The Voice of Volunteering

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May 2006

Do you have something to promote, share or give away? You can now advertise it in The Voice's new Member Notices column. Email your request to Kristin Romanis for consideration.

Free Piano
Upright piano in good condition is looking for a new home with a not-for-profit organisation. Please phone Lee Simpson on (02) 9698 6211 during office hours for more information.

The Voice of Volunteering is an important online update on volunteering in Australia. Delivered free to your inbox every month!

Why not forward friends this issue of The Voice.

Do you have an upcoming event, news, article or issue to air? Have your say in The Voice of Volunteering. Email Kristin Romanis or phone her on 02 9261 3600.

Editor: Kristin Romanis
Copy Editor: Sue Irvine
Producer: Robin Shi

Support volunteering in NSW and The Centre for Volunteering. Purchase one of our of fantastic volunteering T-shirts or special V-packs during National Volunteer Week and help Change Your World. Order today

In This Issue

- Features - Events & Training - The Centre's News

National Volunteer Week: You can change your world!
15-21 May 2006

Are you at a loss for what to do this National Volunteer Week? Here are some creative and inexpensive ways to promote the value of volunteering to your community and to recruit new volunteers.

Don't forget to advertise your NSW-based event or promotion in our National Volunteer Week activities. Just email us the details and include location, date and start/end time, what's happening, the contact person's name and title, email address and phone number, and any photos or graphics. MORE

New Corporate Volunteering Survey
Volunteering Australia has published the findings of a recent survey on the extent and nature of corporate volunteering in Australia.

The main objectives of the survey were to:

Understand why companies are involved in corporate volunteering.
Identify different types of corporate volunteering programs operating within companies.
Determine how these corporate volunteering programs are facilitated and organised within the company.
Identify key learnings companies have experienced.
Monitor feedback received from not-for-profit organisations regarding the impact of corporate volunteering programs.

Email volaus@volunteeringaustralia.org to order your print/hard copy of the survey report. Provide your full address and Volunteering Australia will post the report to you. (The report is not currently available for download.)

Nominate your organisation for the NAB Volunteer Awards
National Australia Bank and Volunteering Australia

Nominations are now open for the 2006 National Australia Bank (NAB) Volunteer Awards and close on Wednesday, 28 June. This is the community service and volunteer awards program that recognises the efforts of over 40% of Australians who volunteer regularly.

Volunteer organisations will share $364,000 worth of awards from NAB, with a total of 49 state and national winners chosen from seven categories. Nominate your organisation today. Download the NAB Volunteer Awards Nomination Booklet.

The Centre for Volunteering Members Breakfast Forum
Tuesday, 16 May 2006, 9am–10.30am
Join us for our regular Members Breakfast Forum held monthly at The Centre for Volunteering, Level 2, 228 Pitt Street (between Park and Market Streets), Sydney.

This month, Penny York, trainer in the School of Volunteer Management, will give a brief overview and lead a discussion on the School of Volunteer Management's workshop Strategic Planning. This workshop is designed to equip managers in civil society organisations with the skills and knowledge to plan their programs. It covers mission, challenge and change, client expectations, strategic objectives, action plans and measuring performance.

It is essential that you RSVP to attend and order breakfast in advance. Breakfast costs $5 and includes fruit salad, raisin toast and muffins. Tea and coffee are free.

- Email Claudiene Duarte or call her on 9261 3600.
- Mark your calendar with the dates of our 2006 Breakfast Forums.

SVM Workshop: Train Small Groups
Wednesday–Thursday, 10–11 May 2006

Train Small Groups provides information on the latest methods of preparing, delivering and evaluating training in the workplace and to help you discover your own skills as a trainer. This two-day workshop is ideal for anyone who trains small groups in their own organisation. Limited seats available – book your seat today.

- Find out more about Train Small Groups.
- Enrol online for Train Small Groups.

SVM Training: Upgrade to the new TAA40104 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (Cert IV TAA) (3 day course) NEW!
Monday–Wednesday, 22–24 May 2006. Cost $900.

Fast track your career with face-to-face training and project work by studying this new qualification. Gain new skills and network with other participants working in volunteer management. You must have the old Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training BSZ40198. This course is held jointly with PEAK Training.

- Find out more by phoning SVM on 02 9261 3600.
- Enrol online to attend the TAA40104 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.

SVM Workshop: Improving Your Leadership Effectiveness
Thursday, 1 June 2006
This workshop is practical, hands-on and necessitates a high level of participation. It aims to assist participants to improve their leadership effectiveness by building on their individual and collective experiences, using their actual work situations as case studies. Various leadership models and associated techniques are presented.

- Find out more about Improving Your Leadership Effectiveness.
- Enrol online to attend the Improving Your Leadership Effectiveness workshop.

- View the School of Volunteer Management's course calendar.

Volunteering: A pathway to employment
The Centre for Volunteering was invited to give a talk and staff a stall at the recent Auburn Council Employment Expo. Volunteer Karen Taylor delivered the presentation Volunteering: A Pathway to Employment to a packed audience. The expo stall was a great success with all visitors including NSW AMES which expressed interest in a presentation about volunteering aimed at students learning English, and Centrelink which enquired about volunteering opportunities for people with disabilities.

New FONGA discussion paper
As a member of the Forum of Non-Government Agencies (FONGA), The Centre for Volunteering is on the working party to produce a discussion paper on the proposed Department of Community Services's funding changes for non-government organisations.

Project Updates

SCIP Call for organisations to participate in the Student Community Involvement Program (SCIP)
We are looking for organisations that believe in the importance of young people getting involved in their community. Does your volunteer organisation already have a student volunteer program? Are you an organisation that would like to involve student volunteers but is not sure how to do this? MORE

Volunteers and the Law
The Centre's Research and Policy Manager, Anton Mischewski, has met with Public Interest Law Clearing House (PILCH) Director, Robin Baker. PILCH is keen to assist us conduct a needs audit of legal issues for the NFP sector. In order to do this, they are extracting their own data on the number and types of legal cases relating to volunteering during the past 4–5 years and will provide us with a report.

Volunteering makes a difference: Volunteering opportunities for disadvantaged or at-risk young people
We are currently identifying and assisting volunteering organisations to provide a range of volunteering opportunities for disadvantaged or at-risk young people. To date, we have identified 16 organisations in which to place these volunteers. We are recruiting young people from Sydney University's Young People on Community Orders Health Survey project to participate in our pilot program. We have also formed partnerships with Oasis Youth Support Network and Youth Off The Streets. MORE

National Parks and Wildlife Service (NSW) consultancy
Our Research and Policy team has completed a consultancy project for National Parks and Wildlife Service (NSW) to review their volunteer management policy and conduct third-party market research on the delivery of state wide volunteer programs for them.

Staff

Farewells: Graeme Hastie and Cecilia Castro
In April, we farewelled Graeme Hastie, Director, Volunteering NSW and Cecilia Castro, SVM Administrator. Graeme was responsible for restructuring our Membership package, resulting in lower membership fees. Cecilia implemented new systems for improving the day-to-date running of the school. We wish them both the best in their new endeavours.

Volunteer Services Coordinator returns
Volunteer Services Coordinator Claudiene Duarte has returned from her extended trip to her native Brazil. The Centre thanks Melissa Ehrhardt who has done a wonderful job acting in Claudiene's position while she was on leave.

New Librarian
The Centre has engaged volunteer Marilyn Dowling as library manager. She will be responsible for making our collection user-friendly and processing new acquisitions. Our Resources Library is open for members between 10am–4pm on weekdays. Please phone Janine Cowen on 02 9261 3600 to make an appointment to visit the library.