Responses
to April / May 2009 Hot Topic
Perceptions
of the Australian Volunteering Movement
Response
posted on May 4th 2009 by Susan Ellis, President,
Energize Inc, Philadelphia, USA
Reading
Rob’s and Tony’s reflections made me remember my own
first and subsequent trips to your shores (and you
also had me writing one of these interviews for you,
too!).
Many
of their comments still ring true. I wanted to let
your readers know that OzVPM and People First – Total
Solutions are having a ripple effect around the world. Each
year, as you bring different international trainers
to Oz, you spread the word to more and more places. All
of us who have spent time with our colleagues in your
country return home with stories of all sorts (!),
as well as with admiration for the volunteering efforts
we learn about while there. So, while you are hoping
to broaden the horizons of your countrymen and women,
the exchange is most definitely two-way. Thank you. (And
hello to Rob and Tony!)
Response
posted on April 9 2009 by DJ Cronin, Volunteer Manager,
Brisbane, Australia
Dear
Tony and Rob. It was a pleasure meeting both of you
recently at the Advanced Retreat for Volunteer Management.
It is always good to get an international perspective
and from the sounds of it your experience of what
we are doing here in Australia and New Zealand was
positive. Good to hear! I am sure you both agree that
we face very similar challenges for the volunteer
management profession whether that is in the UK, Canada,
Australia or New Zealand.
Do
you see any merit in volunteer managers collaborating
more on a global scale? We seem to be devoid of international
networks. I am a member of both the OzVPM and UKVPM
online networks and very often the questions posed
and indeed the answers given share so many similar
traits. Every now and then however something may come
up on the UK version that may be of interest to us
here down under and visa versa.
I
think we need to embrace a global village of volunteer
managers more. Why? Firstly I think we can learn a
lot from each other. Secondly I think it would give
us a stronger voice. I saw first hand, for example,
the results of a global volunteer management reaction
when we had the case a few years back of a city council
advertising for a volunteer volunteer coordinator.
A position now filled by a paid VM professional. We
are still not exactly a huge profession numbers wise
globally. So that’s another reason why some type of
global network could move us forward. I am wondering
what your thoughts on this might be.
Hopefully
we will see you back in OZ soon. Or if not, at the
first International Retreat for Advanced Volunteer
Management somewhere in Beautiful Canada!! ( Just
planting a seed…”from little things, big things grow”)
Response
to DJ's post by Rob Jackson, posted on April 9
I
absolutely agree with you DJ. As I said in my thoughts,
we have way more in common with each other than we
have differences between countries. I believe that
some of the professional bodies around the world are
already looking at ways to set up more of a global
communication network -- perhaps this will meet this
need?
Response
to DJ's post by Tony Goodrow posted on April 10, 2009
Andy,DJ,
Rob, and anyone else…
Please
raise your hand if your country has the market corneredon
the best practices and innovative ideas.
Global
interaction is a fundamental part of growth in every
sector. Imagine what life would be like if the only
innovations each of us could make use of were the
innovations that grew solely from within our own country.
And along a similar vein (although slightly off topic),
what new innovations will the world benefit from as
a greater percentage of the world’s population gets
to live in a developed society with access to higher
education and a stable economic structure?
Like
everything in life there are pros and cons however,
if we did not share ideas on a global basis so freely,
one would have to travel to the United States to be
willingly tortured by amateur singers vying for ‘idol’status!
Let's
hear what you think!
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