"The great dividing line between success and failure can be expressed in five words: "I did not have time." Franklin Field

Quotes that can apply to Volunteer Management!

"Every one of us, unconsciously, works out a personal philosophy of life, by which we are guided, inspired, and corrected, as time goes on. It is this philosophy by which we measure out our days, and by which we advertise to all about us the man, or woman, that we are. . . . It takes but a brief time to scent the life philosophy of anyone. It is defined in the conversation, in the look of the eye, and in the general mien of the person. It has no hiding place. It's like the perfume of the flower, unseen, but known almost instantly. It is the possession of the successful, and the happy. And it can be greatly embellished by the absorption of ideas and experiences of the useful of this earth." George Matthew Adams

So why do I love Volunteer Management?

Is it the association with people who don’t walk into the office on Monday morning with a Monday morning face? Or the Friday volunteers who refreshingly don’t answer “I’m great it’s Friday!” when you ask them how they are at the end of the week.

For me it’s about the people. The different faces and characters you see each day. If you are not a “people person” you are not in volunteer management.

Is it, while walking the floor and seeing volunteers in action who don’t notice you watching?

I don’t know about you but they still inspire me. They touch that place deep inside that only a magnificent sunset or ridiculously high snow capped mountain can. You know the feeling. The wow factor. What is it about people who make an effort to change people’s lives or make a difference who are not motivated purely by money?

Is it the camaraderie and humour? Maybe it’s just in the places I have worked but volunteers I encounter have a wicked sense of humour. Or maybe they are reflecting mine! They get my silly sense of humour. Like when I opened up a major recognition event with the line – “Volunteers! All work and no pay!” Or when they ask me for a pay rise and I tell them I will double what they are currently on. Or when they walk into the office in the morning and say to me “another day another MMmmmmm”

Is it their honesty? Their ability to tell it like it is without worrying about their position as much as a paid person. Their ability and courage to spot injustice? I’ve worked in a couple of hospitals managing volunteers. Every few years hospitals go through the process of accreditation. In my experience every department of the hospital has come under the microscope including volunteer services. Rightly so. But the reason I mention this is the memory of one year when one of the auditors in a speech to all managers in the hospital at a summary of the review stated – “ it is important to properly recognise your volunteers – they are after all the eyes and ears of the hospital! It was a proud moment for me and for the team.

Is it the realization that volunteering is so much more dynamic than the traditional paradigm normally portrayed?

We are on the ground as Volunteer managers. We are at the clichéd Coal Face! But we see the skills volunteer bring. We see that the motivation is not always just altruistic. We see potential in new ways of volunteering. we embrace new ways and various settings where volunteering exists. We, the volunteer managers or coordinators or practitioners or administrators are spotting the emerging trends as they emerge and we sit back and smile with bemusement and amusement when we listen to the experts and academics postulate on such matters at conferences like they’ve made groundbreaking discoveries!

Is it because we have a POSITIVE story to tell?

There are so many. On the ground we see them. And there are so many layers to our positive and inspiring stories. We need to find a better way of capturing them.

So there I present a few reasons why I love the job I am in. The main reasons for me are volunteers themselves and the successes we share! Wendy Moore wrote recently on I-volunteer about how we should list our successes. I agree, for in Volunteer Management they abound!

"A most important key to successful leadership is your ability to direct and challenge the very best that is in those whom you lead." Anonymous

EXCLUSIVE! PRESIDENT ON VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT! POSITIVE!

THOUGHTS BECOME THINGS SAYS PRESIDENT ON VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT MATTERS

Interview with Samaku President

By Don J Volau

3 months ago Volunteerism Gazette reported on a famous election victory (see blog archive – May)

“Samaku is an island west of North Arabia. Pop” 4 million, Samaku has gone unnoticed in world history generally due to its people’s penchant for peace. Samaku however should get some recognition from the volunteerism world as it has just elected a president whose full time job is volunteer manager.

According to its last census Samaku has 2 million volunteers. A figure large enough to inspire a volunteer manager to form his own political party 2 years ago. That risk yesterday paid off when Andy Cowling was inaugurated Samaku’s 4th President since the island state gained independence from Oldthink.”

3 months later our reporter Don J Volau secured this interview with President Cowling

Don J Volau (DV): Mr. President thank you for taking the time to do this interview

President Cowling (PC): Don, it is my pleasure

DV: How has your presidency been in the last 3 months?

PC: I feel it has been an exhilarating and very POSITIVE last few months Don. Some of our key successes have been the free public transport for volunteers via the setting up of a volunteer registration site, tax concessions for volunteers to offset petrol costs, the setting up of the National University of Volunteer Management and funding for SAVL - The Samaku Association for Volunteer Leadership

DV: How satisfying has this been for you given that you fought for these gains for volunteer management for many years?

PC: Well Don the only personal satisfaction I get is to see Volunteer Managers happy in their roles, feeling recognised and resourced.

DV: You’ve copped a bit of criticism over the years though and still do – how do you deal with that?

PC: I think I deal with this Don by trying to understand where people may be coming from.

DV: During your election campaign though you were criticized as being negative for pointing out, consistently, the issues facing volunteer managers and this criticism came from some volunteer managers themselves.

PC: yeah, at first I found this a strange one – I felt I was under the critical eye for advocating for the profession. But it was a great learning curve. And I came to understand where people were coming from.

DV: you say a learning curve – what do you mean by that?

PC: I think Don that traditionally volunteering has been seen as “nice” and “cuddly” and “warm”. Of course that has changed. Volunteering is now seen in terms of dynamic, value adding, innovative, community building and an important ingredient in both social inclusion and social capitol. How volunteering looks has also been changed by the diversity of the people who volunteer today and by the means by which they can volunteer. Volunteering is changing.

Volunteering is adapting to the changing world – the impermanent world. Volunteer management is trying to keep up with the pace and to a degree is lagging behind. Nevertheless I am positive that there are enough volunteer managers who can keep the pace. Our party campaigned on recognizing the true worth of volunteers. But we equally placed importance on effective volunteer management. And I think we resonated with voters who wanted to keep up as it were with volunteering!

DV: There are those of course who still resist change?

PC: and naturally so…it’s the case with anything. I think a lot of resistance has to do with fear. People are very comfortable in their familiar zones of being – hence the term comfort zone. And we have echo chambers where these people exist and think all is alright because they mix with similar people who share their viewpoint and rarely so they dabble with an opposing or alternate one and if they do its to criticize.

DV: Can you give an example?

PC: well during my election campaign I began highlighting some inequalities in the recognition and resourcing of volunteer managers. I did this after meeting several volunteer coordinators and managers who told me that they were struggling due to this. All I was doing was highlighting these issues and calling for action rather than words to address these issues.

DV: But you were accused of being too negative

PC: Too right and an agent of doom and gloom.

DV: how did that make you feel?

PC: Well at first I was flabbergasted – I was like’ hang on here – aren’t we on the same side here???” But after some serious and mature contemplation I understood

DV: an enlightened moment?

PV: Not quite Don. I just came to some of my own conclusions. It goes like this. They are the type of people who love to gripe, love to complain. And they get the listening ear, and the nods of empathy and the sympathy vote. But they won’t put it down on paper like the people who have genuine concerns. They will only share their stories verbally. Let’s call them the VMVs. They wont take action. They wont make change. They wont listen to advice. They have an underlying ease with their lot!

Now what happens when people come along who want to change Volunteer Management? Who want to make it a respected and recognised sector? The VMVs will have a go at them and accuse them of being trouble makers and doom and gloom merchants! But for them, the day when volunteer management is recognised and resourced is the day that their “story” ends!

When organisations have to properly resource and recognise their volunteers and volunteer management they will expect high standards in volunteer management! And rightly so. This threatens some people.

DV: So what next for you?

PC: I am just going to keep on doing what I keep on doing.

DV: Despite the negativity and the doom and gloom?

PC: Hey Don – I am actually mister Positive! I believe that Thoughts become things…so I choose the good ones! Always!

© Volunteerism Gazette August 2010

Response to this blogger from National Australia Bank!

A little while ago I wrote an open letter to National Australia Bank and posted it on this site. In it I commended nab and their commitment to volunteerism. Please see my earlier blog on the matter. I am delighted that nab have responded to my blog. I will follow up on their response with some suggestions on how they can support volunteer management and I will keep you informed.

Again, I have to commend nab for their commitment to volunteering and their willingness to also have a look at volunteer management!

Here is their response to my initial blog – would love your views from a volunteer managers perspective!

Dear Mr Cronin,

Firstly thanks for your feedback - following our recent survey done during National Volunteer Week we thought it was a good time to raise awareness of the need for volunteers, especially given numbers of people volunteering are on the decline. We are particularly championing the corporates' role in helping supply a pipeline of engaged, well briefed, suitable volunteers to those in the community who need them.

Thank you for including us on your blog - this is wonderful and we appreciate you helping us get our message out to as many people as possible about the important role volunteerism plays towards contributing to the economy.

We are well aware of the importance of the role of facilitating genuine and meaningful volunteering - see the results to the survey on question 4.1.12 (please refer the survey findings below) as this is being highlighted as one of the main reasons the NFP section don't engage/fully utilise volunteers as they should.



We are currently taking steps to support Volunteer Management through our partnership with Volunteering Australia and our support of the National Volunteer Conference in Melbourne in October this year. There is a dedicated session being run on Volunteer Management titled 'Eurkea! Volunteer Management essentials' - you should see if you can tap into this somehow.

We usually celebrate International Volunteer Managers Day by sending an email of thanks to all volunteer managers we deal with as part of our program recognising that without them we could not support their organisations with volunteers. We are going to have a look at the AAVA website and investigate what we can further do to celebrate this important day, thanks to bringing it to our attention.

We are currently working on developing our plan for next year on furthering our support to the great cause of volunteering.

Thanks for making contact and your interest in our program - we look forward to keeping you up to speed on our developments and would be keen to keep up to speed on yours via your blogging.

Regards

Its “only” Volunteer Management and you are “just” a Volunteer Manager or Coordinator!

Haven’t been blogging for awhile. I’ve been really busy to tell you the truth. Most of, if not all, of my blogging is done in the evening. After work. After the kids have been played with and put to bed! After the quality family time.

It’s been a particularly busy time for my own volunteer management role in the last few weeks. Believe me when I say it’s always busy but the last few weeks particularly so. I’m not complaining. I have wonderful staff in terms of coordination and a wonderful team in terms of volunteers. And sometimes when you come home from a busy day in volunteer management the last thing you want to do is write a wee blog on a volunteer management issue!


After over 4 months I’ve been reflecting on the blog. It’s Raison d'être. I track the number of visits to the site not with the intention of popularity but with the deep interest within me on what topics interest volunteer managers.

To be brutally honest (and I have a tendency towards that here!) I sometimes think “what’s the point”. Some self doubt creeps in. “what difference does any of this postulation make to the volunteer management community!” after all I am “just a volunteer manager” in Brisbane. I am no “expert”. I don’t earn money training volunteer managers. I am no academic.

Ah…the trappings of self doubt that is an uncomfortable part of our volunteer management nature. We love to inform volunteers that there is no such thing as “Just a volunteer or only a volunteer” Yet do we suffer the same malaise? Nodding your head? At times perhaps.

What keeps me blogging are a couple of facts.

Firstly there is a subtle power in blogging. Volunteer management in my opinion is bereft of authority and power. If we gather in a network and complain about something then my experience shows that, sorry, at the end of the day our protestations matter for naught. Blogging gives you a more public forum. Statements are more out there in our internet savvy world.

My scribing, postulations and viewpoints can be found today in various forums. While I am not “just a volunteer manager” some people are discussing what I talk about. Even if people are accusing me of ranting – they are at least engaging in a discourse on volunteer management!
Secondly people tend to respond to blog sites. Because it is a public forum. 1,600 individuals have visited this blog site since the end of March 2010. Are they all volunteer coordinators? I don’t know. Yet surely they are people with an interest in volunteerism, or the management or coordination of this.

And finally, it’s been the real experiences of the last few weeks that have encouraged me to keep this blog going.
I like to keep in touch with colleagues that I have met at conferences or retreats or networks. In the past few weeks I have engaged with people who
• Are leaving the profession because they don’t feel supported
• Who are struggling in their roles because they don’t feel recognised and\or resourced
• Who feel very overwhelmed by the amount of work that they have
• Who feel pretty disillusioned by the volunteer management sector itself

Real people in real situations. Here in the Australasian region. I have no doubt that their experiences are replicated in the places where you live.
So yeah folks – some more honesty here. Yep, I can get despondent at times. Sometimes I wonder why I bother when people say that I am just “stirring” or I am being “outrageous”
And yep - a lot of my stuff here is repetitive.

But I make no apology while I continue to hear the stories that I have heard over the last 3 weeks.

People may say “then what’s your solution DJ?”

My answer to that is the recognition of the issues by all the players in Volunteerism. Good grief, what I am hearing and seeing anecdotally cannot all be imaginary. Why would I make this stuff up? Especially as volunteer manager who is happy in his own role and feels recognised, respected and resourced by his own agency.

What can my agenda be?
Yep – its repetitive.
But I am passionate about YOU getting the recognition that YOU deserve

And I am not giving in or up

Yet

Actions

Write on this blog

Send me your story on acim4me@live.com

You wanna vent?

Do so

Share your story anonymously

I will share here and with the people in volunteerism who NEED TO KNOW!

Above all - never think you are alone

Volunteer management or coordination or administration or whatever you call it Matters.

You matter!

IMHO!

Volunteer Management Jokes

In an earlier post I argued “When there are legitimate jokes about Volunteer Management we know we have entered the mainstream” We need some sector comedy relief at times. Here are a few jokes that I have made up or adapted to make you laugh or groan. Send your volunteer management jokes to this site.


Knock knock
Who’s there?
A Volunteer manager
A Volunteer Manager who?
Exactly!







Reaching the end of a job interview, the human resources person asked the Volunteer Management applicant “And what starting salary are you looking for?"

The Volunteer Management applicant said, "In the neighborhood of $95,000 a year”

The interviewer said, "Well, what would you say to equal pay in comparison to all of our managers, a package of five weeks' vacation, genuine recognition of your role, a company policy that values volunteering, financial support for your membership of your Volunteer Management Association, and a party for all staff on International Volunteer Managers Day?

The Volunteer Manager applicant sat up straight and said, "Wow! Are you kidding?"

And the interviewer replied, "Yeah, but you started it."



have just taken an old joke and changed it slightly to apply to Volunteer Managers. Enjoy!

A new volunteer manager spends a week at her new organisation with the volunteer manager she is replacing. On the last day the departing volunteer manager tells her, "I have left three numbered envelopes in the desk drawer. Open an envelope if you encounter a crisis you can't solve."

Three months down the track there is a major drama, everything goes wrong - the volunteers are complaining about lots of things - and the volunteer manager feels very threatened by it all.

She remembers the parting words of her predecessor and opens the first envelope. The message inside says "Blame your predecessor!" She does this and gets off the hook.

About half a year later, the organization is experiencing a huge dip in volunteer recruitment numbers, combined with a lot of volunteers resigning. The manager quickly opens the second envelope. The message reads, "Reorganize, Recognise and Rebuild!" This she does, and the volunteering numbers quickly rebound and improve.

Three months later, at her next crisis, she opens the third envelope.

The message inside says....

"Prepare three envelopes".

Volunteer Manager would kill for a Nobel peace prize!