Archive
of previous hot topics
2008
October
- Co-operate or collapse
(current)
It's
time we stopped being so competitive and leant to
get along for the benefot of volunteerism
September
- New
incentives for new volunteers?
How
do we provide relevant incentives for the modern day
volunteer?
August
- The Yin
and Yang of China's Olympic Volunteers
This
hot topic examines the Beijing Olympic volunteer program
July
- A sector
by every other name
Why
is it that even though the volunteer sector is so
pervasive, it is often not recognised?
June
- Is Corporate
Volunteering of benefit or self serving?
Does
the volunteer management sector benefit fromcorporate
volunteer involvement?
May
- Who Rules
the Roost?
Where
does the balance of power lie - with our organisations
OR our volunteers? Read more...
April
- Personal
Power in Volunteer Management
Guest
Hot Topic Author Liz Scarfe raises the important issue
of whether or not Volunteer Managers are powerless
or powerful
March
- A Union
of Volunteers?
There
have been calls for the formation of a union of volunteers
in Australia? In this hot topic we respond
February
- When
is a volunteer role NOT a volunteer role?
Should
all volunteer management positions be paid? Where
do we draw the line between what is appropriate and
what is not?
January
- Keeping
things fresh in a New Year
Has
your program fallen into bad habits in the way it
celebrates volunteer achievement?
2007
December
- Can we
turn the clock back just a little please?
Have
we 'over sanitised' volunteer management? Is it too
late to turn back the clocks?
November
- New Leadership
It
is high time we moved from 'managing' volunteers to
'leading' them.
October
- Digging
a little deeper
This
Hot Topic examines the inability of many VPM's to
consider issues of volunteerism at a deeper level
September
- Positioning
Our Profession
Your
chance to have input into the 3rd Australasian Retreat
for Advanced Volunteer Management
August
- Is there
a crude awakening in store for volunteerism?
What
are the likely impacts of global warming and a world
oil shortage on volunteerism?
July
- Have we got
it wrong?
The
latest ABS census seems to show a dramatic drop in
volunteering rates. Is this accurate ot have we got
it wrong?
June
- Reclaiming
the true value of volunteering
One
thing that hasn't changed is the way that the work
of volunteers appears to still be undervalued
May
- Garage Sales
and other important information
OzVPM
Director Andy Fryar reflects on the importance of
learning all you can about your volunteer team
April
- Achieving
an 'A' in communication for your volunteer program
Guest
Hot Topic author Dale Rees-Bevan
from SpeakersBank Australia shares some tips for better
public speaking
March
- The power
of experiential learning
Learning
from experience can be the best learning experience
of all
February
- Exploring
the real cost of volunteering
Looks at what it costs to really be a volunteer
January
- Bug or
Butterfly?
Ever considered the lifecycle of the average volunteer
program manager? Do you ever have a chance to show
your true colours?
2006
December
- Keeping
the statiticians honest
This Hot Topic investigates the way volunteering
statistics are collected and asks 'can we do it better?'
November
- Volunteer
Management: the Steve Irwin way
Conservationist Steve Irwin was seemingly a normal
Aussie bloke, so what can he teach us about Vol Mngmnt?
October
- Tales
from the dark side...
Guest Hot Topic writer DJ Cronin investigates
popular opinion to volunteering in the 'for profit'
sector
September
- Volunteer
Management & activism - a new partnership?
Do we need to become activists for volunteer
management?
August
- Fight or
flee - the choice is yours!
Our August 2006 hot topic asks why so many
of us are resistant to fight for our own cause?
July
- An interview
with Linda Graff
We caught up with Linda Graff prior to her
visit to Australia in August 2006
June
- Are we evolving
into a whole new profession?
Our June Hot Topic looks at the evolutionary
nature of volunteer management
May
- Beware the
complacent VPM!
This hot topic examines the dangers of being
complcent in our role as volunteer managers?
April
- What's the
value of volunteering?
Is one form of volunteering more valuable
than another?
March
- A sure recipe
for success
Can we follow a 'recipe' or one model fits
all approach to volunteer involvement?
February
- Have
we regulated volunteer management beyond recognition?
Have we gone too far with the way we are
regulating volunteer management - and where will it
end?
January
- Here's
to a truly inclusive New Year
OzVPM Founder Andy Fryar examines the lack
of diversity in many volunteer programs
2005
December
- Reflections
on an Australian visit
We asked UK volunteerism expert Fraser Dyer
his thoughts of the volunteerism scene here in Australia
November
- A cause
for celebration
This Hot Topic examines International Volunteer
Managers Appreciation Day and the reasons we deserve
to be recognised!
October
- Coping
for Success
Our jobs continue
to become busier and often more stressful. This HT
suggests ways you can escape the pressure cooker
September
- Managing
Volunteers Is Like Herding Sheep (Australian style)
Guest hot topic
writer Fraser Dyer, shares his thoughts about leadership,
management and keeping volunteers 'thirsty'
August
- Australian
Observations ~ An interview with Susan J Ellis
Susan
J Ellis recently travelled to the Australasian region
for the third time. We took time out to speak with
her about her observations
July
- Is it time
to redefine volunteering?
Is
the way we define volunteering conducive to the growth
of the volunteer movement or does it impede new opportunities?
June
- Consultation
- pain or pleasure?
This
hot topic asks the question 'Just how seriously do
we take consultative processes in the Australian volunteerism
sector?'
May
- Lessons from
the Pulpit: What volunteerism can learn from the modern
day church movement
OzVPM
founder Andy Fryar takes a look at what makes modern
day churches so successful in attracting new members
- and asks what comparisons can be made with volunteerism
April
- Australian
Observations ~ An interview with Steve McCurley
We
caught up with US based volunteerism expert Steve
McCurley following his first visit to Australia to
learn what he thought about the Australian volunteerism
scene
March
- So just
what is advanced anyway?
There's
a lot of talk recently about 'advanced' volunteer
management ...but what does it all mean?
February
- After
the wave subsides
This
Hot Topic examines the potential longer term results
of giving following the Asian tsunami disaster of
2004
January
- The Tsunami
Effect
Examines
the volunteer effort being poured into the tsunami
crisis of December 2004
2004
December
- Social
Enterprise or sitting ducks?
This
hot topic explores the growing corporate invasion
into areas traditionally run as social enterprises
by volunteer groups
November
- Australian
Observations ~ An interview with Linda Graff
Following
her tour in April 2004 we asked Canadian volunteerism
leader Linda Graffto share her impressions about volunteering
in Australia
October
- Volunteers
are voters too!
Looks
at the Australian Federal Government's lack of policy
around volunteering
September
- How
to win GOLD for your volunteer program
This
Australasian Hot Topic examines the lessons we can
all learn from a volunteer program as large as that
associated with the Olympic Games
August
- In from
the CALD!
Featuring
AAVA President Peter Heyworth as a guest hot topic
writer, this essay looks at the challenges of involving
culturally & linguistically diverse populations
as volunteers
July
- In search
of the 'perfect' volunteer program manager
Examines
how your leadership and personality traits have a
bearing on your effectiveness as a leader of volunteers
June
- Exploring
the social side of volunteer involvement
The
creation of social outlets is one way we can better
retain and support our volunteer teams - and what
can we teach the 'for profit' sector from our experiences?
May
- Virtual volunteering
- solution today, problem tomorrow?
This
Hot Topic takes some time to look at some possible
future dilemmas that the current popularity of
online service may cause
April
- Unskilled
by association?
Examines
the perception held by some that volunteers are unskilled
labour - and ponders how this effects
the status of volunteer management
March
- Are you
a victim of the 'niceness syndrome'?
Can
the management style of volunteer program managers
be too nice for thier own good?
February
- Do we need
a new title for volunteering???
This
Hot Topic asks, 'Is the term 'volunteer' outdated?'
...and do we need something new?
January
- Confessions
of a reforming workaholic
This
Hot Topic by guest writer Martin J Cowling, challenges
us to consider the place of
our work in a whole-of-life scenario
2003
December
- Is professionalism
strangling progress?
As we become more
professional, do we in fact start to change the very
things that make volunteer
management strong in the
first place?
November
- Begin the
conference carousel - I want to get on!
This Hot Topic
challenges Australasia's conference and training scene
October
- The
success is in the succession!
Examines the importance of
succession planning in volunteer management
September
- Punch,
Judy and volunteerism?
This hot topic asks the question
- 'just who is pulling the strings behind the volunteering
agenda?'
August
- Breaking
down the 'grass ceiling' of volunteerism
Challenges
the myth that volunteerism is only a grass roots profession
July
- Australasia
take Pride!
There
is much that the Australasian region can be proud
of in the world of volunteerism
Back
to this month’s Australasian
Hot Topic
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