VOLUNTEERING NEW ZEALAND FOCUS:

Abstracts invited for presentations at the VNZ conference

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"Volunteering Unleashed - new times bring new approaches"

Abstracts are being invited from those interested in making a short presentation, running a workshop, contributing to a panel or presenting a poster at VNZ's 2009 conference "Volunteering Unleashed - new times bring new approaches". The conference will be held in the Wellington Town Hall convention facilities on 28 and 29 October.

The conference will look at volunteering today and discuss new directions for the future. It will also consider the advancement of the volunteer management profession. There will be two main themes for the programme

• Volunteering Tomorrow: New Opportunities - new ways for volunteering
• Inspiring Leaders: Advancement of the Profession of Volunteer Management
The Volunteering Tomorrow stream will be an opportunity to reflect on the diversity of volunteering and volunteers and the new ways in which they are being asked to volunteer. It will include:

• Cultural diversity
• Generational diversity
• Episodic and major events volunteering
• Volunteering in community development
• New and interesting ways of doing volunteering
• Changes in response to economic conditions

Inspiring Leaders, advancement of the Profession stream will be an opportunity to hear about and discuss what this means, why it matters and what different models might be used. Conference participants will be asked to consider which path New Zealand should follow and how this could proceed.

In the Volunteering Tomorrow stream VNZ is looking for the visionaries in our midst and those with experience of innovative ways of working with volunteers; those whose programmes, projects or special events adapt to the current rapidly changing economic, social and political environment.

In the Inspiring Leaders stream, we are seeking people with a vision for the role of Manager of Volunteer Programmes. We also need those with an interest and experience in adult education and various aspects of professional development who could contribute to ideas about how to advance the profession of Volunteer Management in New Zealand.

For more information about the conference and details on submitting abstracts, click here http://www.volunteeringnz.org.nz/news/headlines/090121b.php . The Abstracts Template is available from http://www.volunteeringnz.org.nz/files/Conference09/Abstracts_2009_Template.doc and they are to be e-mailed to ed [at] volunteeringnz [dot] org [dot] nz. If you are interested in sponsoring, exhibiting or coming along as a delegate please register your interest at http://cmsl.co.nz/default,3327.sm.

Conference sponsorship and exhibition support important for conference success
The Volunteering Conference, like any major event, needs resourcing and funding support. VNZ was very pleased to start with the support of the Wellington Convention Centre, who are providing the full venue without charge.

VNZ has recently prepared and distributed a sponsorship and exhibition proposal to a range of key businesses and other organisations who potentially will wish to support and have a presence at the conference. We will equally welcome support from other organisations we have not approached.

Volunteer Awareness Week 2009 - UPDATE

It is only six more weeks before the Volunteer Awareness Week 2009 kicks off and there are couple of warms up coming from the VNZ office to help you prepare for this major national volunteering event.

Similarly to the previous years we have developed a blog which will serve as a collection of different events happening in NZ during the Week. Everyone who is planning an event is welcome to post it on blog and will automatically enter the draw to win a $50 book voucher. Each post counts as one entry. This blog will be promoted across the media, which is one more reason to have your event announced on blog. More information on how to publish your event and win is available on the blog itself. Check it out at http://vaw2009.blogspot.com.
There is a new revised VAW Toolkit available free for download from our website www.volunteeringnz.org.nz/news/headlines/080523a.php. It provides ideas for events and other promotional activities, how to contact media and prepare media releases, a template for recognition certificates, etc. More useful materials might be added in the next couple of weeks.

Facts & Figures on Volunteering in NZ has been updated and the new document is available from the VNZ website.
VNZ has free supplies of the 'Do a World of Good' posters and balloons for use in your events. Send your orders by email to Glennis at office [at] volunteeringnz [dot] org [dot] nz or fax 04 3843637.
Not to forget volunteering by youth will be highlighted in this VAW. It will be a great opportunity to emphasise on the many ways in which young people already volunteer, demonstrating the opportunities for other young people. Young people are potential volunteers for today and into the future. Encouraging them to become volunteers is a major strategic aim of VNZ.
VNZ encourages participation in the Week by all organisations and services who involve volunteers in their programmes and activities. It is an opportunity to celebrate and recognise your volunteers. At the same time you can showcase how you involve volunteers and ways in which new volunteers can contribute.

NEW ZEALAND NEWS

New Inland Revenue guide for donee organisations on the tax benefits of making donations

The Department of Inland Revenue have published a guide for use by donee organisations outlining for them the new provisions for tax rebates to individuals and tax deductions which can be made by companies. A copy of the guide will be accessible from the resources section of the VNZ's website www.volunteeringnz.org.nz

Advanced Volunteer Management Retreat could be held in New Zealand
The Australasian Retreat for Advanced Volunteer Management could be held in New Zealand in 2011. This has been announced by the Retreat organisers Andy Fryar and Martin J Cowling. They have noted that there has always been a good attendance from NZ volunteer managers. Bringing the retreat to New Zealand which make it much more accessible to many more which would be exciting for both them and the Retreat itself. There has been preliminary dialogue with Volunteering NZ about the possibility of holding the Retreat here.

2011 will be an important year for volunteering in New Zealand. In addition to it being marked as the decade year of International Year of the Volunteer, it will be VNZ 10th birthday year. And there will be that major international event, Rugby World Cup, which will involved at least 5000 volunteers.

Martin and Andy have also announced that Jayne Cravens from United Nations Volunteering and Coyote Consulting will be coming 'downunder' as a facilitator of the 2010 Advanced Volunteer Management Retreat. This will be held in Adelaide 17-19 March. There is a possibility Jayne Cravens could come to New Zealand for workshop and/or consulting activities.

VOLUNTEERING PEOPLE

New Manager for Volunteering Mid & South Canterbury
Trevor Linyard has taken on the role of Manager of Volunteering Mid & South Canterbury after the resignation of Joy Sylvia in March this year.

Trevor has lived in Timaru since 1986, first working at Aoraki Polytechnic in various tutoring and management roles. More recently he was Area Manager for the Red Cross in Mid and South Canterbury. He has trained and worked in teaching, social work and counselling roles.

Community intern at Volunteer Wellington

Source: VolunteerWellington news
Wayne Drogemuller is one of the first two recipients of the Department of Internal Affairs' Chief Executive Community Internship. He is from the Grants, Audit and Review team and will be working with Volunteer Wellington for three months from 1 May 2009.

Wayne has been travelling extensively around the country in his DIA role, auditing and advising community organisations who have received COGS and Lottery funding.

His role while with Volunteer Wellington will cover a variety of tasks He will be getting out and about with the members assisting and advising regarding funder compliances and the development of financial and accounting structures which will streamline accountability and reporting of the member organisations.

CommunityCentral Web Coordinator
Catherine Cotter is the new website coordinator for CommunityCentral, the community sector online platform. She moved to NZ some 18 months ago from Cork, Ireland after managing Cork's major events listing website for number of years. With her background in graphic design and website coordination, Catherine will be ensuring the smooth running of the CommunityCentral and will assist the users on day-to-day basis.

Dominic Ballesteros will continue to support Catherine and CommunityCentral as an IT volunteer.
To find out on how to get in touch with Catherine and benefit from CommunityCentral services, go to www.communitycentral.org.nz.

New appointments to Charities Commission Executive
With the establishment of the Charities Register now largely completed, the Charities Commission has rearranged its structure to allow it to focus more resources on the monitoring and investigation of charities, and to provide governance and management education.

Under the new structure, three general managers have been appointed to manage the Commission's Registration and Compliance, Corporate services, and Education.
Chris Winstanley - General Manager, Registration and Compliance - has moved from her previous role managing the Commission's registration of charities to a broader role, which is responsible for the registration of charities, operations, and monitoring and investigations.

Barry Hayman - general manager, Corporate - has moved from his role as Corporate Services manager for the Charities Commission to the new role of General Manager, Corporate. He was formerly was Manager, Finance and Assurance with the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology, where he was responsible for its financial reporting and management.

Philip Kearney has joined the Commission as General Manager, Education, after three years as chief executive of Sport Wanganui. In his new role with the Commission, he will scope and manage the development of governance and management education and support for the sector.

VOLUNTEERING RECOGNITION AWARDS
Nominations called for the Intrepid Travel National Volunteer Awards
Deadline Friday 1st of May
To highlight the importance of the volunteer sector and reward New Zealand's most outstanding volunteers, Good Magazine and Intrepid Travel have joined forces and created this Awards as a part of a larger national campaign which will be used to bring attention to the true value of volunteering while building up to Volunteer Awareness Week.

Charities from all over New Zealand are invited to nominate their best volunteers under seven different categories. Good magazine will load them on to a voting webpage on their social networking site for charities and volunteers www.gomad.co.nz. The Sunday Star Times will be running a promotion for 2 weeks (print and online) to send people to the site to vote for the favorite volunteers. The winners and their charities from each category will be profiled in a special supplement in Good magazine which will hit the news stands on the 15th of June.

The awards will be held at AUT's St Paul Gallery on Thurs 11th June, the week prior to Volunteer Awareness Week. An extensive PR campaign is planned which will create opportunities for charities to get their stories out in main stream media. The overall winner will get a $5000 volunteering holiday from Intrepid and Good magazine will donate 20% of its subscription revenue in June and July to the winning volunteer's charity or project. For further information contact Jessica on 09 966 0999 or email jessica [at] hbmedia [dot] co [dot] nz.

New World seeks nominations for $50,000 of Awards

New World is giving $50,000 in shopping vouchers to netball volunteers across the country. The inaugural New World Netball Volunteer Awards aims to reward the many people who keep grass roots netball in New Zealand going.

The New World Netball Volunteer Awards will run from April through August within netball centres nationwide. The company is asking team members, coaches, supporters and anyone else involved in netball, at every level, to nominate the volunteer they think is most deserving. Each week those awarded will receive a $25 New World voucher to spend at any New World nationwide.
Stand-out nominees also have the chance of being nominated for the National Volunteer Awards, held later in the year with the winners being announced at the final New World International test match on September 23 in Auckland.
New Zealand Red Cross search for five 'Breakfast Champion' Volunteers
To mark the second anniversary of the Red Cross Breakfast in Schools programme, New Zealand Red Cross and Countdown supermarkets are looking to acknowledge the volunteers who play a vital role in delivering the programme in almost 50 schools across the country. This is to include a search for five 'Breakfast Champions' from across the country who are making a difference in their community as Red Cross Breakfast in Schools volunteers.

NEW ZEALAND EVENTS
NZ Youth Week - a time to recognise our young volunteers
23-31 May 2009, Nationwide
Youth Week is an annual event which aims to create a society that values young people and affirms their diversity. The week highlights the amazing things young people, aged 12-24, do all year round. Volunteering NZ is giving its support to Youth Week as it is another opportunity to highlight the ways in which young people volunteer.
If you are planning to celebrate the Youth Week and need some promotional materials or would like to participate in an event in your neighborhood visit here www.youthweek.co.nz and find out more.

Matariki - the Aotearoa Pacific New Year
24 June 2009, Awanui, Far North
Matariki celebrates the diversity of life. It's a celebration of culture, language, spirit and people. In the Far North, Matariki Muriwhenua 2009 will be a month-long festival. As part of this celebration they are profiling the wonderful work done by volunteers, essential in isolated, rural communities. The campaign will leverage off Matariki and is named 'Volunteers are Stars'. Gold stars can be bought (with a small donation) at any of the six local banks.
For further information contact 09 408 7889 or info [at] farnorthmatariki [dot] co [dot] nz

NZ Bluelight Ventures conference
7 - 10 May 2009 Queenstown
This conference aims to provide information and training to the police service agencies and community groups dealing with 'at risk youth' and 'youth offenders' by bringing to the attention the variety of programmes used internationally with young people.
Topics covered: programme planning and risk management; team building; youth at risk projects; youth justice and community relationships; Blue Light programmes; sponsorship
For further information and registration contact Jill Johnston at jill [at] bluelight [dot] co [dot] nz or visit www.bluelight.co.nz.

INTERNATIONAL EVENTS
12th IAVE Asia Pacific Regional Volunteer Conference
26-29 November 2009 Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Workshop proposals deadline: 1 July 2009
A call has been made for workshop proposals to be presented at Asia Pacific IAVE conference being hosted by IAVE Taiwan and Kaohsiung City Volunteer Association. "Volunteerism as a Lifestyle for Social Solidarity" will be the theme for the conference and there will be six streams for which workshops are sought.

1. Volunteer Management in the Large Scale Event
2. Corporate Volunteering and Its Impact on Asia Pacific Society
3. Volunteerism and Information Communication Technology (ICTs)
4. Volunteering within the Asian Pacific Region of Culture Diversity
5. National Volunteer Centers
6. International Volunteering

A youth forum will also be held as part of the conference. For further information on sending proposals for the workshops and registration visit http://iave.npotech.org.tw or e-mail iave [dot] 2009 [at] gmail [dot] com.
ConnectingUp: The Online future of the Nonprofits, Are we there yet?
11-13 May 2009 Brighton Novotel, Sydney

This is Australia's National Nonprofit Technology conference gathering variety of stakeholders to discuss the issues of ICT in voluntary sector. They are looking for great stories about how your organisation or community has used technology which would be presented in a workshop during the conference. Further details and expressions of interest at www.conectingup.org/conference or www.connectingup.org/blogdoug.

International Not-For-Profit Convention & Exhibition
11-13 November 2009 Sunshine Coast, Australia
This event brings you three days of essential learning for these changing times. With brilliant peer-networking, valuable professional development and organisational capacity building opportunities in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere INCE09 represents a prime growth opportunity. Check it out on www.nfpn.com.au.

"Volunteers, camera, action: different world is possible" - Solidarity Film Festival
4-9 May 2009 Granada, Spain
This first time festival is organised by the Andalusian Volunteer Agency in cooperation with Fábrica Onírica Cinematographic Productions. The programme will consist of screenings in documentary, short film and Andalusian work categories which will highlight the everyday work of volunteers all over the world. For further information please contact sugerencias [dot] cgob [at] juntadeandalucia [dot] es.

Developing Employee Volunteering - a joint venture between volunteer organisations and companies? Strategies - Success Stories - Challenges
14 - 16 May 2009, Prague, Czech Republic
This conference will be a forum for an expected audience of 200 delegates from the voluntary sector, companies, public institutions and international organisations, to promote contact making between corporate and volunteer organizations; discuss the added value for both to get involved in partnerships; explore good and bad practices concerning collaboration between them; empower them to speak the same language; discuss policies that promote employer supported volunteering.

For further questions and registrations, please contact CEV Secretariat on communication [at] cev [dot] be or visit www.cev.be.
2009 US National Conference on Volunteering and Service
22-24 June, San Francisco, USA
The 2009 National Conference on Volunteering and Service, co-convened by Points of Light Institute/HandsOn Network (POLI/HON) and the Corporation for National and Community Service, will provide the opportunities to learn, connect and be inspired. This year's theme is "Civic. Energy. Generation." For more information, visit www.volunteeringandservice.org.
Giving and Volunteering Research Conference
9 July 2009, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
The Department of Philanthropic Studies at VU University, Amsterdam is hosting this conference to foster co-operation and the exchange of ideas between academic researchers and practitioners from the philanthropic sector. Paper proposals are due by 1 May, with full papers due by 25 June 2009.
If you are interested in presenting a paper, contact r [dot] bekkers [at] fsw [dot] vu [dot] nz or read more about the conference online at www.ngopulse.org or www.giving.nl/.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Volunteering as "a means to promoting social integration"

"Opening opportunities for volunteerism is increasingly seen as a means to promoting social integration," says the United Nations Commission on Social Development in its latest Chairperson's summary. "Volunteerism has contributed to developing social capital for social groups, including those that have traditionally found themselves marginalized from mainstream participation in development activities."
The Commission is part of the Division for Social Policy and Development, itself part of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat. This year, the Commission's key themes are countering the threats to social integration that come with the current global crises.
Download the report from here www.un.org/esa/socdev/csd/2009/documents/chairsummary.pdf.
Voluntary Action Scotland - new umbrella body

The new umbrella body for Scottish councils for voluntary service has elected its first board and decided on a name. As a result of a poll carried out last month, Scotland's 57 CVSs decided the body should be called Voluntary Action Scotland.
For the last year a Working Group drawn from CVSs across Scotland has undertaken an extensive consultation exercise with their membership and partners in seeking to develop an effective structure for a National Body. In a nation wide vote in January a demonstration of overwhelming support for the proposals drafted by the Working Group was given by the CVS Network.
They also elected seven national and four regional representatives to sit on its board.
Harry Whiteside, chair of the steering group in charge of establishing the body and director of Voluntary Action Lochaber, said the profile of CVSs, which are currently represented by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, would be raised among local and national politicians by the new umbrella group.

New UK report on volunteering in the Criminal Justice System

More offenders should be able to volunteer within the criminal justice system as part of their rehabilitation, a report by the UK Government's volunteering champion has recommended. The report, Volunteering Across the Criminal Justice System by Baroness Julia Neuberger, says that volunteering can play an important part in easing prisoners back into society.
The report also calls on the Criminal Justice System to consider further ways of engaging ex-offenders as volunteers in prisons. People with criminal records are often excluded from CJS volunteering schemes even when they could have a positive impact, the report says.
The report is available from www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/124076/volunteers%20in%20cjs.pdf.
BTCV will help 50,000 find work
Environmental volunteering charity BTCV plans to help 50,000 people into employment over the next four years through volunteering and back-to-work programmes. BTCV's chief executive Tom Flood says the UK's leading green volunteering charity has set itself bold targets to help tackle some of the major problems facing society.

In the next four years BTCV is aiming to:
• improve the environment in 75,000 places;
• provide opportunities for 500,000 people to become fitter and improve their mental health;
• actively support 1.5 million people in environmental action;
• move 50,000 people into employment.
Practically and locally grounded, BTCV has built great authority on a UK- wide scale by engaging with people from the broadest range of backgrounds, abilities, cultures and needs, including the most deprived and neglected communities.

ends