International volunteering expert Susan J. Ellis' Sydney workshop: 2 October 2007
Leading volunteering author, trainer and commentator, Susan J. Ellis, will lead an innovative workshop entitled Beyond lip service: Assuring that volunteer contributions are valued and supported in Sydney in October 2007 on behalf of The Centre for Volunteering.
Registrations close Wednesday, 26 September. Book now!
The full-day workshop will be comprised of a morning and afternoon session:
Session 1: Strategies for Achieving Volunteer/Employee Teamwork
The problem most often identified (everywhere in the world) by volunteer-involving organisations is tension between employees and volunteers. No matter what the setting or work being done, developing teamwork between the paid and unpaid workers is a true challenge.Is there something inevitable about friction when volunteers are on the scene? In some ways, yes. In this session we'll explore this provocative response and diagnose why resistance surfaces – from both groups. Topics include:
- Identifying supporters and opponents, and how they get that way.
- Separating myths from truths in the causes of resistance.
- Ways to increase the skills of employees in supervising volunteers.
- Volunteer work design as a strategy to teamwork – creative ways to expand, not duplicate, the range of skills the staff already provides.
- It takes two to tango: Preparing volunteers to work with paid staff.
One of the strategies in developing volunteer/employee teamwork is in-house education.
Session 2: Internal Marketing Savvy: Telling the Story of Volunteering
Volunteers make both small and enormous contributions every day, yet frequently seem invisible within organisations and unknown by the general public. And it's always a struggle to get the attention of the mass media, even when the volunteer world generates what ought to be headline-grabbing, real news. One of the roles of a volunteer program leader is to shine a light on volunteer victories, generating a ripple effect that impacts a range of management elements: recognizing great volunteers and recruiting new ones, strengthening employee/volunteer relations, justifying increased program resources, and more. In this seminar, we'll examine how a little marketing savvy goes a long way to influence the opinion of many internal and external audiences.Topics to be discussed in this participatory half-day include:
- The diverse constituencies of a volunteer program: Who forms an opinion about volunteers and how?
- Opportunities – sometimes missed – for affecting attitudes and sharing information about volunteers.
- Transforming volunteer recognition events and other ways to celebrate volunteer accomplishments.
- Techniques and tools to be a successful in-house educator.
- Writing reports that matter to others and get results.
- Be able to distinguish what is "news" from what is "nice".
Limited places available. Register today to reserve your seat.
Tuesday, 2 October 2007, 9:30am–4pm
Theatrette, Parliament House, Sydney
$80 members / $120 non-members (join today) - inc. morning tea
Tuesday, 11 September 2007*
Tuesday, 25 September 2007
Download a registration form 
If you have any questions please phone Kristin Romanis on 02 9261 3600.
*Those who register before Tuesday, 11 September 2007 will go into the draw to be one of two people to have their conference fee refunded.