Sustaining volunteer Sustaining volunteer supportsupport

Working in partnership to face Working in partnership to face changes in the volunteering changes in the volunteering

Sector.Sector.

Volunteering TasmaniaVolunteering Tasmania• Peak body for volunteeringPeak body for volunteering• Partnership with State Govt/Tas Together Partnership with State Govt/Tas Together

Partners ProgramPartners Program• FundingFunding• Service provisionService provision• Where to find usWhere to find us• Future goalsFuture goals• National networkNational network• Statistics – 34.4% adult Tas vol 2hrs per week. Statistics – 34.4% adult Tas vol 2hrs per week.

Volunteering doubled in 10 yrs. Worth $30 billion Volunteering doubled in 10 yrs. Worth $30 billion per yr in Aust, $82million per day.per yr in Aust, $82million per day.

Trends in VolunteeringTrends in Volunteering• Demographic, Demographic,

employment and employment and lifestyle changeslifestyle changes

• Increased ‘contracting’ Increased ‘contracting’ out of social services out of social services by govtsby govts

• Increased competition Increased competition for fundingfor funding

• Corporate social Corporate social responsibilityresponsibility

• Greater need to focus Greater need to focus on risk managementon risk management

• Increasing Increasing ‘professionalism’ of ‘professionalism’ of volunteer organizationsvolunteer organizations

• Technology has Technology has changed access to changed access to volunteeringvolunteering

• Volunteering as an Volunteering as an opportunity to increase opportunity to increase employabilityemployability

• Changing expectations Changing expectations of volunteering of volunteering experience by experience by volunteersvolunteers

ImplicationsImplications

Volunteers:Volunteers:• Want different, Want different,

challenging short term challenging short term rolesroles

• Skill developmentSkill development• Entrée to jobsEntrée to jobs• Virtual volunteeringVirtual volunteering• More scope to More scope to

volunteervolunteer• On the moveOn the move

Organisations:Organisations: • Competition for funds Competition for funds

put pressure on orgsput pressure on orgs• Risk management Risk management

focus takes away focus takes away innovationinnovation

• training of vols training of vols requires $$$ and time, requires $$$ and time, then vols leavethen vols leave

ImplicationsImplicationsGeneral communityGeneral community• Too many services-too Too many services-too

many vol choicesmany vol choices• Confusion and distorted Confusion and distorted

stats-believe mythsstats-believe myths• Feel pressured to vol in Feel pressured to vol in

areas not of interestareas not of interest

Governments Governments • Can’t decide what its role Can’t decide what its role

isis• Risk management tends to Risk management tends to

guide decision to fund or guide decision to fund or not to fund and whether to not to fund and whether to support causesupport cause

• Can’t find enough Can’t find enough competent NFP’s to fund competent NFP’s to fund servicesservices

• Community looks to Govt Community looks to Govt for helpfor help

Solutions/Suggestions-for local Solutions/Suggestions-for local GovtGovt• Change of perspectiveChange of perspective• Take leadershipTake leadership• Develop opportunities for connectionDevelop opportunities for connection• Utilise what already existsUtilise what already exists• Celebrate, acknowledge and modelCelebrate, acknowledge and model

Change of perspective-Change of perspective-Dispel the mythsDispel the myths• MYTH- MYTH- young people don’t volyoung people don’t vol• MYTH- MYTH- there is a decrease in the numbers

of vols• MYTH- older people vol more hours • MYTH- retired, unemployed and people on

pensions vol more than others

Take leadership - locallyTake leadership - locally• Educate ourselves on what ‘best practice Educate ourselves on what ‘best practice

vol management’ really meansvol management’ really means• Pilot innovative programs/ideasPilot innovative programs/ideas• Ask communities for solutions to Ask communities for solutions to

issues/problems-involve them in solving issues/problems-involve them in solving the problemthe problem

• Attract funding which builds capacity of Attract funding which builds capacity of vol groups and vols ( federal)vol groups and vols ( federal)

• Encourage business to join in partnershipsEncourage business to join in partnerships

Develop opportunities for Develop opportunities for connectionconnection• Business and community go hand in Business and community go hand in

hand.hand.• Develop a volunteer referral service-Develop a volunteer referral service-

skills based audit.skills based audit.• Link visitors and tourists to volunteer Link visitors and tourists to volunteer

opportunitiesopportunities• Support places to meet through events, Support places to meet through events,

invite all.invite all.• Link like and unlike.Link like and unlike.

Utilise what already existsUtilise what already exists• Encourage small organizational Encourage small organizational

boards/committees to mergeboards/committees to merge• Question the need to set up new Question the need to set up new

organizationsorganizations• Review roles and jobs already taken Review roles and jobs already taken

up by volunteersup by volunteers• Find out what existing groups do/see Find out what existing groups do/see

if they can expandif they can expand

Celebrate, acknowledge and Celebrate, acknowledge and modelmodel• Volunteer recognition-Volunteer recognition- Individual awards that Individual awards that

support unique and diverse support unique and diverse contribution.contribution.

Competitions in schools.Competitions in schools. Best Practice vol Best Practice vol

Management awards.Management awards. Take up opportunities in Take up opportunities in

national Vol Week ( May) national Vol Week ( May) and International Vols day. and International Vols day. ( Dec 5( Dec 5thth))

• Model best practiceModel best practice Policies and procedures.Policies and procedures. Promote inclusiveness.Promote inclusiveness. Small grants programs.Small grants programs. Provide training and Provide training and

support to Vols and their support to Vols and their orgs.orgs.

Show and tell what's going Show and tell what's going on in your area.on in your area.

( radio, newspapers, public ( radio, newspapers, public events).events).

Working in PartnershipWorking in Partnershipwhat can be done at a local what can be done at a local level?level?• Corporate volunteeringCorporate volunteering• On-line centers and community On-line centers and community

houseshouses• TourismTourism• Schools – adult education/U3ASchools – adult education/U3A

Activity: 20 minutesActivity: 20 minutesIn small groups discuss/brainstorm-In small groups discuss/brainstorm-

1) What is local govt’s role in supporting 1) What is local govt’s role in supporting volunteers and volunteering?volunteers and volunteering?

2) What can we do to prepare for the 2) What can we do to prepare for the changing trends in volunteering?changing trends in volunteering?