October 2009

VOLUNTEERING NEW ZEALAND FOCUS

Minister reflects on the challenge in the conference theme - Volunteering Unleashed

Reflecting on the title "Volunteering Unleashed" Minister Tariana Turia asked what did Volunteering New Zealand think it was doing suggesting we should be giving volunteers a free rein, when she spoke at the Volunteering Unleashed conference dinner.

She said "unleashed" was a concept which represented for her the act of being set free and she suggested that William Arthur Ward perhaps summed it up when he said,
"Nothing limits achievement like small thinking;
Nothing expands possibilities like unleashed imagination".

The Minister said anyone could develop a project plan, a list of logic to get from A to B. "Volunteering New Zealand is challenging us all not just to plan out the route, but to invest in imagination and innovation, so that our possibilities can become realities," she said.

Many of those attending the conference reported they experienced much imagination, innovation and inspiration in its programme. There was inspiration in all the keynote speakers - Steven Cardon, the three panellists on the language of volunteering, Joyce-Anne Raihania, Alfred Ngaro and Adam Awad, Mellisa Moon, Mahi Maurini (Maori Wardens) and Marcus Akhuta-Brown who concluded conference with a presentation that moved the audience to much laughter and tears.

The two main streams were well led by Andy Fryar and Martin Cowling and there was a lot of participation by conference attendees in many of the session. A highlight was three important proposals to come from the Development Of Professional Volunteer Management Stream. They called for steps to progress the development of volunteer management; they proposed greater collaboration and networking within the sector and they recommended reframing the concept of volunteering to reflect and include diversity of all cultures, and generations.

At the conference dinner, Greg Harford, Manager External Relations NZ Post, highlighted NZ Post's community involvement. The other dinner highlight was the singing of the Bluetones, the barbershop quartet from St Pat's College. In the background was their coach, (volunteer) Henare Mihaere.

The Minister in her speech also announced the release of a 2008 update on the study on how New Zealanders give. This includes the numbers who volunteer. It found that the levels of giving remained stable between 2007 and 2008. In 2008 75.8% of people aged 10 and over gave by donations or volunteering compared with 75.4% in 2007. The overall rate of volunteering was also stable, 34% in 2008 and 33.8% in 2007.

The full report can be accessed through this link.

Copies of Conference presentation notes can now be found on VNZ's website.

Volunteer managers survey initial report on Volunteer Managers Day

Initial findings from a survey of volunteer managers will be reported at a special breakfast in Wellington on International Volunteer Managers Day, 5 November. The breakfast is being hosted by Volunteer Wellington, Wellington CAB and Cancer Society Wellington. There will also be stories from innovative volunteer managers who have been doing things differently in their role. VNZ will join the gathering and talk about the proposal to come from the Volunteer Unleashed conference for a national approach to the development of professional volunteer management.

In a step to allow more Volunteer Managers to throw their support behind the promotion of International Volunteer Managers Day (IVMDay), the international committee overseeing the celebration have announced a new 'affiliate' category of membership. IVMDay is supported globally by a network of major volunteer agencies (VNZ is included) who help to spread the word about the day to their members. This 'International Supporters Group' has now been extended to include individual volunteer programs - in hospitals, animal shelters, sporting clubs or wherever volunteers are effectively led.

The following organisations have already joined through that scheme:
Volunteering Sunshine Coast (Australia)
Crewe & Nantwich Voluntary Action (UK)
PAWS (USA)
Gawler Community House (Australia)
Sarah Elliston Consulting (USA)
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (USA)
KM Consulting & Training Connection (USA)

This new 'affiliate' level of membership is free and will see individual programmes listed on the official IVMDay website as an affiliate member. For further details please contact the Committee chair Andy Fryar at andy [at] ozvpm [dot] com. Internationally, there is a Facebook group to support the IVMDay. Spread the word to your peers and colleagues about it and join it yourself. The aim is for 1000 members by IVMDay 2010.

What are your plans for International Volunteer Day - 5 December?

VNZ would like to hear about and publicise your plans for celebrating International Volunteer Day. A special IVD 2009 blog is set up where IV Day events can be listed. Please visit http://ivd2009.blogspot.com to see what is going on elsewhere in the country and to you're your event. The information on how to post a blog entry could be found on the blog. Alternatively send an email with your plans to ed [at] volunteeringnz [dot] org [dot] nz.

In the next few weeks, VNZ will be sending a small supply of the Do a World of Good posters to about 1000 organisations and individuals and this and previous year's IV Day posters will be available through the International Volunteer Day toolkit on the VNZ website. VNZ is planning to publicise one of the projects it is working on to mark International Volunteer Day.

VNZ is going outward bound

Branka Cicak, VNZ Communications Officer, is going to undertake a full Outward Bound Masters course at Anakiwa during November. This is thanks to a scholarship which has been offered to VNZ by the Outward Bound Trust. VNZ would like to thank the Trust for this opportunity and we will report about Branka's experiences in our future newsletter.

NEW ZEALAND NEWS

Volunteer Managers Survey

Volunteer Wellington is running a Volunteer Managers Survey for the managers within the Wellington region. It has been designed to offer more effective support to people working as volunteer managers in Wellington and aims to gain a picture of the way life is for people who work as managers of volunteers and to use the responses to develop the support systems you say you need to do your job effectively and happily.

You can also access the survey on line - go to www.volunteerwellington.org.nz - click on Resources. Volunteer Wellington plans to give preliminary findings at the International Volunteer Managers Day breakfast forum being held on Thursday 5 November at the premises of KPMG.

Guideline from Inland Revenue on reimbursement payments to volunteers

The Department of Inland Revenue has published this set of guidelines about payments to volunteers in reimbursement of their expenses.

The key points are:
Who is a volunteer?
A volunteer is someone who freely undertakes an activity in New Zealand:
- chosen either by themselves or by a group of which they are a member
- which benefits others without benefiting themselves financially.
Can you pay a volunteer?
A volunteer may receive two types of payment:
- reimbursements for expenses
- honoraria for services.
When can someone receive reimbursement?
Reimbursements can be:
- for actual expenditure
- based on a reasonable estimate of expenditure likely to be incurred.
Any reimbursement must be for expenses incurred when undertaking or when travelling to and from a voluntary activity. The reimbursement may be in a non-cash form, for example, as petrol or meal vouchers.
Are reimbursements taxed?
Reimbursement payments are tax exempt income of the volunteer and so are not taxed.
What is an honorarium?
Honoraria are payments made for services provided where no fixed payment would normally be made and are less than market rate. They are treated as schedular payments for tax purposes.
This means:
- PAYE rules apply
- payments are taxed at the specified flat rate of 33 cents in the dollar.
What is a schedular payment?
Schedular payments are listed payments made to someone who provides a service but is not an employee. Tax must be withheld from them at a specified flat rate.
What happens if someone gets both an honorarium and a reimbursement? Are they taxed?
Where the payment is a combination of an honorarium and a reimbursement of expenses incurred, and the honorarium and the reimbursement portions are clearly identified and recorded, the honorarium will be taxable and the reimbursement will be exempt.
Where the distinction between the honorarium and the reimbursement is not clear then the entire payment is treated as an honorarium, and subject to tax as a schedular payment.

Community Central October 2009

A lot has been happening in CommunityCentral over the last few months. They've now run workshops from Auckland down to Invercargill. The presentations have been a success: many have taken the plunge and signed on as members since then. As a result the membership numbers now stand at over 575. There are 8 e-newsletters, 3 collaborative, 9 discussion networks and 30 private workspaces running on CommunityCentral. This number is growing all the time. Visit CommunityCentral to learn more. One of the first discussion networks is for Volunteer Managers which has over thirty members. It offers a great way for volunteer managers around New Zealand to talk about their issues and contribute to the development of professional volunteer management.

Community Central Featured project: Running a Collaborative Project
Just in! Can you afford a website to tell people in NZ about a multi-partner project? How about a cheaper and quicker option…

Instead of spending that money, come and talk to CommunityCentral people about how you can get a mini-website on CommunityCentral for free! The Generosity Hub helped to add this service and itself is a great example of a collaborative project - government, business and community sector working together to grow philanthropy in New Zealand.

The Generosity Hub invites all to join their CommunityCentral discussion network. They are keen to find out what works well and "grows giving".

Your suggestion could be the Hub's next project! Join in and see what people are saying. More than meets the eye with this topic. Log in and then join the Generosity Hub Discussion Network.

Budget advisors needed nationwide

Familiy Budgeting Services are currently recruiting volunteers to be trained as budget advisers to work with families and individuals to help them manage their money better.
The current recession has left many Kiwi families in pretty bad shape. Just as the 'economic advisers' tell us that the recession is 'over' we are just starting to see the brunt of rising unemployment and unmanageable debt levels. Many services are now putting clients on waiting lists; which is pretty rough when you urgently need a food parcel or need to get your phone back on!
Further information can be obtained from the Family Budgeting services on their free number 0508 283 438. Training begins in February/March 2010.

Training courses at Parent to Parent

The criteria for attendance are that the participants are a parent or family member of a child with a special need, disability or health impairment. This provides the ability to train a broad range of volunteers.

The main Support Parenting Training Course has recently been developed and renamed the Perent Support Programme to increase its relevance and accessibility to parents.

It is made up of three courses:

• One day Personal Support Course
• Two day Communication Skills Course
• Navigating the system sessions

This training is free to participants but those who attend the courses are asked to consider their ability to offer support to another who is going through a similar journey. All volunteers go through an accreditation process to assess their readiness. Parent to Parent is happy to provide training to other groups volunteers as long as the volunteers meet their criteria and are happy to become one of their Support Parents; this is usually a commitment to make a call to another parent who has a child with a similar condition, once a month or so. For further information on courses and how to participate please contact 0508 236 236 or national [at] parent2parent [dot] org [dot] nz

Minister Turia praises community response to emergency conditions

Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Tariana Turia has praised the sterling efforts of community volunteers which have been demonstrated to the fore during the hazardous weather conditions that swept the central North island in early October.

"Behind the scenes of the massive effort coordinated by the Police, the Army and Civil Defence, community volunteers and organisations have been working hard to ensure stranded motorists and travellers were taken care of" she said.

Many community groups and individuals offered their help to the travelers waiting for the roads to pen and kept them warm, fed and sheltered. The Taupo 4WD club helped in the rescue mission and local schools opened their kitchens to keep the hot drinks and food coming.

Local Government Act Review

A review of Local Government was signalled earlier this year by Local Government Minister Rodney Hide. He has publicly said it's because of his concerns about transparency, accountability and fiscal management within local government. For a while it was on the back burner while the Auckland issues were a priority. However, it is expected the issue will now be advanced more quickly and has potential implications for the Community and Voluntary Sector.

Consistent with the Minister's earlier published comments / speeches, it is our understanding that the Minister's intention is to have local government constrained to delivery of a limited set of "core services". It seems these focus around infrastructure services (roads and rubbish), waste management, disaster management, regulatory responsibilities and libraries and recreation. None are really defined with any specificity.

The key concern for the Sector is that core services don't appear to include the many social services that keep communities going, let alone events, tourism, arts, or some of other activities that contribute to our community environment in its broadest sense. While these activities could theoretically continue, the Minister is seeking to contain activity for the purposes of containing rates increases.

A real problem with this review process is that there is little detail or discussion out in the public domain so that people can discuss things properly in a decent time scale.

The Minister is doing limited consultation with LGNZ and Society of Local Government Managers at this point but it is unclear whether our government agencies have had a chance to input into the process prior to it going to cabinet. Regardless, any potential future Select Committee process and any draft legislation needs to be well considered and take into account the wider community contribution of local government.

Some of the questions that people have asked so far include:

• How does the Minister see social services, events and tourism fitting in with his proposal?
• While containing rates is a laudable aim, what is the wider impact of fewer social services in the community?
• If it is proposed that all of these greatly-used social services are going to disappear, who is going to provide / fund those social services, and how?

Sector members may wish to express their concern to MPs about the impact on our community of removing social services from local government. The lack of material on which discussion of these proposals can be based is a further point they may wish to make.

Finance and fundraising challenges haunt Not-for-Profit organizations in NZ

Not-for-Profit organisations in NZ are becoming increasingly concerned about finance and fundraising, according to a nationwide survey by international accounting firm Grant Thornton. Financing the organisation was identified by 72% of survey respondents as one of the three most significant issues they faced during these challenging economic times, with 47% saying that fundraising was also a key area of concern.

These figures were up significantly from the last survey two years ago and the highest since the survey commenced in 2003. While these two aspects were the major concerns in 2007, it is the size of the increase that is the most revealing in 2009. Two years ago, 56% saw financing their organisations activities as a significant issue and only 30% viewed fundraising in the same way.

Other areas of significant concern are the role of the board in relation to governance, retaining and motivating staff and the managing and compliance costs of staff. Most Not-for-Profit organisations are now taking a closer look at their cost base to ensure their spend is essential. They are also closely monitoring all financial statements with many taking steps to improve their understanding of the key risks to their businesses.

Two areas where there has been noticeable change are in the role of community trusts and also individual donors. Many community trusts are having no financial resources to distribute and interestingly the gap is filled by the individual donors who appear to be giving more than ever before.

A similar survey carried out by Grant Thornton in the United States in 2008 showed that in depressed economic times individual donors were likely to choose organisations with which they had a personal or professional connection. The present depressed economic conditions were also reflected in the areas of budget forecasting and human resources.

The Grant Thornton Not-for-Profit survey was undertaken by 181 participants covering a wide cross section of Not-for-Profit organisations and geographic locations. Earlier surveys were completed in 2003, 2005 and 2007.

VOLUNTEERING PEOPLE

The Community Sector Taskforce announced three Tangata Tiriti Taskforce member appointments in early October

The Community Sector Taskforce is an independent body of five Tangata Tiriti and five Tangata Whenua community people. It was established in 2003 to continue work initiated by the joint community sector and government working parties (2000-02) to develop the relationship between government and the sector.
Twenty-one applications were received for the Tangata Tiriti positions and the Taskforce interview panel indicated that it was a very difficult task making the appointments due to the very high calibre of applicants.
The successful applicants were: Kitty Chiu - Auckland; Pancha Narayan - Upper Hutt; Anna Cottrell - Wellington.

Earlier this year, Minister Turia announced funding over three years to support the work of the Community Sector Taskforce in working with and building local community networks. The OCVS and the Community Sector Taskforce have agreed on a programme of work for the 2009/10 year, which includes initiatives in specific regions.

The Taskforce's Weaving Communities Together programme will support opportunities and provide funding to build new networks or enhance existing ones to find solutions to important issues within specific communities. Expressions of interest are due with the Taskforce by 20 November 2009.

Profiles of taskforce members are published on the Community Sector Taskforce website.
Learn how you can register an interest (before 20 November) in being part of the Weaving Communities Together programme.

VOLUNTEERING RECOGNITION AWARDS

More Winners of Youth Spirit Award announced

Gray District
Ruby Tui from John Paul II High School has been named as the winner of the inaugural TrustPower Youth Community Spirit Award. The Award is jointly run by TrustPower and the Grey District Council. Ruby is Head Girl and Head of the Student Council, she is a member of the Youth Town Community Young Leaders group and the Grey District Young Persons' Development Trust. She is also a proven sports woman who plays and coaches sports and is a lifeguard at the Grey Aquatic Centre.

Waihemo District
Ray Quijano from East Otago School won the Award in Waihemo District. He is active in all areas of the school community, with activities ranging from tutoring at his school through to coaching, assisting in the school office and teaching Sunday School lessons. He is a team player who is happy to help others wherever possible. He is a caring and mature senior student that gives his time freely to help others.

Wairoa District
Shontay Calvert from Wairoa College is the winner of the Arard in Wairoa District. She has showed a lot of leadership through her school years and in particular through her prefect role this year. She was involved in a number of sport and cultural organisations and was a key player in the Girls Basketball team.

On top of all her own sporting endeavours Shontay also coached junior basketball and netball teams. She is also a very active student and is the leader of the Kapa Haka group.
Shontay chose to donate the money to the Wairoa College League Team to go towards their uniform to make them look like the great team they are.

Westland District
Cassie Lee from Westland High School is the winner for the Westland District. She is involved in all types of activities ranging from co-chairing the student council and taking part in school productions through to coaching swimming and organising S.A.D.D. (Students Against Drunk Driving) events. Cassie also assists as an international student buddy, she is a strong leader in the school's Hapu group, and is an active member of the ball committee - just to name a few of her activities.

New Trustpower Regional Award Winners

Gray District
CCS Disability Action West Coast Branches have won the Supreme Award at the TrustPower Grey District Community Awards presented at a function at the Ashley Hotel in Greymouth.

CCS Disability Action West Coast Branches undertook the huge venture of creating a truly accessible house in Greymouth that showcases the latest in design features for disabled people. The Welcome Home Project incorporated this vision with an enormous amount of fundraising. The entire community got in behind this project, and a huge number of volunteers worked tirelessly to turn the dream of Bradley House into a reality.

The category winners were:
Heritage and Environment: West Coast Alpine Club
Health and Well Being: Greymouth Baptist Church
Arts and Culture: Greymouth Competitions Society
Sport and Leisure: Greymouth Motorcycle Street Race
Educational and Child/Youth Development: Greymouth Parents Centre

Waihemo District
The Katiki Point Penguin Charitable Trust has won the Supreme Award at the TrustPower Waihemo Community Awards.

It provides a safe haven for over 70% of North Otago's Yellow Eyed Penguins. Volunteers care for 93 sick and injured penguins in their penguin hospital, as well as maintaining two reserves and the upkeep of predator control and maintaining the website www.penguins.org.nz to keep the public updated. The Katiki Point attracts over 20,000 visitors each year. The competition for this year's TrustPower Waihemo Community Awards was tough with 19 groups nominated for the Awards.

The category winners were:
Heritage and Environment: Waihemo Heritage Trust
Health and Well Being: Good Samaritans
Arts and Culture: East Otago Woodturners Inc.
Sport and Leisure: Waikouaiti District Pony Club
Educational and Child/Youth Development: Hampden Skate Park Society Inc.

Wairoa District
The Genesis Energy Lake to Lighthouse Challenge has won the Award in Wairoa District. This 196km multisport world class event showcases the region, people and culture.

There are eight stages to the event, including running, cycling and kayaking, it takes competitors around Lake Waikeremoana, ending at the lighthouse in Wairoa. Volunteers put in thousands of hours and cover all aspects of the event from organisational planning and management through to event logistic of marshalling, security, communications, timing, catering, entertainment and health & safety logistics.

There are many benefits for the local community including creating income opportunities for school and community groups through food stalls and entertainment and creating income for local businesses through accommodation, food, fuel and retail. The event also promotes the district in a very positive way both nationally and internationally through media exposure.

The category winners were:
Heritage and Environment: Wairoa Agricultural & Pastoral Society
Health and Well Being: The Wairoa Disability Transport Service Inc
Arts and Culture: Wairoa Lighthouse Lions
Sport and Leisure: Wairoa Athletic Rugby & Sports Club
Educational and Child/Youth Development: Wairoa Playcentre Incorporated

Westland District
Hokitika's iconic beach sculpture event Driftwood and Sand has won the Award on the West Coast.

Driftwood and Sand event is a sculpture competition with a difference where participants create works of art form any raw materials washed up by the tide. The event encourages people to utilise the town's wonderful beach, and is a visual delight for all to enjoy.

The category winners were:
Heritage and Environment: Ross Goldfields Information and Heritage Centre
Health and Well Being: Hokitika Community Patrol
Arts and Culture: Westland Arts Incorporated
Sport and Leisure: Hokitika Netball Centre
Educational and Child/Youth Development: Hokitika Girl Guides

NATIONAL EVENTS

'E-engage your community' conferences

12 and 13 November Massey University, Wellington and
16 April 2010, Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology
The purpose of these conferences is to introduce people from voluntary organisations to internet-based tools that can help them meet their mission. At the Wellington event there will be a full-day main conference, followed by a day of hands-on workshops. The main conference on Thursday
To register for the Wellington event visit http://www.eyc.org.nz/register/ .

If you use a web-based tool, e.g. Skype, Wikis, Picasa, Facebook, Google apps, will be in or near Christchurch in mid-April, and would be willing to share your experience, you might be offered to present at the event. Presentations can be either an hour long tutorial session in a computer suite, or a twenty minute case study demonstration with questions. Those who present will receive free Conference registration and a t-shirt. The pre-approved travel expenses could be reimbursed as well. For further information please contact Ruth Gardner at 03 366 2442 or e-mail mgr [at] volcan [dot] org [dot] nz

The Tonic Conference - Fresh Thinking for Community Groups

6-7 November 2009 Historic Village, Tauranga
The Tonic Conference is for people, and organisations, who are ready to look at new ideas, new tools, and most importantly, new possibilities for the way they run.

Some of the topics to be discussed include: Empowering Volunteers - Running Effective Meetings - Sustainable Funding - Planning and Managing Events - Making the Most of Your Website - Smart Sponsorship - Hiring a Professional Fundraiser - Making the Most of the Media - Legal Loops and Language - Finding Cash for Capital Projects. For further information visit www.exult.co.nz.

The National Not-for-Profit Sector Conference: The Way Forward: Inspiration + Skills

11-12 March 2010, Waipuna Conference Centre, Auckland
This conference focusing on management and governace of the not-for-profit sector will feature number of interesting speakers including Hon Tariana Turia, Trevor Taylor and Margareth Wheatley. Earlybird registration rates are available until 1 December.
For further information visit http://nfpconference.co.nz/ or contact events [at] grow [dot] co [dot] nz.

INTERNATIONAL EVENTS

12th IAVE Asia Pacific Regional Volunteer

26-29 November 2009 Kaohsiung, Taiwan
A final reminder that the Asia Pacific IAVE conference will be hosted by IAVE Taiwan and Kaohsiung City Volunteer Association with the theme "Volunteerism as a Lifestyle for Social Solidarity. Further information is available from http://iave.npotech.org.tw or e-mail iave [dot] 2009 [at] gmail [dot] com. And if you cannot make it (as will be the case for VNZ) here is a message from Taiwan With Heart with love -Volunteering Taiwan.

2010 Australian National Conference on Volunteering

27 - 29 October 2010 Sebel Albert Park, Victoria
The dates for the conference were just announced and further information will follow in the next couple of months. For further announcement on the theme, programme and registration keep an eye on www.volunteeringaustralia.org.

Dates announced for the IAVE 2011 World Conference

IAVE's 21st World Volunteer Conference is firmly scheduled for January 24-27, 2011 in Singapore at Sentosa, the new Resorts World hotel. A youth volunteer conference will immediately precede it, January 21-23, taking place on the campus of Singapore Management University.

Make plans now to be in Singapore in January 2011 to help IAVE and its partners throughout the world kick-off our celebration of IYV+10.

Volunteering Ireland to host IAVE World Conference in 2012

IAVE board unanimously agreed to accept Volunteering Ireland's bid to host 2012 World Conference during their meeting in Paris earlier this month. The theme for the 2012 conference is "Volunteering and Human Rights: working for the noblest aspirations of humankind - the pursuit of peace, freedom, opportunity, safety, and justice for all people through volunteer effort."

The bid received wide-ranging support within Ireland; from civil society organizations including Amnesty International and the Wheel, to artists and poets such as Seamus Heaney. Politicians of all persuasions supported Volunteering Ireland's bid, including the Taoiseach Brian Cowen and the Irish President Mary McAleese.

The Value of Volunteering: Its Social, Economic and Political Impact

3 December 2009 Morrison Hotel, Ormond Quay, Dublin, Ireland
Volunteering Ireland and PAVMI proudly present this conference on the value of volunteering.
Eilis Lawlor, New Economics Foundation, and other distinguished speakers will talk about the social, economic and political value of volunteering. Workshops will cover the European Year of Volunteering, IT for Volunteer Management and more.

International Not-For-Profit Convention & Exhibition

11-13 November 2009 Sunshine Coast, Australia
This event offers three days of learning for changing times. There will be opportunity for peer-networking, professional development and organisational capacity building in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere INCE09 represents a prime growth opportunity. It is now open for registrations - check it out on www.nfpn.com.au.

2010 Joint world Conference on Social Work and Social Development

10 - 15 June Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong, China
This first ever consortium offers a unique platform for more than 2,000 professionals, academics, practitioners, social planners, policy makers and advocates from East and West to meet, exchange, and develop an action agenda for social work and social development in the next decade. The even will put an emphasize on the systematic application and generation of knowledge and intervention to result in evidence-based outcome in social work and social development.
There are three Conference themes:
1) Life Course Challenges & Actualization
2) Social Inclusion for Whom? Equity for What?
3) Sustainable Environment

For further information and registration visit the official conference website www.swsd2010.org.

The Role of Community in Economic and Disaster Recovery

25-28 July, 2010 New Orleans
This conference will offer an excellent opportunity for community development practitioners and scholars to meet and discuss successful ways to promote all facets of community development. They invite participation on all aspects of community development, including economic and social programming. New Orleans is an ideal site for this conference because it launched major new programming under extremely difficult conditions. In a literal sense, many communities in New Orleans had to be rebuilt. The conference is designed to learn from the New Orleans experience and to compare and contrast that work with similar experiences world-wide.

The deadline for submitting abstracts is October 30, 2009. More information available from info [at] iacdglobal [dot] org.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Global Funding Confidence Survey 2009

Worldwide, fundraisers see green shoots of economic revival with confidence growing - with 56% reporting that they feel more optimistic about donations in the coming 12 months.

The past year has been tough for some, with half of NFP organisations reporting a decline in income, but one third (33%) of fundraisers have successfully bucked the trend and generated additional income despite the recession, according to The Management Centre's Global Fundraising Confidence Survey 2009.

Conducted by The Management Centre from May-August 2009, the survey explores the views of 126 leading fundraising directors and sector experts from Europe, Asia, North America, Australasia and Africa about the impact of the financial crisis on the Not for Profit sector.

The research report, (a follow up to one conducted in 2008), highlights which organisations, causes and regions have and will be most affected and what strategies fundraisers should adopt to overcome economic instability. The survey also reveals how confident organisations are about the current fundraising landscape and the year ahead.

The Global Fundraising Confidence Survey 2009 can be downloaded at www.managementcentre.co.uk

RESOURCES and EDUCATION/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Taking the Client's Perspective in Designing Volunteer Roles

By Susan J. Ellis
The women's movement observed long ago that the personal is political. I've had some healthcare experiences this month that allowed me to see volunteer work design from a different perspective. On September 1, I fell and badly broke and dislocated my right arm at the elbow. After two weeks it was determined that my arm was unstable and I underwent surgery to replace the radial head and repair a torn ligament. I hasten to reassure everyone that I am on the mend, getting physical therapy, in minimal pain, and happy that I'm left-handed! Generally, I wouldn't be using this monthly essay for a health report, but these facts set the context for how and why I learned a lot about the role - or lack of it - of volunteers in institutions.

Last Decade's Volunteering May No Longer Be Relevant
Hospitals and other healthcare facilities are among the most well-established involvers of volunteers. The public is fully aware of hospital volunteering and there is general agreement that volunteers bring a sense of community caring to patients and staff. But, what exactly are these volunteers contributing to healthcare right now?

Like many of you, it's become second nature to me to be alert for "volunteer sightings" wherever I go. I enjoy seeing volunteers in action, learning what they do, and talking to them about their activities. During my month of hospital visits, including one increasingly-rare overnight stay after surgery, I laid eyes only on information desk volunteers (whose "information" consisted entirely of giving directions to lost patients and visitors) and gift and thrift shop clerks. Unfortunately, true to the stereotype, I met no one under age 70 and few who seemed particularly energetic.

Before going any further, I acknowledge that the hospitals where I was treated undoubtedly have a range of volunteer assignments and types of people filling them who did not happen to cross my path. This is not a negative review of hospital volunteering. Rather, we can use healthcare - which is an environment most of us can picture reasonably accurately - as a case study for what is wrong in many, many traditional volunteer-engaging facilities and organizations, from schools to museums to parks.

The issue? We are simply missing the boat by not directing volunteers into work that is of greatest value to the users of our services right now. By not asking volunteers to do what is truly needed to give exceptional service in a changing world, we cheat our consumers, remain distant from our missions, and offer little that is motivating to skilled and enthusiastic prospective volunteers.

Adapting to the "New Normal"
I represent a growing demographic seen by all hospitals. I'm a first-wave Baby Boomer with a graduate degree; I am divorced and live alone. Here are just three ideas for how such factors and new needs might be met creatively through volunteers.

• Being alone. Family and friends are critical players in a patient's treatment and recovery, but a growing number of patients are forced by divorce, distance, or death to go through the healthcare maze with no one at their bedside. Why not offer a volunteer support person to anyone who reports at patient registration that she or he is alone, whether living singly or even without a companion that day? The types of things such a one-to-one volunteer assignment might include are a pleasant conversation during one of the many inevitable waiting room periods, perhaps hosting a designated table in the snack bar (which could be for anyone alone that day and wanting some company), arranging transportation, assuring a loved pet is fed by a friend, telephoning for a few days after treatment just to check in, etc. Allow a volunteer to adapt to each individual's needs (by mutual choice, of course), even if it means being with the person in the emergency room, or in recovery, or late at night.

Most importantly, the volunteer could be trained to ask: Do you need any clarification or information? Patients, particularly if in pain or panic, often cannot absorb everything said to them the first time. If there is any confusion about care instructions, next steps, whatever, the volunteer could be authorized to get the facts for the patient.

• A place to regroup, think, or go online. Outpatient treatment is today's norm, but the spaces available to patients and their companions are the same as 50 years ago. Where can someone sit in comfort before going home or in between multiple appointments? Why not have some writing surfaces on which to complete forms? An area where cell phones are permitted and actually work? Why not an Internet-accessible computer for research or even checking e-mail? Organized something like a first-class airport lounge, access to this area could be controlled and supported by volunteers.
• Filling the gaps of treatment silos. Between HIPAA, medical specialization, and insurance rules, few components of the American healthcare system mesh seamlessly. For example, my orthopedist checked the outcome of my surgery and whether my incision was healing, and then prescribed a certain physical therapy regiment. But he could not set it up for me. He could refer, but then it was up to me to schedule getting a molded splint and start treatment. It was mid-day on a Thursday, and I had to beg to be "squeezed in" before the weekend or risk an unprotected arm eight days after surgery. I asserted myself and all turned out well, but no thanks to the doctor or hospital; they did not even give me the correct phone number for the physical therapy center!

Why not transform "information desks" to live up to their name, perhaps on a hotel concierge model? Why not compile a database of commonly-referred-to outside services, fact sheets, treatment checklists - anything that may be helpful to patients? Most important is that the volunteers could be trained to find answers. Not to respond to medical questions, but to assist, for example, in getting a correct phone number or even placing a call for someone in pain and having the use of only one hand.

*** excerpt from The Hot Topic of the Month: October by Susan Ellis. The full essay could be accessed through the Energize website

A Gateway to Work: the role of Volunteer Centres in supporting the link between volunteering and employability

This research explores the role of Volunteer Centres in supporting the link between volunteering and employability. It was undertaken by the Institute for Volunteering Research in the UK.
After a long period of high employment the number of people out of work and seeking employment is rising. Volunteering is an opportunity for unemployed people to remain actively engaged in their work or to search for a new job. In this context, the report highlights the important role played by volunteer centres and best practices in terms of linking volunteering and employment.

Report on Volunteering in Churches: Freely Given

This is a study of Volunteer Management in Cathedrals and National Trust properties in England.It was undertaken by Nicky Lee a volunteer manager of ChristChurch cathedral. Nicky had a opportunity to study volunteer management in cathedrals in England on a Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Fellowship during the 2008. The full report is available from the Volunteering Canterbury website.

February 2010: Managing Volunteers course

This is a six-week, distance learning course designed by the Xperts in collaboration with the Fundraising Institute of NZ.
Further information available at their website.

New research on NZ baby boomers

Sharon Buckland conducted research called 'The New Zealand Babyboomer Dreams Study'. It looks at the intentions and aspirations of NZ babyboomers. This Radio NZ podcast is downloadable from their website.

Volunteer Management Education Books for Sale

Volunteering NZ has for sale copies of four books written by Linda Graff on developing policies and risk management for volunteering programmes. The titles and prices are:

Best of All - Quick reference Guide to Best Practice $46.00
Better Safe - Risk Management for Volunteer Programmes $46.00
Beyond Police Checks - Screening Guidebook $46.00
By Definition - Policies for Volunteer Programmes $36.00

We also have copies of Mary Woods' book
Volunteers, A guide for Volunteers an their Organisations $25.00

Postage and Handling
Up to 2 publications $5.50 3 or more publication $10.00

All the prices are GST inclusive.

Posters "Do a World of Good - Volunteer" suitable for general promotions and recruiting volunteers are available free from VNZ.

Orders for all may be faxed to 04 3843637 or emailed to office [at] volunteeringnz [dot] org [dot] nz.
Payment may be made by cheque or credit card. If wishing to pay by credit card we will send you documentation to complete and return.