I Can Do That*- A Portal Into Another Dimension In Volunteering!

I Can Do That*

Everyone knows the internet is supposed to make life easier! Sometimes, that is simply not true. However, there is a place on the World Wide Web that is specifically designed to make the life and times of volunteers in Victoria, much simpler and more enjoyable...
There is a place you can visit, a portal online, which is like a doorway to another dimension in volunteering! It’s a bit like the TARDIS, from outside, it looks small and inconspicuous, but once you go inside, it’s amazing, it’s enormous, it can travel through time!!
Since you’re reading this in a blog, I will assume you are able to navigate your way around the labyrinthine internets...
So for you, it’s as easy as visiting www.volunteer.vic.gov.au and taking a look around.
You’ll find hints on making the most of your skills and talents when volunteering, opportunities to offer those skills close to where you live, specific projects requiring volunteers, legal, health & safety tips, suggestions on how to get started, space to advertise for volunteers if your group needs some.... did I mention Dr Who?
You can subscribe to regular feeds @ http://www.volunteer.vic.gov.au/rss share the page with your facebook family, twitter about it, even watch it on YouTube if you want, it’s fun, it’s funky, and it’ll make your volunteer day!

I Can Do That*

It’s About Time!

Register Now, be prepared to help later.

The impact of the floods across four eastern states of Australia, particularly those in Queensland, have been every bit as shocking and as humbling as the Black Saturday Bushfires in 2009.

In the early stages of a flood, there are strategic steps taken to ensure that people will be quickly and safely able to return to their homes. Highly trained and skilled emergency response volunteers are the first on the ground to manage the situation. All other kinds of volunteer work takes place after this initial emergency response phase is managed.

Therefore, it is important that people wanting to volunteer in the recovery phase of any flood situation, both in Queensland and here in Victoria, are requested to register their details now but be prepared to wait until their assistance is required at a later date.

For those wanting to volunteer in the recovery phase in Queensland, please register your details with Volunteering Queensland under the CREW (Community Response to Extreme Weather) program.

Here in Victoria, post flood damage clean ups will be initially handled by Victorian SES and local Councils. Volunteers wanting to support townships with their flood recovery phase, should contact the respective local council offices for information.

A year for Inspiring the Volunteer in You

2011 marks the 10th Anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers. The United Nations General Assembly have set aside this year to celebrate and review how much volunteerism has impacted the world over the past decade.

The theme is "Inspiring the Volunteer in You". A report to the UN will be prepared during the course of the year and presented to the Assembly in December 2011 on the "State of the world's volunteerism". How this report eventually shapes the way that Governments and volunteer involving organisations manage and structure volunteering within Community remains to be seen.

Here in the Wimmera, we attest to the fact that volunteers and volunteering are vital ingredients in the success of many projects, community events, festivals, and social, welfare and environmental programs. Volunteers are the lynchpin for ensuring the stability and livability of our region. This includes the impact of small businesses for they are often the economic "fuel" behind what many clubs and community groups are able to achieve. So many of our community groups and organisations are under-resourced when it comes to effectively managing volunteers, so the value that business provides for supporting volunteer effort is critical to the success of so many of these groups. It must not be ignored.

That being said - volunteering is essential to the betterment of the world. This fact was recognised and identified by the United Nations back in the mid 1990's, when an International year of focus on volunteers and volunteering was first mooted. The International Year of Volunteers was held in 2001 and successfully promoted and highlighted the value and importance of volunteers and volunteering around the globe. This 10th anniversary is a way of re-visiting the impact of volunteers made since 2001 and making adjustments and improvements to how volunteerism is perceived by Community.

Volunteers are not "free" and nor are they a stop gap to achieve services and outcomes for "no cost". Volunteering needs to be treated with the respect and reverence it deserves. This means that the people who freely choose to give their time and expertise are adequately resourced, are well managed and are given roles that are constructive and edifying to both Community and to the volunteer.

The idea of volunteers being merely 'envelope stuffers' is fast becoming an insult to those who would choose to help. Volunteers deserve so much more!

Volunteering is changing though. Many of the old reasons to volunteer - encapsulated in epithets like "Many hands make light work" - are on the decline. Traditional member-based volunteerism seems to be fading out as an option with some community groups heavily relying on volunteers well into their golden years to run cake stalls and sell raffle tickets.

I certainly hope this declining trend won't continue but we still need to adapt to it even so. Initial research suggests that people want to volunteer less frequently, in more diverse ways, and in more highly valued or skilled positions.

Volunteers are still choosing volunteer work as a means of giving back but even in my own experience, they're giving back strategically and mindfully as they consider their schedule, lifestyle and interests.

As prospective volunteers learn their rights and responsibilities, they are recognising that their time and expertise has immense value and won't just engage with an organisation for the sake of it. They want to believe - and know - that their contribution IS making an impact!

Groups and organisations will need to review how they recognise and manage the capacity of volunteers to effect change and make a difference. They'll need to keep data on the impact volunteers are making and regularly report these impacts to volunteers, volunteering bodies and Government. Groups will need to closely assess how and why they want to include volunteers in their team.

Managing volunteers is becoming increasingly necessary to ensure that:

1. Inspiring new ways are found to engage and recruit prospective volunteers.
2. Volunteers are well matched to the organisation and the role they contribute to.
3. Volunteers are skilled and trained to achieve key identified outcomes.
4. Volunteers are seen as stake-holders and have the ability to effect positive change for the better.
5. Volunteers are appropriately commended and acknowledged for the work they are doing and the impact they are making.

In Australia, major volunteering organisations such as Volunteering Australia and Volunteering Victoria are working on a review of the National Standards for effectively involving volunteers in not-for-profit organisations. The Federal Government is also reviewing how volunteers and volunteering impacts on the nation. As you can see, it's going to be an important year for volunteers and volunteer involving groups.

It will be a year where volunteers and volunteering are promoted as being of immense value to the world. It will be a year where the impact and value of volunteering will become increasingly recognised and the bar for their welfare and recognition will be raised!

Most importantly of all - this will be a year to say THANK YOU to volunteers of every nation, creed, race and community for the positive difference they make at every level of society.

You can read and download a brochure about the International Year of Volunteers 10th Anniversary here.

Links:

World Volunteer Web

United Nations

"We'll get back to you".... *waiting*, *waiting*, *meh! Whatever!*

How frustrating is it to require a response before you can move forward on a project? 

 

Like…really annoying yes?

 

Imagine what it’s like for a person who “suddenly” decides they want to – have to – volunteer and are excited and eager to throw themselves into doing great things in the community only to end up having to wait for what seems like an age before “someone” gets back to them about a volunteer role?

 

Thing is… volunteers are people who have a bit of time to spare and often – a fair bit of passion to “make a difference”.  They want to start and start NOW!  It can be really frustrating for them to wait and the initial enthusiasm can wane quickly until they give up on the idea of volunteering altogether.  Not-for-profit groups – especially small groups in regional Victoria – can’t afford to lose potential volunteer support in this manner.

 

So? When a person enquires about volunteering with your organisation, it’s critical to swing into action and get them in the door to interview them ASAP.  Welcome them.  Be enthusiastic in return about their willingness to get involved.  Place your Organisation or groups Profile under their nose so that they can capture the vision of what your group is about.  Help them help you as quickly and as efficiently as possible. Screen them appropriately to make sure they’re a good match for your services and programs.  Don’t be afraid to say “No thanks” if the volunteer isn’t right for your organisation.  Be very, very afraid of not saying “Yes” too  because attracting volunteers is critical to being sustainable and losing them is all too easy.  People can be fickle! They want to feel important and they won’t stay if they feel like they’re not worth much.  Treat a prospective volunteer as if they were a fantastic find whenever possible.

 

This means you need to KNOW exactly what roles you have available front up before volunteers come to your door.  You also need to know what paperwork needs to be handy for volunteers to fill in.  You need to designate someone in your group – if you don’t have a paid Volunteer Coordinator – to follow up with the prospective volunteer within 48 hours of their enquiry.  You need to have a process that enables volunteers to…well…volunteer  rather than turn them off… of your group or volunteering as  a whole.

 

It’s exciting and wonderful when people come forward and want to “help” – even if its short term.  But, more importantly, it’s the groups and organisations who understand that acting on these enquiries speedily and efficiently will almost guarantee they successfully sustain volunteer support for the long haul.

 

Come in and see me at Wimmera Volunteers if your group needs assistance or information on how to process prospective volunteers.  Stay tuned for the August info sheet called “Screening Volunteers”.

 

Michelle.

 

 

June 2010 Information sheet

This month’s information sheet was actually quite good fun to write.  I had been wanting to write “something” about youth volunteers for awhile.  The Under 18 age bracket presents an opportunity for proactive community groups to tap into a pool of enthusiastic volunteers.  Yes! They may be young and inexperienced, but it’s hard not to be cheered by their willingness to jump in and get involved in community work.   There’s probably plenty more information that could be useful to groups and organisations on how to recruit, involve, support and acknowledge youth volunteers.  I’ll certainly be keeping my ears and eyes open for this information.

 

During the course of this past year, I’ve been approached by kids and parents alike to assist them find suitable volunteering work in the community.  Some are seeking projects to do in the community as a part of the Challenge Program through Horsham College; others want to put in a requisite number of volunteer hours in order to meet the volunteering component of the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

 

But, the question does remain.  Are these young people genuine volunteers under the formal definition of volunteering?

 

The formal definition of volunteering in Australia is as follows:

 

Formal volunteering is an activity which takes place through not for profit organisations or projects and is undertaken:

• to be of benefit to the community and the volunteer;

• of the volunteer’s own free will and without coercion;

• for no financial payment; and

• in designated volunteer positions only.

 

The Year 9 Horsham High School Challenge Program is more about kids establishing an identified need in the community, then working as a team to solve it.  They may work with community groups but essentially, the program designed such that the kids work solidly on a closed end project – usually of their own design.  This means that this particular group don’t necessarily, fit inside the formal definition of volunteering as this work is a critical part of their curriculum studies and isn’t “voluntary” in the strictest sense of the word.

 

The Duke of Edinburgh Award however, provides kids with real time, on the ground volunteer experiences in the not-for-profit sector.  Duke Award kids need to fully link in with and be supervised by community organisations who utilise volunteer support and provide services for the benefit of the community.  It could be argued that the Duke Award does fit quite nicely into the definition of volunteerism above.

 

Both kinds of programs offer kids the opportunity to give back to the community, identify their strengths (and their weaknesses), learn new skills and perspectives.   Both kinds of programs are opportunities for Not-for-profit organisations to engage young people in active ways as community problem solvers or as ‘traditional’ volunteers.

 

Young volunteers do, however require more strategic planning and support from groups than might be usual if they were adults.  The information sheet this month gives an overview of this planning and support. It’s not exhaustive so groups will need to establish other appropriate policies and procedures for involving kids as volunteers.  It should not be a daunting process but will perhaps require a few extra steps to establish risk and control it in the early stages of a youth volunteer enquiry. 

 

Community participation groups are also encouraged to see how they can provide volunteer opportunities for youth volunteers.  It might be a simple matter of establishing a Parent Permission form or ensuring that your Working With Children Check process is up to date.

 

All Not-for-profit organisations and community groups from across the Wimmera region are strongly encouraged to promote volunteer opportunities to the community through Wimmera Volunteers.  We have established a simple online form that your group can use for each volunteer role or vacancy you would like to promote, including for roles suitable for youth.  Go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/9mspwr9  

 

Youth volunteers will be referred to your organisation or group by Wimmera Volunteers if we can establish that your group has the ability to supervise them appropriately.

 

michelle

 

 

 

Acknowledging the Volunteer who is a 'Forgotten Australian'.

What is a Forgotten Australian?

The term “Forgotten Australians” refers to the more than 500,000 people between the ages of 30 to quite elderly, who are survivors of institutional care. As late as the 1970’s, young children were sequestered in institutions as a form of out-of-home care by the Australian governments of the time. These children were often deprived of what we, today, would consider a “normal” and happy childhood.

There are many reasons why children were placed into institutional care, mostly because of being orphaned, or due to family poverty or dysfunction. Today - it is quite probable that there are groups and organisations within Australia which have volunteers who identify as Forgotten Australians. Some will find it difficult to talk about their experiences in institutional care, however as time goes by these “forgotten” children – now adults – are slowly, beginning to feel safe enough to tell their stories.

The memories and experiences of this group of people can be graphic and disturbing accounts of neglect, exploitation and abuse – particularly emotional, physical and sexual abuse. Many of the adults who survived institutional care have a lingering distrust of people and some will demonstrate various forms of mental illness. It can, however, be hard to know who these adults are given that it is still rare for them to talk about these experiences. All people regardless of whether they identify as a Forgotten Australian (or any other term for the institutional care they received as a child) will need understanding and support to help them acknowledge their experiences and talk about them.

Some Forgotten Australians take on volunteer work as a way of alleviating the shame and trauma of their past. Volunteering provides all people with opportunities to make a difference; to find purpose and meaning as well as feel a sense of belonging. For Forgotten Australians, the value of being able to contribute through meaningful voluntary work, can be a healing and stabilizing influence and can even assist them to acknowledge their past and talk about their experiences.

For some Forgotten Australians, there is a lingering sense of grief for the loss of their identity and of family. It was common for children to have their names changed to suit the institutions “caring” for them. Some were lied to about the whereabouts of birth family – often told their parents were dead when in fact they were not. There are numerous accounts of children who received terrible health care - if at all. All these disempowering experiences can lead a person to feel very isolated.

Volunteering can offer this group a sense of purpose or identity. It may also provide a sense of “family” where they feel they belong, are safe and welcome. There are Forgotten Australians who may have mental health issues, a history of self-harm, or are perhaps, insecure and generally distrustful or fearful of authority. Some may come across as “weird” or “eccentric” in some of their behaviours. It is important to remember that these people are survivors of trauma.

Acknowledging a Forgotten Australian who wants to volunteer.

If you, as a volunteer coordinator are made aware of a prospective or serving volunteer who identifies as a Forgotten Australian, here are some tips to help you help them, in their volunteer journey.

1) Believe their story. One of the critical reasons that many Forgotten Australians do not divulge their past experiences is because people tend not to believe them. There is may also be an assumption that those who present with mental illness could be “stretching” the truth when they talk of these experiences. A critical factor in assisting a prospective volunteer and gaining their trust is to listen and believe what they are telling you. The facts regarding this period in Australia’s history are coming to light through supportive agencies such as the Alliance for Forgotten Australians and much of what is being recalled by those who have lived in institutional care is indeed what happened.

2) Be aware of power issues. A fear of authority can manifest in different ways in different people of course! However, those who identify as Forgotten Australian’s will demonstrate a higher level of distrust, frustration, fear and may be aggressively reactive against perceived ‘Authority’. It is wise to acknowledge that the Forgotten Australian volunteer wants to “help” but will feel helpless if the volunteer-involving organisation appears “too big”, “too powerful” and “too impersonal”. The key here is to create a sense of trust and “family” within the team in which they volunteer. Keep the lines of communication open and be very patient. The goal is to assist a volunteer to feel supported and welcome and above all valued and appreciated. Small teams of volunteers with structured routines and strong camaraderie will be very helpful for this volunteer.

3) Show respect. The same criteria for privacy, confidentiality and non-victimisation needs to be applied to survivors of institutional abuse as with any other prospective volunteer.

4) Identify strengths. We all have talents and strengths. Survivors of traumatic experiences develop quite efficient coping mechanisms that on the surface, may appear to be “challenging” or “eccentric” behaviours at times. Take the time to ensure the volunteering role matches with the interests, abilities and identified skills of the person. Not all people who want to volunteer with your group or organisation will be suitable; however, there are creative ways of engaging people by thinking ‘outside the box’ and coming up with alternative volunteering opportunities which fit the person rather than always trying to fit people to standard roles. Remember that the impact on the Forgotten Australian volunteers’ healing and self-esteem could be amazing, especially if they are applying their personal talents and skills to purposeful, meaningful voluntary work.

5) Involve families. A key strategy is to allow a Forgotten Australian volunteer to involve their families in their ongoing volunteering journey. Listen, be compassionate, show respect and at all times practise confidentiality and build trust. Establish clear professional boundaries that are fair and reasonable and ensure that families and the volunteer can speak to someone they trust about their concerns.

6 Establishing identity. Many Forgotten Australians had their birth papers misplaced, destroyed or lost. Some do not even know their birth name and had it arbitrarily changed by the institution. This can present enormous challenges for both the volunteer and the volunteer involving group, particularly for obtaining a Police check or Working with children Check. It would be useful in this instance to work with the Alliance for Forgotten Australians or other suitable supportive agency to assist the volunteer establish their birth identity if they are willing to do so.

7) Go easy on physical contact. Some people who identify as Forgotten Australians may fear too much physical contact! They may associate it with physical and sexual abuse received, as a child, from ‘carer’s’ and others whilst in institutional care. It can be a discomforting experience for some people regardless of their past experiences, to be in groups who are overly familiar or “huggy/cuddly” so do be aware of this. Practise professional boundaries at all times with regard to physical touch. Better to show kindness and compassion with professional restraint than make a volunteer feel uncomfortable. Take your cue from the person on this, but remain vigilant about personal space - including your own and others - and set clear boundaries on what is appropriate physical contact and what is not.

8) Offer alternative options for disclosing personal histories. It can be very difficult to be a volunteer coordinator managing all the challenges and limitations of the position at the best of times. It becomes much harder when Forgotten Australian volunteers disclose very personal and often disturbing childhood memories of their time in institutional care. Practice self-care as a professional person. If you feel you are out of your depth when hearing these stories, admit this to the volunteer, then offer them alternative options to help them to tell their stories. Have on hand, an up to date list of organisations, counsellors, social workers and allied health professionals who will be better equipped to help both yourself and a Forgotten Australian volunteer. Reassure the volunteer you are in no way “fobbing them off” but that you simply need more qualified support to help them on the road to recovering from their experiences. Set boundaries on your personal spaces outside of your work with volunteers and maintain a courteous and compassionate but professional distance whenever possible. Remember that its okay to say “yes!” but its equally okay to say “no!” too, particularly if a situation is beyond your professional capacity and experience.

The above would be required in instances where a prospective or serving volunteer discloses that they are a Forgotten Australian. Some people might use other terms but their experiences could be similarly traumatic, requiring patience and understanding. There will be volunteers who never disclose their childhood experiences in institutionalised care. There will be some – albeit rare – who remember their time in care as being a positive experience. As with all volunteers – it is important to manage them with supportive and inclusive processes, including a volunteering structure that provides everyone with a sense of purpose, worth and dignity. The National Standards for involving volunteers is a good place to start to get these processes and structure right for all volunteers regardless of their background and personal histories.

There are many resources available via the following links which will provide further information on Forgotten Australians and the challenges they face. This blog post was written with the assistance of a booklet produced by the Alliance for Forgotten Australians entitled “Forgotten Australians: Supporting survivors of childhood institutional care in Australia”. A PDF version of this booklet can be downloaded here.

Other organisations working to assist Forgotten Australians include the following:

Vanish: An organisation assisting people who were in Victorian institutions. Vanish is based in Melbourne and funded by the Victorian Dept. of Human Services.

Indigenous family history searches can be started from the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies site.

Broken Rites: This organisation assists survivors of church-related sexual abuse.

Families Australia: This is an independent, not-for-profit organisation serving as a peak advocacy body for Australian families.

Prepare for National Volunteer Week 2010

Volunteering: Now, more than ever…

There is just over a week left before National Volunteer Week 2010 begins. May 10-16^th will give groups, organisations and the general public opportunity to acknowledge and recognise the enormous contributions of volunteers across all kinds of Australian communities – city and country. Groups can also utilise the week for recruiting volunteers.

The importance of volunteers to Australian society can never be underestimated. Without the contribution made by volunteers and volunteer involving groups, our nation would not be able to provide services and opportunities to individuals, the disadvantaged, migrant, indigenous, the aged, the socially isolated, the sick, children or families. The list is probably endless! The cost to the tax-payer could well be prohibitive and our standard of living would perhaps, be significantly reduced (although this last one is a value judgement that is almost impossible to prove) without the contribution of volunteers.

National Volunteer Week began in 1989 with the International Year of the Volunteer celebrated in 2001. For the past 20 + years, volunteerism has been a focus of many governments across the world. Many countries have their own definition of what constitutes formal volunteering, however the following definition is recognised by Australia - notably through Volunteering Australia our national body for Volunteers and Volunteerism – defining it as follows:

Definition of formal volunteering

· Formal volunteering is an activity which takes place through not for profit organisations or projects and is undertaken:

· to be of benefit to the community and the volunteer;

· of the volunteer’s own free will and without coercion;

· for no financial payment; and

· in designated volunteer positions only.

Groups that are defined as “community participation” groups such as interest and sporting clubs, progress associations and many other innumerable Aussie collectives run by volunteers or members don’t always fit with this definition though. Wimmera Volunteers however, does recognise that an enormous amount of community support and volunteer effort does get done by these small groups across the Wimmera and we attempt to support groups with information and assistance with volunteer information and issues. These groups are also encouraged to acknowledge and recognise their volunteers during National Volunteer Week.

So? How does your group acknowledge your volunteers during National Volunteer Week 2010? Some ideas might include:

Holding a free barbeque and inviting along volunteers and their families.

Producing simple Certificates of Appreciation on the computer and presenting them to volunteers.

Having a free film night with supper for volunteers and their families.

Placing a general thankyou into the local paper.

Encouraging your local council to hold an event with a personal thank you from the Mayor for Volunteers in the region.

Holding a colouring competition for children to “Thank a volunteer” and then deliver entries to individual volunteers as a “Certificate of Appreciation”

Write a personal thank you note to volunteers.

Organise a voucher for a free cuppa for volunteers. Volunteers hand the voucher to participating venue’s to receive their freebie thankyou cuppa. The venue returns the collected vouchers for reimbursement from your organisation.

Hold a tree-planting day in a designated area in honour of volunteers. Individual trees could be “dedicated” to particular volunteers as a long-term recognition for their contribution to the community.

The list is as endless as the human imagination.

Remember to include promotional materials about what your group does in the community and what volunteer opportunities you have available too, at your National Volunteer Week event. This way, the possibility of recruiting new volunteers becomes available. Volunteers are attracted to organisations that are organised and are very clear about their objectives. A suitably designed methodology for inducting, training and supporting volunteers will go a long way to ensuring the longevity of your services in the community.

Finally, I’d like to personally say a very BIG THANK YOU to all the volunteers from across the Wimmera who contribute so much to our community. Your efforts and willingness to go “above, and beyond” the call of duty are very much appreciated and applauded. Now, more than ever you are vital and fantastic! Well done!