Val Rottger, Coordinator, Good Beginnings Australia

What is your title and the name of your organisation?

I am a program coordinator with the Volunteer Family Support Program, Good Beginnings Australia, in Sydney's inner west. Good Beginnings Australia is a National Parenting Project.

What does your job entail?

My job entails the recruitment, selection and training of volunteer 'community parents'. I am also responsible for providing ongoing support and supervision to volunteers, as well as assessing the families referred to the program. The most exciting part of my job is to link volunteers to their family, and observe as their relationship develops over time. I also look after the day-to-day administration of the program. Finally, I also spend a lot of time talking to other service providers, who refer to us or who we refer families to. We try and respond to community needs and so do quite a bit of consultation with families and other non-government and government organisations.

Why and how did you become a volunteer manager?

I have worked in the community sector for five years now, starting as an emergency help worker at The Smith Family. I went on to coordinate their volunteer Home Tutor Scheme, which involved working with volunteers who teach migrants English. Working with volunteers was so rewarding, and when I found a job combining volunteer management with family support, which is where my real passion lies, I jumped on the opportunity. I have been doing this for two years and it has been a great experience.

Please share some of the rewarding experiences you have had working with volunteers?

I have felt so inspired meeting and getting to know dozens of volunteers who come to volunteering for all different reasons. Working with people who are willing to help and support others in their spare time is an incredibly positive experience. Besides watching the difference volunteers can make to a stressed and isolated family in our community, the most rewarding experience has been to see volunteers feel a sense of achievement, gain confidence and even tell me that their lives have taken off since starting volunteering. Volunteering is definitely a two-way street and a positive experience for all involved, especially the community as a whole.

Do you have any examples of innovative programs and ideas for working with your volunteers?

We spend a lot of time talking to our volunteers, supporting them in their role. A good way to recognise volunteers is to treat them like you would treat paid staff: give support, feedback, appraisals and ongoing training. We put out newsletters and organise events to bring people together and develop a good team spirit. We always have an annual event such as Christmas lunch, send cards for special occasions such as the birth of a grandchild and recognise and highlight our volunteers' strengths. The key is to be flexible, show attention to detail, give clear boundaries for volunteers to work in, be approachable, available and easy to talk to. I think giving volunteers a voice and making them part of the process is really valuable for both the organisation and the volunteers.

Do you network with other volunteer managers? If yes, how and what have you gained from that?

I attend a volunteer coordinator forum once in a while in the local area to meet other volunteer managers and to access training. However, I felt the need to bring together volunteer managers who work specifically with family support volunteers, so about a year ago, I got the ball rolling. Every six months, eight or nine of us get together to discuss the issues we deal with in our work. It's a great way to share ideas and resources and debrief with people who know exactly what we are talking about!

Do you utilise the services of The Centre for Volunteering?

We use The Centre for Volunteering to advertise our program and every so often we get an interested volunteer sent our way. We also use the website for ideas and inspiration. In our area, recruiting and retaining volunteers takes effort and commitment and new ideas for working with volunteers help us explore different ways of going about it.

Have you done any specific volunteer management training?

We try and attend workshops and training whenever we can. Our organisation has an annual conference where we can access great workshops and training. Throughout the year, we access STARS (Skills, Training and Resource Service) and the Burwood Volunteer Network for training. Some of the workshops we have attended have included working with volunteers from different cultures, dealing with difficult volunteers and volunteer recruitment.