Hot
Topic Archive
April
/ May 09
Perceptions
of the Australian Volunteer Movement
By
OzVPM Director Andy
Fryar with
Rob Jackson (Director of Development & Innovation
at Volunteering
England )
Tony Goodrow (CEO of Volunteer˛
)
During
March 2009, two 'first time' visitors travelled to
Australia where they got involved in various ways
in providing training to the Australian volunteering
sector.
Rob
Jackson is currently employed as the Director of Development
and Innovation at Volunteering England. He is also
the creator and lead moderator of our sister newsgroup,
UKVPM's and a founder of the UK's professional VPM
body, AVM. Rob was in the country to participate as
a Faculty member on the Australasian Retreat for Advanced
Volunteer Management which he then followed with training
and speaking engagements in Perth and Hobart.
Tony
Goodrow is the CEO of Volunteer˛, a Canadian company
which specialises in volunteer management database
software. Tony has been active in the volunteerism
scene in across North America for a number of years
now and has a vast wealth of knowledge to share. Tony
attended the Retreat as a participant before heading
on the road to present the database package to volunteer
Administrators in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra
and Adelaide.
As
we have done in the past with other first tim e visitors,
we took some time to ask both Rob and Tony what their
impressions of volunteering in this part of the world
were.
OzVPM:
As this was your first trip to Australia, how did
the experience match up to your expectations?
Tony: It exceeded my expectations. Almost all of those
who attended the presentations on our software solutions
were very receptive about engaging volunteers through
a web based system. Prior to the trip I was uncertain
about the general feeling toward internet enabled
database programs in Australia, but it became clear
that they are embraced there. Personally the trip
was the most fun I have ever had on a business trip.
Everyone I met was great and I am certain I have new
friends to call on the next time I return.
Rob: It exceeded expectations in every way. The distance
from the UK has to be experienced to be fully believed
but once the journey was finally over I loved the
warm welcome, the relaxed outdoors lifestyle and the
great food, wine and beer. As the British love talking
about the weather I have to comment on how amazing
it was, at least compared to the average UK weather
in March. That said, I did catch the end of Cyclone
Hamish, so Queensland was grey and wet which made
me feel very at home!
OzVPM: A part of your
trip included attending the Australasian Retreat for
Advanced Volunteer Management. What are your recollections
of this experience?
Tony: It was great to be part of a dialog that is
about moving the sector forward. The world we live
in changes so quickly these days that if you are not
moving forward, you are falling behind
Rob: I’ve been involved in delivering advanced volunteer
management events on four continents now, but Australia
was my first experience of the retreat format. In
the UK and the USA the approach is more like a traditional
conference, with lots of sessions to choose from on
a range of topics. The Australasian Retreat for Advanced
Volunteer Management requires you to take more responsibility
for your own learning, for example via lots of work
in small group ‘support circles’. It also allows
more freedom for the debate and discussion to go where
it needs to, ensuring the event delivers for delegates
based on their needs as advanced practitioners and
not the needs of the organisers.
OzVPM: What are your general observations about volunteerism
in Australia?
Tony: In many respects, volunteerism in Australia
has a lot in common with volunteerism in Canada or
the USA; longing to be understood, under resourced,
coping with a wide range of continuous changes, a
very wide range in volunteer management practices
and filling a significant role in communities all
across the country.
Rob: That it is in good health and that the issues
we all face are pretty much the same regardless of
which side of the world we’re on. From my travels
and international engagement across our field everyone
thinks everyone else is 5 to 10 years ahead of everyone
else! I think the great thing about the Australian
volunteerism field is the openness to - and level
of debate, about the bigger picture philosophical
issues we face, such as incentives/reward & compulsion
to volunteer etc..
OzVPM: How does the volunteering scene 'stack up'
against volunteerism practices you have witnessed
at home or elsewhere?
Tony: There seems to be a more relaxed attitude around
the collection of information than there is in Canada.
It’s not that some of the same policies exist (or
don’t exist) in both countries. However, the Canadian
volunteer sector is moving steadily toward following
human rights as they apply to paid employment.
In
Canada it would be frowned upon to ask a volunteer
applicant questions regarding age, gender or ethnicity.
For example, in my country, where age is a requirement
to participate in certain volunteer roles, the application
needs only ask about age ranges that determine eligibility
to participate. Information that is desired to report
along demographic lines can be left off of the application
and be collected once the volunteer has been accepted
as a volunteer. When these concepts came up in meetings
in Australia, the ideals were acknowledged as worthwhile
but there is nothing pushing them along.
Australia
also seems to put more emphasis on the maximum number
of hours a volunteer can work in a set period of time.
This came up more often in my 3 week visit than is
has in all my conversations in North America.
Rob : A bit like the answer to the previous question,
pretty well. I think there is some great practice
by volunteer managers and I came across some interesting
an innovative approaches that we don’t have in the
UK. However, I also know there are some significant
challenges to volunteerism as well, some of which
we all face (e.g. changing demography) and some of
which are maybe more unique to you guys because of
the ‘local’ context.
OzVPM:
What did you learn or take away personally from your
experiences here?
Tony: A desire to come back soon!
Also
an appreciation of how similar and Australia are,
especially in relation to:
o Population density greater on the east than the
west o Vast open land separating the east and west
o Universal healthcare o A blemished history related
to native peoples
o Modern economy,
education system and parliamentary system of government
Rob: My time in Australia was a really great opportunity
for reflection and refreshment. I came home feeling
re-dedicated to the volunteerism field, in no small
part due to the enthusiasm and drive of the many inspirational
Volunteer Managers I met and worked with during my
time in the country. I also came home relaxed and
refreshed by both some lovely warm sunshine and the
opportunity to connect with colleagues, meet new friends
and have some down time whilst I travelled.
OzVPM:
Are there any final thoughts or reflections you'd
like to share?
Tony: In many ways I feel like my experience has just
been the tip of the iceberg. I will have to come back
to learn more about volunteerism in Australia and
New Zealand
Rob: Just a huge thank you to OzVPM & People First
Total Solutions for bringing me over to Australia;
to those organisations that had me come in and train
for them; and to everyone I met for making me feel
so at home whilst I was so far away from home.
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