TOP STORY Awards highlight the best volunteer workplaces
Over 1200 not-for-profit organisations competed in the 2006 NAB Volunteer Awards, coordinated by National Australia Bank in partnership with Volunteering Australia; proving that a growing number of organisations are recognising the importance of their volunteers’ having a satisfying experience at work.
The NAB Volunteer Awards began in 1997 and this year 49 state and national category winners shared in $364,000 in awards, and a further 70 organisations were commended for their efforts in supporting their volunteers.
Kylee Bates, judging reviewer and Deputy CEO of Volunteering Australia, said that she was pleased to see a larger number of entries from the smaller states and from regional organisations this year.
Ahmed Fahour, NAB’s Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Australia added ’NAB is committed to doing its bit to encourage and develop volunteering. The volunteering movement in Australia has produced some world-class volunteer groups in recent years, and this year’s winners are among the ’best of the best’’.
The national winners for 2006 were:
- 8CCC Community Radio Inc, NT (Art and Culture)
- Fishers with Disabilities, WA (Community Service and Development)
- The School Volunteer Program Inc, WA (Education and Youth Development)
- Victoria State Emergency Service - Benalla Unit, VIC (Emergency and Safety)
- Save Our Waterways Now Inc, QLD (Environment and Wildlife)
- SHINE for Kids Co-Operative Ltd, NSW (Health and Wellbeing)
- Sydney Heritage Fleet, NSW (Tourism, Sport and Recreation)
Volunteering Australia, the national peak body working to advance volunteering in the Australian community, provide free support and resources to not-for-profit organisations and runs the largest, national, free online volunteer recruitment service - GoVolunteer - available at www.volunteeringaustralia.org.
Source: Volunteering Australia, October 2006
Thursday, 10 August 2006 National Census: Are we a nation of volunteers?
This week’s Australian census will for the first time feature a question on volunteering.
Question 51 on the National Census will build the growing picture of our volunteering habits over the last 12 months and highlight the importance of this crucial individual and community activity.
Volunteering Australia’s CEO, Sha Cordingley, a member of the 2006 Census Working Group, encourages everyone who freely chose to volunteer in the past year to answer ’yes’ to Question 51: including corporate or employee volunteers, young people, supporting parents and people receiving pensions or government benefits.
’This is the first time that a question on volunteering has been included in the Census and the results will help improve conditions and increase opportunities for our millions of dedicated volunteers’, Ms Cordingley said.
She concluded, ’it’s a significant move towards governments and communities understanding the impact volunteering has in this country’.
Recent research commissioned by the Commonwealth Government found that 6.3 million Australians volunteered 836 million hours in 2005; or that one in 3 of us are spending an average of 132 hours a year volunteering.
Volunteering happens in or through not-for-profits in all sectors including; community, welfare and health, sports and recreation, arts & culture, environment, youth & aged services and emergency management.
Fast facts:
- There are as many as 700,000 nonprofit organisations in Australia, most of which are small and entirely dependent on the voluntary commitment of members. About 5 per cent employ staff (about 35,000).
- 6.3 million Australians give a total of 836 million hours a year in volunteering (132 hours p/w on average).
- 41 per cent of Australians volunteered in 2005 compared with 31 per cent in 2000 and 24 per cent in 1995.
- 47 per cent of all people aged 35-44 volunteer the most active group.
- 46 per cent of women and 36 per cent of men volunteer.
- Over 30 per cent of young people (18-24 year-olds) volunteer.
- 70 per cent of volunteers are also in paid employment.
- Researchers estimate the monetary contribution of volunteering to be in the tens of billions annually.
- Reasons for volunteering include: ’being of service to the community’ (47 per cent) and ’personal satisfaction’ (43 per cent).
Source: Volunteering Australia http://www.volunteering.com.au/ - 4 August 2006
Monday, 17 July 2006 Conservation Volunteers Australia
During the month of July, the Australian Museum is running a community display featuring Conservation Volunteers Australia.
Australia is one of the most diverse countries on the planet. It is home to more than one million species of plants and animals, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. Yet our vibrant island continent, with its striking natural contrasts, is surprisingly fragile and needs our help to ensure its diversity is protected for generations to come.
Conservation Volunteers Australia is Australia’s largest practical conservation organisation working to protect the unique Australian environment.
Conservation Volunteers Australia was founded in 1982 in Ballarat. This not-for-profit organisation aims to attract and manage a force of volunteers in practical conservation projects for the betterment of the Australian environment. They offers a number of different volunteer opportunities from one day local environmental projects through to two week expeditions to remote outback locations that provide and amazing working holiday experience.
Visit their display at the Australian Museum to find out more about how you can get involved or visit the Conservation Volunteers Australia website for more information.
Where: The Australian Museum at 6 College Street Sydney (opposite Hyde Park)
When: Until Monday, 31 July 2006, 9.30am to 5pm daily
Australian VolunteerSearch provides information to assist people interested in volunteering, and connect with local community volunteering opportunities. Currently there are volunteering opportunities available across Australia to work as conservation volunteers. Why not visit the VolunteerSearch website for further information about how you can volunteer within your local community.
Thursday, 29 June 2006 Volunteer Small Equipment Grants 2006
Recently the Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Hon Mal Brough MP announced funding of $3 million for the 2006 Volunteer Small Equipment Grants (VSEG) to help Australia’s volunteers support their vital work. This funding will provide grants of up to $3,000 (GST inclusive) for community organisations to help them purchase small equipment items that will make the work of their volunteers easier, safer and/or, more enjoyable.
Applicatiions close at 5pm AEST on Friday 21 July 2006.
For more detailed information about VSEG, see the the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs website.
Monday, 26 June 2006 Rovers on a mission for Wesley Mission
Over the weekend 20-21 May, Rovers from all over the Sydney North Region came together to take part in their annual community service project. This year we decided that we wanted to undertake a project, which went towards helping directly or indirectly underprivileged young people. We usually like to undertake projects where we’re certain we can leave our mark. This year’s project at the Wesley Mission Retreat, Mangrove Mountain certainly fits the bill.
Over the weekend the large team of Rovers undertook diverse tasks, from digging trenches and plumbing to recladding buildings to constructing a playground and creating a bushwalking path. Through this project we helped Wesley Mission to better provide for the people that they care for in the community. Alan Bates, Volunteer Services Manager for Wesley Mission said, ’Mangrove Mountain staff and underprivileged children were greatly assisted by the magnificent efforts of the Sydney North Rover Scouts. Wesley Mission is extremely grateful for the ongoing commitment from Rover Scouts to the wider community.’
Rovers are young men and women aged 18 to 25, who are members of Scouts Australia. Rovers come from all walks of life and backgrounds and have not necessarily participated in Scouting before. They undertake a wide variety of outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, caving, abseiling and skiing, as well as social activities, community service projects and leadership training. There are many active Rover Crews across Sydney’s northside - for more information, visit http://roverinfo.com
Source: Simon Smith, PR Co-ordinator, Sydney North Region Rover Council
Australian VolunteerSearch provides information to assist people interested in volunteering, and connect with local community volunteering opportunities. For further information about how you can join Rovers or volunteer as a Rover Adviser go to the Australian VolunteerSearch website.
Tuesday, 13 June 2006 Ship of volunteers: Restoring the lighthouse supply ship MV Cape Don
By Rebecka Delforce
’Even if you don’t have any skills at all, you can help us restore this ship,’ laughed George Bate, official committee member and unofficial volunteer manager with the MV Cape Don Society. George should know because for two years he’s been volunteering by helping to restore the MV Cape Don (a lighthouse supply ship that was used to build and maintain lighthouses along the Western Australian coastline during the 1960s).
’In 2004, I read an article in Australian Geographic about how Aussie volunteers were aiming to restore the Cape Don to her former glory, hopefully by 2007, so that she could deliver aid to developing communities. I thought that sounded really interesting and, as soon as I could, I arranged to meet the Cape Don crew at the coal loader at Balls Head Reserve, Waverton, Sydney, where the Don has been docked for the last nine years.’
George was hooked when he saw the Cape Don for the first time but, like many of the volunteers recruited today, George didn’t have any technical skills to offer. ’It didn’t matter. It still doesn’t,’ he beamed. ’There’s always plenty to help out with. You could chip rust, you could make lunch for the other volunteers or you could help dismantle machinery. We could teach you to paint or to clean yes, with a scrubbing brush and Ajax! Actually, I’ve spent a lot of weekends painting her!’
The Cape Don Society has members all over Australia. To volunteer, you must become a member for $20 and this small amount goes towards the restoration. Then you need to call or email and arrange to take part in one of the Society’s regular working weekends held every fortnight from Friday midday to Sunday evening.
Of course, the volunteer crew also has its share of professional tradesmen. ’We have electricians to restore and maintain the lighting and radio equipment, engineers to repair leaks in the engine room and carpenters to refurbish the interior. Actually, right now we’re really keen to find some volunteer plumbers,’ explained George. ’We need to replace some pipes that are leaking. That’s our next job.’
A never-ending to-do list? ’Yes, but I like to dream about the day she’s ready to set sail,’ said George. ’We’ve a system whereby we’ll be logging our volunteer hours to create our sea hours. We’re not sure how we’re going to work this out yet, but when we set sail, we’ll need crew members and some of the crew members will be the volunteers who’ve logged the most hours. We’re still a couple of years away from that, but look how far we’ve come.’
Indeed, while the MV Cape Don was built alongside her two sister ships at the Newcastle State Dockyards in 1963, she’s now the only one remaining. (’Sadly, her sisters are scrap metal’, said George.) As a purpose-built lighthouse supply ship, the MV Cape Don was constructed not only to be used in building and supplying lighthouses, but also to ferry lighthouse keepers and their families. Thus, she was built as a mini-liner, complete with lavish accommodation that was deemed suitable for the officials, technicians and relief lighthouse crews she carried up and down the coast. She has 51 cabins and a shop on board.
Retired in the 1980s, when Australian lighthouses became automated, the Cape Don was used as a prop in the 1996 cop thriller film Dog Watch, before being refurbished as a small cruise ship. Unfortunately, before she had the chance to ferry tourists around the Mediterranean, the company that owned her went into liquidation due to the worldwide slump in ocean liner cruising, and couldn’t afford the dock berthing fees at Waverton. Then in 1999, she was put up for tender to the public. The original founders of the MV Cape Don Societya group of ship enthusiasts based in Canberraeventually raised the capital required to purchase her. In 2003, the sale was completed and finally the renovations began.
’I hadn’t yet joined,’ said George. ’But I’ve heard the stories she’d had some squatters living in her for a few years. They’d graffitied her a little, but the worst thing was the cabins. They just filled cabin after cabin to the brim with rubbish. They’d fill one cabin, close the door and start on the next Yes, we’ve come a long way!’
That said, it’s not yet time to start reminiscing the volunteers might have come a long way in refurbishing The Don, but they still have a fair way to go before she is seaworthy and ready to bring alms and assistance to developing countries. ’And there’s only one way to get that happening,’ said George, ’and that’s to get as many volunteers as possible on board literally!’
Find out more about the MV Cape Don Society
[Source: The Centre for Volunteering, Volunteer Life e-zine: June 2006]
Tuesday, 16 May 2006 Amanda lends a helping hand
What started out as a forced function has now become a labour of love for Tweed Heads woman Amanda Fairweather.
Ms Fairweather started as a volunteer for the Adventist Development and Relief Agency’s (ADRA) op-shop in 2003.
She was placed with ADRA as part of the Work-for-the-Dole scheme.
However, three years later, Ms Fairweather is still giving her time at the shop.
’I help out in the shop by serving at the register, sorting, pricing and doing any other jobs that need to be done,’ she said.
’I volunteer for one full day a week and occasionally fill in if someone else can’t make it.’
With yesterday being the start to National Volunteer Week, Ms Fairweather spoke passionately about the importance of volunteering.
’What surprised me most was the constant offers of assistance the shop gets from people in the community who come in,’ she said.
National Volunteer Week runs until 21 May 2006.
Source: Daily News, Tweed Heads - Tuesday, 16 May 2006
Monday, 15 May 2006 Volunteer news - what's happening around the country
Did you know there are hundreds of interesting volunteering opportunities available now on the VolunteerSearch web site?
Here is just a sample of what’s on offer today on volunteersearch.gov.au -
Become a Certified Debating Adjudicator. Debating SA are looking for volunteers from all age groups to participate in their programmes. Adjudicating is a fullfilling experience where you can gain skills of leadership, decision-making, communication and conflict-resolution all of which are abilities that are required in many other areas of the ’real-world’. Adjudicating develops logic and analytical skills as well as many qualifications to add to your resume. Free training is offered to suitable candidates.
Become a First Aid volunteer. St John Ambulance WA is well known for the many voluntary services it provides the WA community. Many of the 150 country sub centres are manned by trained, skilled and dedicated volunteers. Volunteer First Aiders provide quality first aid services to the community at hundreds of public events every year. St John Ambulance also provides many voluntary services for the WA community, e.g. Community Care volunteers offer social support and companionship for the lonely and elderly.
The South Central Region Migrant Resource Centre in Victoria is a community based organisation providing assistance to individuals and communities from a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) background. The Community Visitors Scheme is looking for friendly volunteers to visit socially isolated older people living in nursing homes and hostels. Community visitors provide friendship and support to older people and are asked to make a commitment to visit fortnightly with the resident.
The Alice Springs Volunteer Resource Centre in the NT has volunteering positions as Red Cross drivers. You will help drive the Red Cross mobile library service van. This is a mobile service including large print and talking books for the visually impaired and is available to people unable to access public libraries.
Conservation Volunteers Australia have an extensive range of volunteering opportunities starting now! You can search for positions across Australia and find the project that best suits your interests and availability. Select from over 2000 projects Australia wide. Conservation Volunteers Australia welcomes everyone with a love of the outdoors and an interest in the environment.
For further information about any of these positions click on the links or see the VolunteerSearch web site.
Friday, 12 May 2006 He is my angel
By Trent Dalton
You know why SES volunteers wear those big orange overalls? It’s to hide their wings.
And you know why they all wear hats on the job? That’s right, to hide their halos.
Trombone player, ham radio enthusiast and father of three Lyle Dobbs has been a volunteer for the Rochampton State Emergency Service for the past 31 years.
He spends his Saturdays holding stop signs at road accidents.
He skips his wife Margaret’s Sunday roasts to trudge through mangrove quagmires in search of people he has never met.
He spends his week-nights walking through pubs selling raffle tickets for meat trays, raising funds to buy boats that he will sail through floods to save the lives of stranded farmers, foolish drivers and - on the odd occasion - folks who turn their noses up at meat trays.
’I don’t know why I do it,’ Mr Dobbs says. ’You just do what you got to do.’
’It gives me the opportunity to help other people, and to help people to help themselves - which is such a big part of it.’
Last year, the SES celebrated its 30th anniversary.
When Mr Dobbs isn’t serving the community, he’s at home caring for his wife of 45 years, Margaret, who was diagnosed in 2002 with myoclonus, a neurological disorder that leaves her prone to uncontrollable and random seizures.
For Margaret Dobbs, describing her husband as an angel isn’t too much of a stretch.
’He is an angel,’ she says. ’Well, he’s my angel at least.’
Lyle Dobbs has been nominated for the Courier Mail and Sunday Mail Pride of Australia medal under the community spirit category for enriching and improving the quality of life for his local community.
Source: Courier Mail, Thursday 11 May 2006