GlobalVPM

I realise that there are many volunteer coordinators, managers, directors, project officers across the globe. Those who lead and manage volunteers have many titles. I am a member of 3 newsgroups or listservs and they are

Ozvpm

UKvpm

Cybervpm

The top 2 are based in Australia and the UK and the latter in the US. (I am wondering if any visitor can tell us why it didn’t become USvpm?)

For those of you who may not know what these groups are...in layman’s terms they are an email network of volunteer managers ( or whatever title suits the day) who share experiences, ideas and concerns. I am a member of all 3 because they give me a global insight into the issues pertaining to volunteer management.

Sometimes however I see a challenge posted in the US and answered by a practitioner in the US and I think "wow - that would be so relevant and helpful to the volunteer coordinator in Australia".

And the same thought emerges from postings in the UK and Australia.

It makes me think that the issues and challenges we face are very much shared in global terms. We are still at a stage where we as a a sector globally are very quiet. Lets face it, Volunteer Management is not taken seriously anywhere in the globe. I welcome comments to prove otherwise. Ok, I accept that there is progress in some places but in my humble opinion, the UK seems to be more visual, Australia seems to be sleeping, the US appears to be disjointed and divided.

I think we are still small enough now to become a global movement. And when we mature we will not need such global movements! It’s time for something as simple as a Globalvpm newsgroup in my opinion! I’ve suggested something similar before but was told that some professional associations were going to start a network of their presidents to form a group. Well, as far as i am aware It hasn’t happened yet and I for one am tired of waiting for such a thing to happen.

As a sector I believe we have a major weakness in the fact that we are all talk and no action!

A positive action now would be for the various newsgroups to combine to create a global network! Yes..keep your individual networks as they have their place but go global on volunteer management if you are serious about seeing a real sector emerge!

a vibrant global network may grow and give validation and power to our profession!

We are small enough now to combine to become big enough to disengage from that combination!

I only mention the US, Oz and the UK. That’s because they have the VPM newsgroups! But by their very titles they exclude New Zealand, Canada, Ireland - 3 nations rich in volunteerism!

And what about the rest of Europe, Asia, Africa, etc.....

Its time for Globalvpm. Who will take up the challenge and the opportunity?????

Volunteering is global.

So is Volunteer Management! I suspect though it exists under many titles!

Let’s get loud!