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Thursday, November 11, 2010

A final comment on International Volunteer Managers Day 2010 via an open letter to many.

Dear IVMD committee

Thank you for your tireless work year in and year out in your efforts to have the profession of Volunteer Management recognised and understood. All of you, volunteers, deserve the respect and praise that is rightly yours. Don’t give up on your cause because there are many people behind you. While I may be vocal in my support please understand that some may not have the confidence or indeed time to express their support.

Dear people who are ideologically opposed to the day and have publically engaged in the debate while still demonstrating their support for Volunteer Management

Thank you for your support of Volunteer Management. Thank you for engaging in healthy debate and I look forward to more discussion with you in 2011!

Dear Media

Once again you were totally absent! However I acknowledge that the Volunteer Management sector and the Volunteerism sector are to blame for this. We need to work harder collectively to spread the message

Dear Facebook

Credit must go to you for allowing a forum to spread this global message

Dear Volunteering Australia

You are the peak body for volunteering in my country. You do some great work. Yet the perception I and others have is that you totally “dissed” this day. As a volunteer Manager who is passionate about my job and volunteering, I was hurt by this. If my perception is wrong please correct me. But I simply appeal to you to drop the politics and embrace the day for the good of unity in volunteerism. One day VA will celebrate the day. Why not now? Please don’t give me material for another blog next year!

Dear AAVA

My professional association for volunteer management in Australia. A mere mention of IVMD on your website doesn’t cut it. Please see my “Dear Volunteering Australia “ comment above and please be more vocal for my profession! Perhaps you are making strides to support our sector but we need to know this. We need to see some evidence of this. Please be louder in championing our cause AAVA.

Dear Senator Ursula Stephens

Thank you for moving a motion in support of our sector in the Australian senate!

Dear Volunteering Calgary

Your YouTube video inspired Volunteer Managers globally!

Dear Fingal Volunteer Centre

Your support for Volunteer Management stands out internationally! You inspire me!

Dear e-volunteerism

Thank you for your offer to Volunteer Managers globally with free access to your site for a period! A tangible recognition award for VMs globally! Great vision!

Dear state peak bodies for volunteering

Thank you to the state peak bodies in Australia who organized events for Volunteer Managers in their states. You know who you are! The ones who didn’t bother? We hope you try harder next year. You know who you are!

Dear everybody else who supported the day globally!

Thank you from a Volunteer Manager!

And finally

Dear Volunteer Managers, Coordinators, :eaders Administrators etc. who celebrated the day..

Hope it was fun! Hope you felt valued! Hope you continue with your brilliant profession and hope you continue to spread the IVMD word!

One day IVMD will be globally recognised for what it is…

Long live volunteerism and those who are leaders and managers and coordinators within the field!

6 comments:

  1. DJ, thanks for your words of support, they are much appreciated, as are your words of wisdom.

    Stuart @ Fingal Volunteer Centre

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi DJ. I think you have summed up the sentiments of many with your above words. As Chairperson of the global committee, I can tell you we have been thrilled with the uptake of the day by so many this year, and we WILL keep pressing ahead to make the day bigger and better next year.

    It is really easy to be disappointed with the stance of Vol Australia and others, and I sure share your frustrations. But at the end of the day they will (and are) being judged by their actions.

    What is more important for me is that we keep celebrating the terrific acknowledgement given by groups like Vol NZ, Vol Canada, Vol Calgary, e-volunteerism and by many many others including Senator Ursula Stephens and the Govt of Oregon and New Jersey, because they should be applauded loudly for the momentum which they are giving to our wonderful profession through the celebration of IVMDay

    Finally...

    Dear DJ,
    Thanks for all of your undying (and vocal) support to the cause!

    Andy Fryar
    Chair, Global IVMDay Committee

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you to the movers and shakers

    DJ and Andy, you are both very hard acts to follow. As a volunteer coordinator, I very much appreciate having people like you who so passionately advocate for volunteer managers/coordinators and who inspire us through your leadership and vision. You both have at times given us a nudge to get out of our comfort zones to participate in global debates, online forums and blogs. For all of this I sincerely thank you.

    Volunteering Australia

    Volunteering Australia provides resources and support for volunteers and should be applauded for this, however volunteering doesn’t just happen. Good volunteer management is essential in having good volunteer management programs which effectively utilizes the skills, time and talents of volunteers. Volunteer management and volunteering are not mutually exclusive and so I implore you, Volunteering Australia, to incorporate volunteer management into your business framework. For without good volunteer management your once enthusiastic volunteers, may become despondent, disappointed, dissatisfied and even angry at the waste of their time and the lack of appreciation for their efforts; because who else is going to give them that support, guidance and appreciation, daily at the coal face, other than those who manage and coordinate their volunteer programs?

    Volunteering Calgary

    I was so inspired by your Youtube for IVMD. Thank you so much for putting that out there to inspire and thank volunteer managers/coordinators globally. The images and words said it all in so many ways, THANK YOU. Absolutely Brilliant!!!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GV8bEvD0JE

    AAVA

    Please take note of the above “Volunteering Calgary” segment and have a look at the Youtube. Volunteering Calgary is one city in Canada and they have thanked volunteer managers globally and have also promoted their Leader in Volunteer Management Award globally. Did we not have our own leader in volunteer management award in Australia and New Zealand? Who is our leader in our profession for 2010? I had a quick look on the AAVA website thinking that it would be noteworthy enough to be on the front page but couldn’t find it. Surely this award winner should be congratulated and promoted at least on the front page of your website. Perhaps in 2011 you could take a leaf out of Volunteering Calgary’s book and produce an inspiring PowerPoint on Youtube promoting our award winning, leaders in volunteer management and thanking volunteer managers everywhere at the same time.

    Thank you to all who support and advocate for International Volunteer Managers Day and our sector.

    Thank you
    Wendy Moore

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hey Stuart! Thanks for the comment. You are more than welcome. When I see your webpage and facebook page I just see positive thinking and action! It's as simple as that! Cant wait to touch base when I am next in beautiful Dublin!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks Andy! I think you folk made great strides this year! And your never ending optimism keeps us all going!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow Wendy! Your reply is worthy of a blog, article or Hot Topic on its own! Thank you for taking the time to post those words! I look forward to seeing you write more on many other forums!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your message. It will shortly be reviewed. Namaste! DJ

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