The Voice of Volunteering, Issue no 6, July 2008

2008 NSW Volunteer of the Year Award Posters released

The 2008 NSW Volunteer of the Year Award posters have been released. Designed by Graphic Designer and volunteer Farrah Careem the posters are shown below. Download and print the posters today

Nominate your volunteers today

Don't forget that nominations for the 2008 NSW Volunteer of the Year Award and the 2008 NSW Corporate Volunteer of the Year Award are now open.
Nominate your volunteers online today

How do you decide which roles are for volunteers and which are for paid employees?
Volunteering Australia

Volunteering Australia has developed a resource to assist managers of volunteers and not-for-profit organisations design volunteer roles and write position descriptions. It provides guidelines for deciding when a role should be a volunteer's and when it should be a paid worker's. Download the Designing Volunteer Roles And Position Descriptions Toolkit

Visas and volunteering
Volunteering Australia

The Department of Immigration & Citizenship has been updating its website where it concerns volunteers. Generally speaking if a person's visa allows them to do paid work then they would automatically be able to volunteer. The only visas that need checking are those visas where paid work is not allowed. Find out more

Multi-culturalism – Alive and well in NSW
Lynne Dalton , The Centre for Volunteering

The Community Relations Commission (CRC) Chairperson Stepan Kerkyasharian, presented his 2007 Community Relations Report: Youth, diversity and harmony – shaping our future which was launched by The Hon. Barbara Perry, MP, at Parliament House 26 June 2008. The report is an amazing presentation of the breadth and variety of individuals and groups within the NSW community who engage in activities and program aimed at recognising and valuing the different linguistic, religious, racial and ethnic backgrounds of residents of NSW.

The CRC has responsibility for promoting community harmony, participation and access to services in order that the contribution of cultural diversity to NSW is celebrated and recognised as an important social and economic resource. It recognises multiculturalism as a deliberate public policy and takes proactive steps to ensure a cohesive and harmonious society.

If you would like to know about what is happening in your community with multicultural activities and opportunities the report will soon be available to download from the CRC website or you can obtain a hard copy from the CRC office (Level 8, 175 Castlereagh Street, Sydney, 2000).

CIVICUS World Assembly and volunteerism for development
World Volunteer Web

The CIVICUS World Assembly, a forum for international civil society representatives to exchange ideas and build strategies for a just world, met from 18-21 June 2008 in Glasgow, Scotland. Representatives from over 100 countries were in attendance, including those from civil society, international organizations, government, business, and the media. The theme of the conference was "People, Participation and Power," focusing on the role of people acting together to gain access to power.

Included during the meeting was the joint CIVICUS-IAVE-UNV publication launch of "Volunteering and Social Activism: Pathways for Participation in Human Development", co-authored by a UNV volunteer, Karena Cronin.  Workshops focused on volunteerism included one on engaging volunteers for social change and another exploring gender mainstreaming through Volunteerism for Development (V4D) projects, moderated by Mae Chao, Volunteer Infrastructure Specialist for United Nations Volunteers.

Not-for-profit Networking Event: Social Styles Model and School training with the new SVM website

Tuesday, 22 July 2008, 3pm–5pm (pls note date change due to WYD)
Level 2, 228 Pitt St, Sydney

How can you better understand other people and interact more effectively with them? Geoff Copeland, Manager of the School of Volunteer Management, will introduce you to the Social Styles Model and how easy and quick it is to use.

Geoff will also explain the changes to the training being offered by the School from 1 July, including new courses available such as the new Board and Management Committee Development Program. Dale Rees-Bevan of SpeakersBank will explain several new courses they will offer through the School.

RSVP today
All volunteer managers are very welcome to these events. Numbers are limited and booking is essential. Email Odessa O'Brien or phone 02 9261 3600 to RSVP. There is a cost of $5 to attend and afternoon tea will be provided.

12th National Conference on Volunteering: Early bird registration extended

3–5 September 2008
Radisson Resort Gold Coast, Queensland

Volunteering Australia has extended early bird registration for the 12th National Conference on Volunteering to 10 July 2008 with no further extension available. If you register before the 10 July 2008 you will save $100 off conference registration.

Register now to make sure you don't miss out on this special offer.

This is the last chance for the early bird discount. Register online today.

CEO Event Spotlight
Lynne Dalton, The Centre for Volunteering

Did you know that Anti-Poverty Week and National Nutrition Week fall in the same week this year (12-18 October 2008)? I would like to suggest you and your organisation focus on an activity in that week that addresses both issues at once! One suggestion is to ask all staff and volunteers to bring an item of nutritious food to work over the week and then deliver the collection to a local charity of your choice. Or have a "water and rice" day and donate the cost of your usual lunch to a local community group that addresses poverty. There are lots of other ideas on the Anti-Poverty Week website. You can have your activity listed on the website too if you let them know.

A message from the Board
Joy Woodhouse, Chair, The Centre for Volunteering

The Board of The Centre for Volunteering met for their bi-monthly meeting in Sydney on Thursday, 5 June 2008.

The Board welcomed the company auditor to the meeting and confirmed the Annual General Meeting date to be Wednesday, 22 October 2008.

The Board received an update from Program Managers which included reporting on activities such as the planning and running of National Volunteers Week events, launch of the Employee Volunteering Report and Toolkit and launch of the 2008 NSW Volunteer of the Year Award program. The Board thanked all of The Centre's staff and volunteers for their tireless efforts during National Volunteers Week and congratulated all of the organisations who participated in National Volunteer Week events.

The Board has recently undertaken strategic planning activities which included internal staff and volunteer consultation and an externally facilitated Board workshop. The next part of the project will look at stakeholder consultation then implementation and communication of agreed strategic objectives.

The following organisations applied for membership of The Centre for Volunteering and were accepted as new members at the meeting:

• Arana Therapeutics
• Auburn Migrant Resources Centre
• The Barefoot Doctors Project
• Cambooya Services Pty Ltd
• Canterbury Hospital
• Columban Mission Institute
• Ernst and Young
• Heritage Group of Leichhardt District
• Hutchison Telecoms
• Integral Energy
• Ku-Ring-Gai Philharmonic Orchestra
• Macarthur Girls High School
• NSW Federation of Community Language Schools
• Recreation Sports and Aquatics Club
• Roche Products
• Rosemount Good Shepherd Youth & Family Services
• Scalabrini Village
• The Settlement Neighbourhood Centre
• Stockland
• Sydney 2009 World Masters Games

The Board welcomed these diverse not-for-profit and corporate organisations to The Centre for Volunteering membership.

Research Report
Tony Frew, Research & Policy Manager

Community Insurance
In May 2008 Tony Frew was invited to join a consultative committee of The Insurance Council of Australia. The Insurance Council was established to act as the peak body for general insurance companies in Australia licensed under the Insurance Act 1973. It represents the interests of the Australian general insurance industry.

The Insurance Council's 58 member groups include insurance and reinsurance companies, Lloyds underwriters, intermediaries and agencies from both the private and public sectors. They account for more than 90 per cent of all insurance business transacted in Australia by authorised insurers.

It represents its members, handles issues and develops industry positions through government lobby, public affairs, industry forums, issues management and consumer services, all of which are backed up by technical research and resources.

This committee membership provides an opportunity for the sector to raise and have heard issues regarding insurance by a significant part of the insurance industry. Should anyone wish to suggest an insurance matter for discussion in the committee's quarterly meetings please email Tony Frew.

SCIP/Youth Report
Maia Giordano, Youth Volunteer Program Manager

On 27 and 29 May, Maia Giordano organised four SCIP Seminars at Waverley College as part of Year 10 Social Justice Day. Special thanks to speakers from Amnesty International, Red Cross, St Vincent De Paul and Vision Australia. Their presentations were inspiring and informative. Thanks also to David Synnott for his engaging presentation. Good luck to new volunteer speaker Matt Levy from Vision Australia who will be competing in the upcoming Paralympic Games in Beijing 2008. You are an inspiration to other young people!

On 4 June, Maia presented to Year 10 girls at Macarthur Girls High School in Parramatta, as part of their Pathways to the Future Day. Thanks to volunteer speaker Robin Blackadder for assisting Maia and regaling students with his many volunteer stories!

Also on 4 June, Maia gave a presentation on SCIP to the Environmental Teachers Network. This network is run by Marrickville Council and made up of primary and secondary school teachers from the Marrickville LGA.

On 16 June, Volunteering WA hosted the quarterly Youth Volunteer Peak Bodies Teleconference. This teleconference is invaluable in sharing experience, resources and expertise among the state volunteering peak bodies.

On June 17, the Volunteering Unit at the NSW Premiers Office, in consultation with Maia, held a meeting on Supporting young people in volunteering. This meeting was a great opportunity to network with other government and not-for-profit organisations working on similar issues to do with youth volunteering.

© The Centre for Volunteering 2007 | 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 | W: www.volunteering.com.au
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