Issue no 7, May 2007

Interview with NSW Minister for Volunteering
By The Centre for Volunteering

Australia's 6.3 million volunteers are being celebrated during National Volunteer Week, 14–20 May 2007.

To mark National Volunteer Week, The Centre for Volunteering spoke with the new NSW Minister for Volunteering, Linda Burney, about the Government's plans to enhance volunteering and support not-for-profit organisations across the State.

Find out what special policies the government is developing to increase the involvement of people with a culturally and linguistically diverse background in volunteering as well as the short-, medium- and long-term plans of her portfolio. MORE

Making Lavender Trust cupcakes with a passion for charity
By Christina Lam

Beautiful and stylish 'cooking goddess' Nigella Lawson,  food writer and TV star, has won the hearts of many using her cooking inspirations as a way to show support for charity. Her most famous and recent work includes supporting the Lavender Trust at Breast Cancer Care, a charity which makes a difference to the quality of life of younger women dealing with breast cancer. MORE

Homeless score a win on many levels
By Vanessa McQuarrie

An international street soccer competition is heading for Melbourne and Australia's homeless and disadvantaged, and their supporters, are set to be victorious on many levels. The Homeless World Cup, being held in November 2008, is part of a global push to encourage disadvantaged youth and adults into playing sport. MORE

Is volunteering the new sea change?
By Belle Hann

Look out, Australia! Here comes the next generation of retirees and they are here to make a difference. In this article, three recent retirees – John Anderson, Harry Morris and Leighton Crabb – tell how they are making their own 'volunteering sea changes' for the better. MORE

The RED Campaign – U2's Bono harnesses big business
By Hamish Gregor

"Picture this – a village where the disappearance of a whole generation has left children to bring up children," so says Bono, lead singer of the band U2, writing in The Independent newspaper on 16 May 2006. "I am a witness," Bono goes on to say in his article. "A witness to all these disasters – what can I do?" The RED Campaign is Bono's answer. MORE

Performing medical miracles for Cambodian youth
By Christina Lam and Gabe Perna

The work that the volunteer doctors and surgeons do with disadvantaged children at the Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, is incredible. CSC is situated in Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre and provides critical surgery and rehabilitation services to poor and disadvantaged youth in Cambodia. Technology is basic in Cambodia and access to government-supported health care is poor. MORE

Bain & Company's Community Impact Day
By Brian Milroy

Management consultancy Bain & Company believes that companies actively involved in charity work inevitably influence and become better known in the wider community. Rather than focus on corporate sponsorships, Bain has implemented a series of hands-on charity programs that actively assist the work of a wide range of community organisations through volunteering and, in turn, promote the development of Bain's own staff. MORE

Peter Batcheler: Volunteer Tour Guide with the ABC
By Jenny Springett

"I get an enormous amount of satisfaction from the role of Tour Guide at the ABC. I am providing a service that would not necessarily be available for the community and am working with like-minded people. I like being active and involved, keeping my mind sharp, imparting knowledge, meeting and talking with people – no real pressure, just plain having a good time". MORE

99% of volunteers believe their work makes a difference: National survey finds
Volunteering Australia

Findings from Volunteering Australia's second annual National Survey of Volunteering Issues, released during National Volunteer Week 2007, have identified that most volunteers are positive about the benefits their work brings to the community.

The survey, which explores known and emerging public policy issues in volunteering and volunteer management practices, also focused upon how volunteers see themselves as contributing to social change or community benefits through their volunteer work. It found that 70% of volunteers feel empowered to influence decisions in their organisation and its broader objectives. Some volunteers, however, would still like greater opportunities to participate in this way. MORE

New report on Maori volunteering launched
World Volunteer Web & Scoop, New Zealand

A research report leading to a better understanding of volunteering and unpaid work from a Maori perspective has been launched, says Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector Luamanuvao Winnie Laban.

Mahi Aroha: Maori Perspectives on Volunteering and Cultural Obligations, is part of New Zealand Labour government's ongoing commitment to removing barriers to volunteering. MORE

A day without volunteers – what would it be like?
By Lisa Saremel

It's the height of summer in Sydney. It's 39° C on a smoky, cloudy, grey day in February with scorching hot winds ideal for accelerating fires sparked early in the day by irresponsible arsonists. By lunchtime, an infernal blaze is threatening parts of the northern suburbs.

Meanwhile, thousands of housebound elderly people are without food in their own homes, dozens of sports fans at a stadium and hundreds of young people at a music festival collapse without any immediately available medical attention, and every person in crisis who dials a counsellor for help hears nothing but a recorded message. MORE

School of Volunteer Management training news

Training for volunteers
SVM piloted the Certificate 1 in Active Volunteering (CAV) twice in March, firstly with Mosman Council volunteers on 26 March and then with a group of volunteers in Lismore on 30 March 2007. The training was delivered as a one-day workshop comprising five sessions covering the philosophy of volunteering, communication, policies, procedures and work practices. Students were encouraged to share ideas and their volunteering experiences through group discussions, reflection, case studies and small group activities. MORE

Free job skills training
Do you want to update your business skills? Are there people volunteering with you who need to undertake some training? Are you eligible for free job skills training valued at up to $3,000 each? MORE

The Centre celebrates its 500th member

The Centre for Volunteering would like to thank its 500th individual member Lyndon Reed, and organisation member Australian Business Arts Foundation (AbaF). Both will receive certificates from The Centre and free memberships for 2008/09.

Lyndon Reed is an employee of The Centre for Volunteering who has been diligently supporting The Centre's IT infrastructure for the past eight years. AbaF promotes private sector support for the arts by connecting business, the arts, donors and foundations through three programs: 1) partnering; 2) volunteering; and 3) giving.

Evaluation Conference Think Tank

The Centre for Volunteering, in partnership with The Benevolent Society, will be presenting a Think Tank entitled Conducting evaluations of complex, multi-site programs in the not-for-profit sector at the Australasian Evaluation Society (AES) Conference in Melbourne, September 2007. The presentation will report on findings and discussions from the upcoming NSW AES workshop (16 May), The Centre's June Networking Breakfast and data from The Centre's questionnaire on not-for-profit issues which will be administered late June. Such an opportunity will give The Centre and The Benevolent Society a chance to put evaluation issues in the not-for-profit sector firmly on the national agenda.

Free Bridge for Volunteering workshop
Are you a new volunteer or are thinking about volunteering for the first time? Attend The Centre for Volunteering's free introductory talk Bridge to Volunteering held on the following Fridays from 10.30am to 12.30pm:

• 18, 25 May
• 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 June
• 6, 13, 20, 27 July
• 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 August

Phone 02 9261 3600 to book your place.

Events Calendar
Visit our online Events Calendar to keep informed about events across the state and how you can get involved.

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