November 2006

In This Issue

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

Funding awarded for new corporate volunteering project
[The Centre for Volunteering]
The Centre has been successful in applying to The Westpac Foundation to fund the project Frontier of opportunity: Critical success factors of employee volunteering programs for the small-to-medium not-for-profit sector. The project will assist small-to-medium not-for-profits (NFPs) to make best use of employee volunteering programs (EVPs). An innovative case study approach will be piloted and will identify and test the validity of the critical success factors of EVPs. A replicable and comparative research method that can be tested will form part of the findings (to be published in 2007). The case studies will be used in training packages delivered by the School of Volunteer Management.

Do you have a corporate partner that contributes time and services to your organisation? The Centre is seeking feedback and comments from volunteering organisations that have an EVP with a corporate partner. Email Anton Mischewski with your contact details and a researcher from his team will contact you about your joint program.

Christmas volunteering jobs
[The Centre for Volunteering]
With Christmas just around the corner, we are receiving lots of enquiries from groups and corporates about Christmas volunteering. Examples of suitable volunteering work include: wrapping and delivering Christmas gifts and hampers, helping out at Christmas parties and BBQs, pre-Christmas preparation for Christmas lunches and dinners and much more.

If you need any additional support for your Christmas projects please let us know ASAP. Email Jan Cosgrove or phone her on 02 9261 3600.

Online survey on volunteers' costs
[Volunteering Australia]
Volunteering Australia is currently conducting an online survey on volunteers' out-of-pocket expenses and the impact, 12 months on, of the initial and sudden increases in petrol prices around the country. The results will be submitted to the Costs of Volunteering Taskforce convened by Volunteering Australia and chaired by Professor Myles McGregor-Lowndes, from the Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies at Queensland University of Technology.

The Taskforce will prepare a report/advice to the Australian Government on ways to deal with the increasing costs to volunteers. We encourage volunteers, not-for-profit organisations working with volunteers and businesses with an employee volunteering program to complete the survey form by 16 November.

Celebrating Volunteer Managers
[The Centre for Volunteering]
On International Volunteer Manager Appreciation Day on Wednesday, 1 November, we celebrated the wonderful work of dedicated volunteer managers around the world. The Centre for Volunteering hosted a get-together for our member volunteer managers. Twenty people attended. It was a great opportunity to network with other volunteer managers, meet The Centre's staff and volunteers and just relax.

We also profiled eight members' volunteer managers, including our own Alison Keene, on our website. Find out why they became volunteer managers, what they get out of their jobs and the benefits to them of working with volunteers. Read their stories.

The Centre for Volunteering Breakfast Forum
Tuesday, 21 November 2006, 9am–10.30am
Join us for the final Breakfast Forum in 2006. Our forums are held monthly at The Centre for Volunteering, Level 2, 228 Pitt Street (between Park and Market Streets), Sydney.

The Centre for Volunteering's Jacinthe Brosseau will be leading a follow-up to October's discussion on the involvement of young people as volunteers in community organisations.

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.
   

Managing with Management Committees (1 day)
Tuesday, 28 November 2006, 9am–5pm
This workshop briefly explores governance and practices of boards and management committees including the increasingly complex legal and ethical responsibilities. The workshop is designed for the managers, coordinators and executive officers who are accountable to boards and management committees and explores the relationship between the two parties.

- Find out more about Managing with Management Committees.
- Enrol online to attend Managing with Management Committees.

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

Appreciate your volunteers on International Volunteer Day on Tuesday, 5 December 2006
Whether your celebrations are large or small, International Volunteer Day (IVD) recognises the work of volunteers globally. There are many ways to recognise and thank volunteers. Here are a few ideas for you to consider:

• Send cards or thank you letters to your volunteers.
• Give your volunteers a small present.
• Organise a special lunch or dinner.

The Centre's volunteering merchandise is available for recognition gifts:

• Volunteer. Make A Difference T-Shirts for men and women
• Volunteer. Make A Difference Wristbands
• Volunteer. Make A Difference Drink Bottles
• Red "V" pins

Are you holding an International Volunteer Day event in NSW? You can promote it on our 2006 IVD Calendar. Email the details of the event to Kristin Romanis.

COVERRS Meeting, 26–27 October 2006
Coordinators of Volunteer Education Resource Referral Services (COVERRS) recently held its tri-yearly meeting in Sydney. Coordinators from 15 volunteer referral centres from around the state attended to discuss funding, training of volunteers, legal and ethical responsibilities and other matters. Guest speakers, Judith Hawkes from the Commission for Children and Young People gave a talk on involving youth in our communities and Tracey Svensson from Indigenous Community Volunteers also gave a talk on the encouraging partnerships being formed between Indigenous communities and volunteers.

On Friday the group re-visited the COVERRS Strategic Plan, updating its objectives and tasks for the coming few years. Some of the previous objectives had been achieved and new challenges have arisen, not the least of which is the ongoing issue of stable funding for our volunteer referral centres.

Many volunteer referral centres are small and fairly isolated, so it was a good opportunity to network (and put faces to names), share our thoughts and brainstorm, and support one another in our busy work. If you would like to join COVERRS or find out more, please contact the Chairperson Colleen Guilfoyle at the Kuringai Hornsby Volunteer Recruitment & Training Service. Phone 02 9983 1622, email volunteers@kmc.nsw.gov.au or visit www.coverrs.org.au

Lynne Dalton, CEO, judges Australian of the Year Awards 2007
Lynne Dalton participated in the judging of the NSW division of the Australian of the Year Awards 2007 on Friday, 6 October 2006. She writes: "It is never an easy task deciding why one person is more deserving than another when it comes to making awards. All nominations were truly inspiring in terms of people's commitment to their communities. Of course, the announcement of those selected is yet to occur but, in the mean time, I would like to thank all those people who continue to offer their time and energy to making our community a better place." Visit the Australian of the Year Awards 2007 website.

Certified Practising Accountants' Congress, Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre Darling Harbour, 19 October 2006
It's been a very busy month for Lynne. She was also invited to present a workshop at the recent Certified Practising Accountants' annual congress. CPA Australia is the largest accounting, finance and business association in the southern hemisphere and the sixth largest accounting body in the world (with over 105,000 members). A key support mechanism for members is the provision of tailored continuing professional development to ensure that CPAs are kept at the forefront of their industry. Lynne addressed a workshop of about 35 accountants from all professional sectors on the value of volunteering to individuals and organisations in both the private and not-for-profit sectors.

Because of the recent interest in corporate volunteering and the increasing numbers of corporates establishing or expanding their employee volunteering programs, many questions were asked by workshop participants. Lynne gave an overview of the training and support that The Centre for Volunteering can provide to organisations and the types of activities available to employees. As a result, a number of requests were received from participants to become members of The Centre.

The congress was a worthwhile experience especially the talk given by guest speaker and disabled helicopter pilot Allana Arnot. If you ever want to be inspired, read Allana's book The Best I Can Be (Macmillan, 2000). You'll never whinge again!

E-learning forum
Stephanie Sebalj, Head of Training Services, School of Volunteer Management (SVM) represented SVM at TAFE NSW's International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning's E-Learning Forum on Friday, 20 October 2006, at Randwick Racecourse.

Stephanie writes: "The E-Learning forum was great. It showcased small-to-large organisations' e-learning projects funded by the Australian Flexible Learning Framework. Organisations discussed their positive and negative e-learning experiences. Most of the organisations are facing the same difficulties with technology such as lack of compatibility or students not being able to download attachments (this is the biggest problem). I was able to gain a better understanding of the different ways we could incorporate e-learning into our program and it opened my eyes to the funding that is available for such projects."

Project Updates

Making the law accessible: Volunteering and the law in NSW
Timely and accessible legal information and resources are important for the effective management and future of the volunteering sector in Australia. The Centre's Member Report (2006) and Volunteering Australia's National Survey on Volunteering Issues (2006) reveal that legal and ethical issues are becoming increasingly complex for volunteering organisations. Organisations continue to find the lack of access to specific resources to meet their legal needs particularly challenging.

The Centre for Volunteering has recently identified the legal needs of the NSW volunteering sector and how best to meet them and will shortly be producing the first comprehensive report in NSW on this topic. The report argues that there are barriers to timely and accurate legal resources for NSW volunteering organisations, especially for small-to-medium organisations. As a result, The Centre has submitted a grant application to the Law and Justice Foundation of NSW for this project to coordinate building a legal resources website dedicated to the NSW volunteering sector. A decision on this grant application will be made in April 2007.

 Download a draft executive summary (November 2006). The final report will be published in early 2007.

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