Responses
to June 2006 Hot Topic
Are
we evolving into a new look profession?
Response
posted on June 23rd by Donna Amos on behalf of the
Board of AAVA (the Australasian Assoc of Volunteer
Administrators), Adelaide, Australia.
Our
AAVA Board members have decided to respond to this
months Hot Topic and will continue to do so on topics
that are relevant to Volunteer Management.
AAVA
believes that Volunteer Managers need to be taken
seriously and be involved in the strategic planning
within the organisations we all work for. While VPMs
are beginning to be recognised more today by organisations
that acknowledge the vital role we play, there is
still a long way to go. We must be the people who
shape the evolvement of our roles and to do this effectively
we must first, amongst our own profession, debate
the issues, concur, argue and collaborate!
Our
role has evolved in response to increasing accountability
and responsibility for public monies that run the
sector as well as external pressures. With the way
our profession is evolving we need to ask if we are
recruiting the right people for VPM positions and
how will the sector move forward if we continue to
appoint operational people to management positions?
Andy’s experience in speaking with volunteer
managers the world over indicates that there is a
significant increase in the number of volunteer managers
both accepting the need for and actually creating,
more valuable roles for volunteers to take over the
direct responsibilities for the recruitment and support
of other volunteers.
AAVA
recognises that volunteers have many skills to offer
and can be excellent support to VPMs but is concerned
about what would happen to our profession if the idea
of “Volunteer” volunteer managers came
to vogue as the only solution. We understand that
this too may be dependant on the type of organisation
engaging volunteers – whether or not the majority
of staff are volunteers, etc.
AAVA
believes that this dialogue needs to happen now and
that these questions must be addressed before we move
on. We need to continue to challenge our selves and
look at both sides of the coin.
Response
posted on June 18th by Sabina Nowak, Volunteer Coordinator,
Protect All Children Today (PACT), Logan Central,
Queensland, Australia.
I
think yes there has definitely been evolution of the
Volunteer sector, in particular an increasing expectation
of professionalism of volunteer organisations, by
Volunteers, funding bodies and clients/service users.
Volunteer agencies are increasingly forced to meet
these expectations, or face de-funding and/or prohibitive
volunteer attrition.
My
organisation is an example of how this has developed.
PACT
began in 1984. Over time the training provided has
become more intensive, the screening processes of
Volunteers more thorough, and policies and procedures
of the organisation more detailed.
The
organisation has also evolved in staffing… The
Full time Volunteer Coordinator is supported by a
Full time Office Administrator, and many of the management
duties have been transferred to the Executive Manager,
a part-time position created 12 months ago.
The
Executive Manager is responsible for the “Business”
side of things, including liaison with the Board of
Management, staff support, funding and ensuring the
organisation has adequate policies, insurance, risk
management etc.
This
leaves the Volunteer Coordinator to do the “hands
on” case allocation, Volunteer support, recruitment
and training, however there is also an increased need
for “dotting the “ I”s and crossing
the ”Ts” in this role too, IE needs assessments,
quality assurance, feedback and evaluation.
I
don’t see this trend reversing anytime soon,
and is perhaps reflective of changing societal trends
in first-world countries for increased specialisation,
accountability and efficiency.
Response
posted on June 6th by Sr Margaret Guy, Sisters of
Charity Outreach, Sydney, Australia.
I think you have drawn a good
diagram of the evolution of volunteer managers.
In our organisation,the Sisters of Charity Outreach,the
Volunteer Manager's role was shared during the 90's
but the part time Volunteer Coordinator recruited
and kept in touch with the volunteers.There was always
a Volunteer Educator who coordinatd the volunteer
training program part time.
By 2003 the Volunteer Educator's role became full
time,as did the Volunteer Coordinator's role in 2004.we
have other roles in the organisation re facilitating
committees etc but the Volunteer Educator and Volunteer
Coordinator work together re training and on going
support for the volunteers along with the Coordinators
of the different Services of Outreach.
Let's
hear what you think!
Its
not too late...
Let's
hear what you think!
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