e-news member,

Welcome to the August edition of our newsletter. Our office is all packed up and undergoing a major refurbishment at the moment, it's amazing how much stuff we gather over time. Rest assured we have now spring cleaned for the future. AGM invites have been sent out to all our financial members as have renewal invites. If you haven't received either of these please let us know.

1. Volunteering WA office refurbishment
2. Federal election campaign letter
3. Training update
4. Better Connections Project update
5. Volunteering WA to present three conference papers
6. 2010 AAVA Volunteer Manager Awards of Excellence now open
7. Homeless Connect - save the date
8. Corporate Corner
9. IAVE Corporate Survey
10. Welcome to new members...
11. August's hot resource tip!

Volunteering WA office refurbishment

During the month of August our offices in West Perth will be undergoing a major refurbishment. As a result of this the majority of staff have been relocated to other premises for the month. We will, where possible, still be checking all emails and having a skeleton staff in the office to take phone calls. We ask for your patience during this time if our response rate is a bit slower than normal. We hope to run as normal a service as possible but due to electrical work etc there may be times when our phone and computer systems have to be switched off.

If you have any queries the best way to contact us is by email.

Thank you again for your patience.

We thank and acknowledge the support given by Lotterywest in making this office and ICT upgrade happen.

Federal election campaign letter

During recent forums, meetings and consultations facilitated by Volunteering WA on both the State and National Volunteer Strategies and other volunteering related issues, the Western Australian volunteering community identified a number of key elements that are required for the effective support and future sustainability of volunteering in Western Australia and nationally as it responds to changing community, regulatory, political, economic and policy environment.

The current federal election campaign offers an important opportunity to ensure volunteering is fresh in the minds of Federal MPs and Senators. Volunteering WA invites you to use, amend and/or add to the model letter below. Please take a few moments of your time to ask our federal MPs and Senators, "what are you and your party doing for volunteering and its future advancement and sustainability?"

More information and a copy of the sample letter and mailing labels can be found on our website.

Training update

Thank you to everyone who attended the July Volunteer Manager’s Network Meeting. Your continued participation and feedback will make the Network even stronger! If there is something that you would like to discuss at the September VMN, please send it through to Martha.

Up-coming training events include:

• Introduction to VWA and the Sector: 24 August at 9:30-11:30
• Volunteer Management - The Key Issues: 26 August at 9:30-12:00

Better Connections Project update

The Better Connections Project in Jurien Bay, Koorda, and Corrigin has gone from strength to strength. Project officers in the Community Resource Centres (formerly Telecentres) in each town have been making a huge effort to engage with community groups – with great results!

Volunteering WA is very proud of the work that has been happening in Jurien Bay, Koorda, and Corrigin, and is amazed at what can be achieved when funds-management decisions are brought to the ground level. Who better to identify what is needed in a community than community members themselves?

For more information about the Better Connections Project, or for an update on what has been happening, please contact Martha on 9482 4310 or martha@volunteeringwa.org.au.

Volunteering WA to present three conference papers

We were delighted to have three of our proposed conference papers accepted by Volunteering Australia and work is now underway to develop these fully for the National Conference on Volunteering which is being held later this year. The three papers look at 'The changing parameters of volunteering', 'Better Connections – Beyond the traditional VRC paradigm' and 'Volunteering in the Tertiary Sector in WA: a student-centred model'.

The 13th National Conference on Volunteering is taking place in Melbourne on 27 to 29 October 2010 and places can still be booked via the Volunteering Australia website.

2010 AAVA Volunteer Manager Awards of Excellence now open

Each year the Australian Association of Volunteer Administrators (AAVA) recognises a Volunteer Manager for his/her outstanding contribution to the profession of volunteer management. Nominations for the 2010 award are now open.

Volunteer Managers can be nominated from a range of diverse fields including, but not exclusive to, sporting groups, the arts, local government, hospitals, environmental and community welfare.

Nominations close on 10 September and the winner will be announced at the 13th National Conference on Volunteering to be held in Melbourne between 27 and 29 October.

To nominate a Volunteer Manager visit the AAVA website. 

Homeless Connect - save the date

In Perth, Homeless Connect has been held annually in November since 2008 and is a partnership between Volunteering WA and the City of Perth with the strong support of the Lord Mayor of Perth Lisa Scaffidi. The generous participation of over 60 service providers who work with homeless people and a willing army of 150 volunteers as well as the charitable contribution of many sponsors and donators have ensured the success of the program.

Homeless Connect Perth 2010 will take place 9am – 3pm Wednesday 17 November at Russell Square and the Hellenic Centre, Parker Street, Northbridge.

For more information download our How You Can Help Sheet. We would also be delighted to hear from any of our corporate partners that wish to be involved.

Corporate Corner

Volunteering WA extends a big ‘thank you’ to WHK Horwath employees for their volunteering activity at Native Animal Rescue (NAR). Feedback from team members showed they had developed a greater appreciation for Australian wildlife and valued the opportunity to learn about NAR’s activities. The WHK Horwath team’s construction of vermin-proofed natural bush facilities will assist greatly with the protection of endangered species of small native mammals. The photo shows some of the WHK team in action.

International Year of Volunteers +10

Next year marks the 10th anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers (IYV) in 2001. A year-long calendar of events and activities is being developed for 2011 to showcase the diversity, breadth and depth of volunteering worldwide. The launch of this celebratory year has been set for 5 December and Volunteering WA would welcome the involvement of our corporate partners at any time throughout the year. Please contact us if you are planning your community involvement for 2011 and wish to be involved in these celebrations or if you would like to learn more about the activities.

IAVE Corporate Survey

The International Association for Volunteer Effort’s ‘Global Corporate Volunteer Council’ (GCVC) is conducting a study of the State of Health of Corporate Volunteering around the world and we would like to make sure Australian companies are included!

The purpose of the study is to look at the current status and future potential of corporate volunteering on a region by region basis in order to build a global picture – what is happening, the innovations and best practices, the challenges and the trends. The study will include:

• A global survey available for response by all with a working perspective on corporate volunteering (see below);
• Regional opportunities for dialogue and discussion through special forums held in conjunction with other events;
• Consultation with national volunteer centers, NGOs, consultants and others who work in support of corporate volunteering:
• Review of other research and analysis on corporate volunteering.

Click here for more information or to participate in the survey. 

Welcome to new members...

• Minter Ellison (corporate member)
• Native Animal Rescue
• Boronia Pre-release Centre for Women (Dept for Corrective Services)
• Friends of the Community
• State Library of Western Australia
• Victoria Park Centre for the Arts
• Ear Science Institute Australia
• The Oaktree Organisation
• Animal Protection Society of WA Inc.
• Ansvar Insurance

We look forward to working with you. 

August's hot resource tip!

Advanced Grant Writing Seminar

Our Community are running an advanced grant writing seminar in Perth on September 17 and November 5 2010. As this is an advanced grants session participants must have either completed a prior grant training session or be actively involved in grant writing for their organisation. The seminar will assume a sound grant writing capacity. (If you are beginner at Grant Writing you should look at attending Winning Grants Seminar or Community Fundraising Seminar).

Learn how to become a sophisticated, successful grantseeker and generate the MOST INCOME EVER for your organisation. More information can be found on the Our Community website.