> If you'd like to see the original article (with associated posted comments)
> visit - http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/725702#comments
>
> Andy Fryar
> OzVPM
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
> All dressed up and nowhere to volunteer
>
> By Carol Goar
>
> In just over a year, Canada will start experiencing the largest wave of
> retirements in its history. By the time it ends in 2029, a third of the
> workforce will be gone.

"It's harder to manage volunteers than paid staff," he adds. "They
generally want to give you a few hours a week. Paid staff are there, 9
to 5. You can count on them."



What a statement!!!  It is very different managing volunteers versus
managing paid staff, however rather than focusing on the negative there
are so many positives to focus on.   It all depends upon the mindset of
those who manage volunteers.  The volunteers in our organisation are
extremely reliable and know from the time of their initial interview,
the procedures for letting us know in advance, when they will be unable
to volunteer on their regular day.  The advance notification enables us
to plan rosters or call in additional volunteers if needs be.  We have
many students who are only available for a few hours a week depending on
their study commitments but we structure and plan tasks to fit in with
their availability so that we are able to fully utilize their skills
while they are volunteering with us.



Volunteers actually want to be there, giving their time freely.  With
good volunteer management, recruitment practices and structured
programs, volunteers can be utilized effectively and volunteer retention
and reliability will be a natural consequence of these processes.



While many people in paid employment are motivated by a love and
dedication for their job, there are some paid employees on the other
hand, who may dislike their jobs and are only motivated by monetary
gain. These employees may have a poor work ethic and high absenteeism
because of this.



"Non-profit organizations have become mini-bureaucracies run by
administrators and weighed down by paperwork."



It is unfortunate that in the litigious society in which we live we have
become so tied up with government red tape that a lot of our time and
energy must go towards completing paperwork and ensuring that policy and
procedures, risk management etc are documented.  We as a society have
brought this upon ourselves.  Societal structure has also changed.  With
an increase in mortgage rates, salaries not keeping up with Consumer
Price Index and tax bracket creep we have more expenses and less
liquidity.  This has led to the societal expectation and financial
necessity of more women being in the paid workforce and no longer being
available through the day to volunteer.



There may well be an increase in people wishing to volunteer as the baby
boomers start to retire and I believe it would be a travesty to see all
of this experience and talent go to waste because of organisations
having such closed minds preventing them from thinking outside the box
for ways to utilize these extremely valuable and generous people.



Wendy Moore

Volunteer Coordinator Brisbane Australia

________________________________

From: ozvpm@yahoogroups.com [mailto:ozvpm@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
andy_fryar
Sent: Wednesday, 18 November 2009 5:41 PM
To: ozvpm@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [OzVPM Newsgroup] Article: All dressed up and nowhere to
volunteer





This is an article from a Canadian paper (the Star) which was brought to
my attention by the President of Vol Canada. While IMO it is written
from a slightly biased viewpoint, I think it highlights the mindset of
some people in our communities and again draws attention for the need of
non profits to have sound volunteer management pracrices and personnel
in place. Interested in your opinions.

If you'd like to see the original article (with associated posted
comments) visit - http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/725702#comments
<http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/725702#comments>

Andy Fryar
OzVPM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~





NOTICE: CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION
This e-mail message and any accompanying files may contain
information that is confidential and subject to privilege. If you
are not the intended recipient, and have received the e-mail
in error, you are notified that any use, dissemination,
distribution, forwarding, printing or copying of the message
and any attached files is strictly prohibited. If you have
received this e-mail message in error please immediately
advise the sender by return e-mail, or telephone, listed below.
You must destroy the original transmission and its contents.
Any views expressed within this communication are those of
the individual sender, except where the sender specifically
states them to be the views of Ramsay Health Care.
This communication should not be copied or disseminated
without permission.
------------------------------------------------------------------------



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In ozvpm@yahoogroups.com, "andy_fryar" <andy@...> wrote:

> This is an article from a Canadian paper (the Star) which
> was brought to my attention by the President of Vol Canada.

I would WELCOME such an article being written here in the USA! Although, you're
right, Andy -- the bias that lack of volunteer management is entirely because of
an organization's lack of will, rather than a lack of resources, is annoying.

But it's true, at least in the USA, that potential volunteers are being turned
away again and again. And some are getting very angry. At least that's my
impression when people meet me and find out what I do and give me an ear full
that ruins whatever social event I'm attending... I get to hear all about how
they expressed interest in an opportunity on a volunteer matching site and never
got contacted, how they called an organization and the person who answered the
phone didn't know how to direct them and didn't seem to know anything about
volunteering, about how they get told by an organization "Our next volunteer
training is next year", how they showed up and stood around without any
guidance, and on and on.

I see involving volunteers as a way to restore an organization's supposed "loss
of agility", to restore an organization's capacity to "take risks" and to
restore  "their connectedness to the communities they serve" -- all the things
Mr. Hall and the article say organizations are losing/have lost.

That's my two cents anyway...

<><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Ms. Jayne Cravens, MSc
jc "at" coyotecommunications "dot" com

http://www.coyotecommunications.com/

ivisit.com id: jcravens.4947
<><><><><><><><><><><><><>

This is an article from a Canadian paper (the Star) which was brought to my
attention by the President of Vol Canada. While IMO it is written from a
slightly biased viewpoint, I think it highlights the mindset of some people in
our communities and again draws attention for the need of non profits to have
sound volunteer management pracrices and personnel in place. Interested in your
opinions.

If you'd like to see the original article (with associated posted comments)
visit - http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/725702#comments

Andy Fryar
OzVPM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All dressed up and nowhere to volunteer

By Carol Goar

In just over a year, Canada will start experiencing the largest wave of
retirements in its history. By the time it ends in 2029, a third of the
workforce will be gone.

Many soon-to-retire baby boomers expect to volunteer when they leave the labour
force. Giving back to the community has always been part of their life plan.

But they're in for a surprise. Many well-known charities don't use volunteers.
Their day-to-day work is done by paid staff.

A retiree who wants to teach adult literacy, help people make their homes more
energy efficient or give a non-profit agency a hand with its finances or
paperwork is likely to find those jobs aren't available.

An individual who has experienced poverty, hunger or homelessness and wants to
help a social service agency design and run its programs is likely to be turned
away.

There still is a need for volunteers at Meals on Wheels, Out of the Cold,
churches, local charities, amateur sports organizations and theatre groups.
There is always a demand for individuals with wealth and connections to sit on
non-profit boards. And fundraisers are never rebuffed.

But for the most part, the non-profit sector is not waiting with open arms for
retired baby boomers with skills to share and time to spare.

"Logically, it should be a great opportunity," says Michael Hall, vice-president
of Imagine Canada, the umbrella organization for charities and non-profit
organizations across the country. "But few organizations have the infrastructure
to manage volunteers.

"You need to orient them, assist them and integrate them into your team. But
where are the resources? Most organizations are stretched thin.

"It's harder to manage volunteers than paid staff," he adds. "They generally
want to give you a few hours a week. Paid staff are there, 9 to 5. You can count
on them."

Hall acknowledges that it was volunteers who founded and built the non-profit
sector, that the movement was rooted in the philosophy of neighbours helping
neighbours and that it was able to mobilize people in a way governments could
not.

But that was a different era, Hall contends. "A lot of them (the volunteers)
were women who weren't working."

Today's non-profit sector is huge. It employs 1.3 million people. It accounts
for 6.8 per cent of the country's gross domestic product. It is run by paid
professionals, many with postgraduate degrees. And it is symbiotically linked to
government. Its members deliver a vast array of publicly funded services: job
training; child care; immigrant settlement; home energy audits; legal aid
advice; counselling and support for people with mental illness; assistance for
seniors, low-income families, aboriginal peoples and crime victims. Agencies
compete for government contracts.

Initially, voluntary leaders embraced this model, thinking it offered them
freedom from their chronic financial woes.

Now they realize it didn't. And it brought a host of new problems:

Non-profit organizations have become mini-bureaucracies run by administrators
and weighed down by paperwork.

They have lost their agility, their capacity to take risks and their
connectedness to the communities they serve.

And they have become inhospitable to volunteers, who as Hall puts it, "don't fit
into the way our organizations are structured."

For the last decade, a quiet malaise has spread through the non-profit sector.
There never is enough money to do the job properly. Workers feel overwhelmed and
undervalued.

"I call it the compassion trap," Hall says. "You can squeeze them because they
believe in the cause. I think Canadians are exploiting the goodwill of the
non-profit sector.

There is another possibility. Non-profit organizations are alienating Canadians,
asking for donations but providing no outlet for their talent and goodwill.

Carol Goar's column appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Hi Andy,
It is to be hoped that the Ministers are fully cogniscent of the need to
collaborate with the sector in the broadest possible sense and not lay down
dictatorial edicts as to the direction of volunteering. It does bear the
possibility of becoming a top heavy micro managed sector.....those who hold the
money....hold the power. The NGO's are already having to play the pipers tune!
cheers,
Be.

   ----- Original Message -----
   From: andy_fryar
   To: ozvpm@yahoogroups.com
   Sent: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 3:30 AM
   Subject: [OzVPM Newsgroup] Article: Collaboration on a national volunteering
strategy begins



   From Third Sector

   Collaboration on a national volunteering strategy begins

   Tue, November 17, 2009

   As part of its work towards a National Volunteering Strategy, the Federal
Government has appointed a Volunteer Policy Advisory Group and has also held the
first meeting of the State and Territory Volunteering Ministers.

From Third Sector


Collaboration on a national volunteering strategy begins

Tue, November 17, 2009

As part of its work towards a National Volunteering Strategy, the Federal
Government has appointed a Volunteer Policy Advisory Group and has also held the
first meeting of the State and Territory Volunteering Ministers.

The Advisory Group was appointed and is chaired by Parliamentary Secretary for
Social Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector, Senator Ursula Stephens. The Group
will be a key source of expertise and advice to guide Australia's vision for
volunteering to 2021.

Senator Stephens also chaired a video-conference with State and Territory
Ministers on 23 October 2009 to work collaboratively towards a National
Volunteering Strategy. The Strategy will formally recognise the importance of
volunteering in Australia and outline the Australian Government's commitments to
supporting and encouraging Australia's diverse volunteers.

The Strategy will be released in 2011 in time to mark the 10th anniversary of
the United Nations Year of Volunteering.

Senator Stephens said volunteers are crucial to the wellbeing of our society.

"The Australian and State and Territory governments are strongly committed to
working in collaboration to promote and celebrate volunteers. All levels of
government recognise and support their volunteers in a variety of ways and the
purpose of working together on the strategy is to better align these efforts and
to share best practice.

"Volunteering delivers a number of key social and economic benefits including
creating supporting community resilience, enriching our cultural life and
protecting out natural environment. They also play a significant economic role,
with voluntary work contributing approximately 713 million hours to the
community worth approximately $42 billion to the economy.

Ministers agreed to meet again to progress their collaborative work on a
National Volunteering Strategy.

Hi Tony,
A couple of excellent recognition events which have worked for me and the
organisations I have worked in with Volunteers including Wesley Mission
Sydney and SFC Sydney are:
1. Annual Volunteers Recognition Luncheon and invite a local
member-politician to address the luncheon.
2. Annual Volunteers Recognition Dinner and hired out most of a large
Restaurant for an early Saturday or Sunday evening Dinner.
3. Often we have had both so volunteers could choose which one to attend and
suited their commitments and preferences.
4. When with Wesley Mission we would hold also an Annual Volunteers
Thanksgiving Service 7pm following a 5pm Dinner and the work of Volunteers
across Caring Centres and Services would be featured.
5. At both the Luncheon and Dinner awards would be given and special mention
made of the various areas of volunteer service undertaken.
6. Recognition should not be limited to once a year and appreciation given
in various ways throughout the year at appropriate times.
7. Recognition can also take the form of remembering birthdays,
anniversaries of special deeply meaningful events(e.g. like the death of a
partner, mother, father, etc).
8. Recognition can be given as part of your "Comprehensive Pastoral Care
Programme" of Volunteers throughout the year.

A FINAL WORD...
Coming from a Volunteer Leadership, Management, Recruitment, Interviewing,
Deployment combined with a Counselling, Pastoral Care background, things
such as friendly visiting Position Descriptions, commencing a programme for
people to visit or socialise with clients of the organisation comes second
nature to me; and can be achieved by anyone with a real passion for this to
happen so that their clients lives will be enriched!

Colin Murdoch
www.singlesforchrist.org.au
Mobile: 0409 824 340




-----Original Message-----
From: ozvpm@yahoogroups.com [mailto:ozvpm@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Tony
Goodrow
Sent: Saturday, 14 November 2009 9:11 AM
To: ozvpm@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [OzVPM Newsgroup] Resources Needed - Can You Help?


Over the past week OurSharedResources.org has specific requests from
managers of volunteers for the items listed below. Can you help and add
any of these (or anything else of course)?


     * Resources specific to volunteer led programs in hospitals
     * Orientation manuals or even outlines of the things covered in
orientation
     * Guidelines for staff working with volunteers
     * Recognition Event ideas/themes etc
     * Friendly visiting position descriptions, training material and
guidelines
     * Volunteer supervisor manual



This site generated a lot of buzz at the Institute for Advanced
Volunteer Management in England this week and given that it was an
advanced learning opportunity I was not surprised that one person
pointed out the following. Templates are great to use because they save
the valuable resource of your time. They do not however replace
thinking. This was not the first time this important point has surfaced.
Susan Ellis was emphatic about it when she and I brainstormed about the
site. When I work with leaders of volunteers and are reviewing their
current application form, we frequently get into a conversation about
why a certain field exists on the form. When I query about why it is
there, a far too frequent answer is "It was on the application form
when I started here." Just like the old application or policy manual
etc. that you inherited when you accepted your position, templates
created by others are resources that you can use to create what you need
faster and give you ideas that you might not have thought of. They are
NOT, however, a substitute for your own thought on what you need in your
particular situation.

Tony Goodrow
OurSharedResources.org Moderator



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