Responses
to July 2003 hot topic
Australasia
take pride!
Submitted
on July 13, 2003 by Carol Spencer, Volunteer Coordinator,
Sydney, Australia
It
is interesting to hear Jean's international perspective
on this topic.
I
have to agree that I think every country with well
defined volunteer programs has something it can teach
to others, and for those of us in Australia, I believe
the development of our volunteer programs, largely
in isolation from the rest of the world for so many
years (pre-internet), has helped to make us unique.
Submitted
on July 3, 2003 by Jean Nierenhausen, Director of
Volunteers, Minnesota Historical Society, Minnesota,
USA
I
am from the USA, I live in St. Paul, Minnesota and
work in a museum. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
I hear from others that the USA are leaders in volunteer
management, I get e-mails and drop-ins from people
around the world, but to be honest, I don't feel like
we are doing anything out of the ordinary, just trying
to make volunteerism as successful as we can.
I
have good days and bad days, wondering if it is all
worth the while, but then one small thing happens
and I realize we are doing good work.
As
far as Australia, we did hear how the Sydney Olympics
provided a better than ever volunteer environment
and look at what you do with respect. I appreciated
learning the role that Margaret Bell had in the 2001
International Year of Volunteers.
My
point - I think no matter where we live, we all have
claims to fame and I think, as a profession
or a group with a common cause, we need to continue
to share the best of what we do with one another and
celebrate, as a group, our accomplishments.
I'm
not sure how this saying goes, if anyone has it, please
share it, but I have heard that in order to be an
expert speaker or consultant, you need to go 200+
miles to be considered an expert on the subject. So
perhaps we should visit one another and would automatically
become the expert in something that we are already
an expert of! I welcome the opportunity to hear from
others, worldwide.
It's
not too late --- let's hear what you think
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