October 2006

In This Issue

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

2006 NAB Volunteer Award winners
[The Centre for Volunteering]

The Centre for Volunteering congratulates the NSW winners (below) of the 2006 National Australia Bank Volunteer Awards. All winners received $7,000.

• Sydney Writers' Festival (Art and Culture)
• Australian League of Immigration Volunteers, Fairfield West (Community Service and Development)
• 1st Warners Bay Scout Group (Education and Youth Development)
• Orange City State Emergency Service (Emergency and Safety)
• The Hunter Wetlands Centre Australia, Wallsend (Environment and Wildlife)
• SHINE for Kids Co-operative Ltd*, Silverwater (Health and Wellbeing)
• Sydney Heritage Fleet*, Pyrmont (Tourism, Sport and Recreation).

*Congratulations to SHINE for Kids and the Sydney Heritage Fleet! Both organisations received an additional $3,000 in prize money for being the national winners in their respective categories.

View the full list of winners

2006 NAB Awards highlight the best volunteer workplaces
[Volunteering Australia]
Over 1200 not-for-profit organisations – an increase of over 10% in 2005 – competed in the 2006 NAB Volunteer Awards. The awards were coordinated by National Australia Bank in partnership with Volunteering Australia. A growing number of organisations is recognising the importance of providing and motivating their volunteers with a satisfying work experience.

Meet our volunteers
[The Centre for Volunteering]

We've trawled Sydney looking for volunteers who have something to say about what they do and why they do it and we've found some really dedicated ones (below). Read their stories and be inspired.

• Carol Kitching: My son Will is a GAP volunteer teacher in China
• Yeni Singawidjaya: From volunteering to a new career
• Tony Stokes: Teachers never stop teaching
• Helen Lam: Community visitor with the Central Area Health Service
• Peter Batcheler: Volunteer tour guide with the ABC
• Harry Whelan: Young volunteer with a mission
• Irma Bradford: It is far better to give than receive
• Karen Taylor: Bridge to Volunteering presenter with The Centre
• Denis Porter, Fido liasion officer
• Christine Kazub says: "Volunteering is in the blood"

Do any of your volunteers have an interesting story to tell? We would love to feature them on our website. Email Kristin Romanis kromanis@volunteering.com.au to arrange an interview with one of our volunteer journalists.

Calling all vitality volunteers – encourage your volunteers to participate
[The Centre for Volunteering & Nivea]

These days, hitting the big 5-0 is not a time to start slowing down, in fact recent research by Nivea Visage shows Australian women in their 50s have a renewed spirit of adventure, are travelling the world and playing an active role in the community.

Which is why Nivea Visage Vital – the newest range of face care products for mature skin – has joined forces with New Idea, the Seven Network and Yahoo!7 to offer inspirational women aged 50+ the chance to experience the beauty of making a difference by taking part in one of two life-changing overseas volunteering projects. Find out more.

The Centre for Volunteering Breakfast Forum
Tuesday, 17 October 2006, 9am–10.30am

Join us for our regular Breakfast Seminar held monthly at The Centre for Volunteering, Level 2, 228 Pitt Street (between Park and Market Streets), Sydney.

The Centre for Volunteering CEO, Lynne Dalton, will speak about how the work of our volunteer managers impacts on the work and legislative requirements of the Board of Directors and vice versa. It is vital that we understand what our duties are in relation to this – you will be surprised how central this information is to your everyday work!

Numbers are limited. 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 Alison Keene or phone her on 02 9261 3600.

Don't forget to put our November Breakfast Forum in your diary: Tuesday, 21 November. It's the final Forum for 2006.

SVM Workshop: Snapshot for Volunteer Managers and Coordinators (1 day)
Thursday, 12 October 2006, 9am–5pm

This workshop looks at issues that arise as new volunteers enter your organisation. The workshop is an introduction to recruiting, interviewing, retaining and leading volunteer teams as well as understanding duty of care. It is suited to managers and coordinators who are new to their role or have not undertaken any previous management training.

- Find out more about Snapshot for Volunteer Managers and Coordinators.
- Enrol online to attend the Snapshot for Volunteer Managers and Coordinators

SVM Workshop: Understanding and Implementing the National Standards
Tuesday, 24 October 2006, 9am–5pm

This workshop introduces participants to the National Standards for Involving Volunteers in Not-for-profit Organisations. These standards are Volunteering Australia's benchmark for best practice in the management of volunteers. Participants will be able to make an informed decision regarding the implementation of the National Standards in their own organisations.

- Find out more about Understanding and Implementing the National Standards.
- Enrol online to attend the Understanding and Implementing the National Standards

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

International Not-for-profit Convention and Exhibition 2006
Wednesday–Friday, 15–17 November 2006, Marcoola, Sunshine Coast, Queensland

If you are interested in creating a sustainable not-for-profit, recruiting and retaining members/donors, managing organisational culture, preventing fraud in your organisation, creating strategic (rather than operational) boards and other topics related to creating a more successful not-for-profit then come along to the International Not-for-profit Convention and Exhibition 2006. With over 50 educational sessions, three social events and guest speakers including George Negus and Dr Peter Ellyard, it will be an informative (and warm and sunny) three days.

- Find out more
- Download a registration form
- Phone Liana on (07) 3210 2288 or email liana@nfpn.com.au

hand on … help out
StreetSmart Australia supports and strengthens small grassroots community organisations that help the homeless in Victoria and New South Wales. Their 'dine out ... help out' restaurant campaign runs from 13 November to 24 December 2006 and they need your help to tell your favourite restaurant, café or bistro about StreetSmart. 'Hand on' their information sheet about 'dine out ... help out' and tell more restaurants, cafés and bistros about this campaign to help the homeless. Check out www.streetsmartaustralia.org for more details.

Earlier this year, we profiled StreetSmart in Volunteer Life – read Eat smart and support StreetSmart's homeless campaign.

Member events
The Voice of Volunteering will be listing some of our members' upcoming events and activities. Email your details to Kristin Romanis kromanis@volunteering.com.au for consideration.

Support The Centre for Volunteering and volunteering in NSW
Support The Centre for Volunteering and volunteering in NSW by buying $2 raffle tickets from reception when you visit Pitt Street. We have two raffles and both will be drawn at The Centre. We will inform you by phone if you are a winner.

Tupperware Raffle
Drawn on Monday, 6 November 2006 at 10am. You can choose one of three prizes:

         - Travel Backpack and Kids Value Pack (worth over $100)
         - The Big Freeze (RRP $181.87)
         - Coffee Plunger and Mugs (RRP $159.75)

Nivea Gift Basket Raffle
Drawn on Tuesday, 5 December 2006 at 10am to celebrate International Volunteer Day. Nivea has kindly donated a lovely gift basket filled with their latest products:

         - Nivea Lip Care Pearl and Shine
         - Perfect Radiance Eye Care, Day Care & Night Care
         - Intensive Nourishing Cream for hands
         - Summer Beauty Light Tanning Body Lotion
         - Vital for Mature Skin Rehydrating Wash Cream
         - New Nivea Body Goodbye Cellulite
         - and more

Sell a book of tickets on behalf of The Centre
If you would like a book of tickets to sell at work or to your friends, please phone Janine Cowen on 02 9261 3600.

The Centre takes part in goodcompany's Wish Exchange
On Tuesday 26 September, we participated in goodcompany's Wish Exchange at the Australian Stock Exchange in Bridge Street, Sydney. Over 200 skilled and talented individuals attended the event with the aim of donating their time and expertise to charity. Thirty-two community groups participated and $620,000 worth of time was pledged. It was a fun night and a great way to network with volunteers and community groups alike.

Membership Renewal Reminder!!!
The deadline for this year's membership renewal was 30 September 2006 and unpaid memberships have now lapsed. If you still have not renewed, you can no longer use the Volunteer Referral Service to recruit volunteers or access any other member services. Please renew as soon as possible.

If you would like another copy of your invoice or have any questions, please phone Jan or John in the Membership Department on 02 9261 3600 or download a  Membership Renewal Form.

Project Updates

Student Community Involvement Program (SCIP)
The SCIP team hosted September's special Breakfast Forum on youth volunteering. Jacinthe Brosseau, Community Project Manager and SCIP coordinator, and Harry Whelan, volunteer youth advisor and SCIP speaker, led a discussion on the involvement of young people as volunteers in community organisations. The special theme of youth volunteering was indeed one of our most popular Breakfast Forums this year.

On Monday, 25 September, the SCIP team held a workshop at the Western Sydney SRC Regional Camp in Springwood in the Blue Mountains. Members of the team talked about volunteering and provided tools for Student Representative Councils to learn about becoming involved in the development and implementation of SCIP in their schools. The response was enthusiastic and we thank Louise Freckman, the student welfare consultant in the Western Sydney region, for inviting us to this event and for her dedication to student community involvement. We also thank The Centre's volunteers Harry Whelan and Rebecca MacLennan for their wonderful input on this day.

Volunteering Makes a Difference (VMAD)
On Tuesday, 26 September as part of VMAD, we held a Building a Bridge with Youth information seminar with Youth Off the Streets on how to effectively engage disadvantaged young people in volunteering opportunities. It was well-attended by 21 volunteer managers and people from youth organisations.

Thanks!

• To everyone who attended and expressed a commitment to youth volunteering. The Centre for Volunteering is passionate about this issue and we appreciate the support from our members in making volunteering more inclusive and accessible to young people.
• To Youth Off the Streets (Martin, Sarah, Emily, Kylie, Krista-Anne, Steve, Chris, Peter and Phil) for its inspiring presentations at the seminar.
• To our volunteer youth advisor Harry Whelan for co-facilitating the breakfast seminar and to Nikki James, youth officer at St Vincent de Paul, for sharing insights about her organisation's youth volunteering program.
    

Copyright © 2006 The Centre for Volunteering | ABN 28 002 416 024
Level 2, 228 Pitt St, Sydney NSW 2000
T: 02 9261 3600 | F: 02 9261 4033 | E: info@volunteering.com.au
www.volunteering.com.au
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