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Logo: Volunteering WA

Newsletter October 2018

e-news member,

  1. CEO's Welcome
  2. Annual General Meeting
  3. International Volunteer Day 2018 Garden Party
  4. Incorporated Associations – Need for Action
  5. Changes to participation requirements from 20 September 2018
  6. Lotterywest Grants Information Session
  7. VIRA
  8. Join the Volunteering WA Volunteer Managers Facebook page
  9. Training & Events
  10. Corporate Corner
  11. Alcoa Peel Volunteer of the Year Awards
  12. Mental Health Week
  13. Shout out Saturday
  14. New Members
Sponsors

CEO's Welcome

This week is Anti-Poverty Week, a topic that is important both to me and to our organisation. It's surprising how we live in such a rich country and yet have over one million Australians struggling with poverty. For us this statistic hits home at our annual Homeless Connect Perth event where more than 2000 homeless people attend in the hope of utilising services that they otherwise may never have a chance to.

There are many volunteer-involving organisations that do wonderful work around decreasing poverty in WA and we urge you to get involved. For more information on reducing poverty and hardship please visit antipovertyweek.org.au

With Homeless Connect Perth just around the corner we are currently gathering donations, enlisting over 200 volunteers to help on the day and sourcing service providers to support over 2,000 homeless and disadvantaged guests expected to attend the event. We are also fundraising with a campaign that buys two of our guests lunch for $10 at the event. If you would like to help out, please click here.

As well as supporting our community and our members in Western Australia, Volunteering WA is also part of a bigger network that advocates for volunteering nationally. We work very closely with the other States, Territories and Volunteering Australia on government and policy matters that impact volunteering. If you are interested in learning about national topics and submissions please click here. 

Lastly, I would like to encourage you to fill out our Volunteering WA member survey here. Our annual membership survey is one of the ways we capture specific issues faced by the volunteering sector and it gives you a chance to tell us what we do well and what we can improve on. The survey closes on the 19 November but if you complete the survey by Friday 19 October, you could win a Training Voucher or a Wish Gift Card for $100.

Happy Volunteering, Tina.

Annual General Meeting

Thank you to everyone that attended our Annual General Meeting last night. It was wonderful to see so many of our members, volunteers and partners help us celebrate our achievements over the past year and stay on to network over refreshments.

We thank Ruby Eagle, a volunteer from AQWA and the recipient of our People's Choice 'Spirit of Volunteering' Award, who was our guest speaker. Ruby gave a truly inspirational talk on the benefits of volunteering and why it fills her heart every week.

We were also excited to present our 30th anniversary special Annual Report and Financial Report. For those that didn’t pick up a hard copy at our AGM, please download a copy from our key documents page on our website.

International Volunteer Day 2018 Garden Party

International Volunteers Day is held on December 5 each year and we are in the planning stages of preparing for our annual Garden Party. We know that this event is a highlight in many of our members’ diaries and whilst formal invitations have not been distributed as yet, tickets are available for purchase here.

The event will be in the exquisite lower gardens of Government House on Wednesday 5 December at 4pm. If you are considering buying a Christmas present for your worthy volunteers, this just might be a perfect idea.

For more information please email monika@volunteeringwa.org.au

Incorporated Associations – Need for Action

There are only 12 months left for Incorporated Associations and Clubs to update their rules to meet the new requirements introduced by the Associations Incorporation Act 2015.

It is now time to check that your Association has lodged its updated rules (often called the constitution) with Consumer Protection. The 3 year transition period to make the necessary changes to the rules ends on 30 June 2019, so if you haven’t done so already it’s time to make a start on this process. 

All the resources to help with updating the rules are now in one place on Changing the Rules webpage.

Changes to participation requirements from 20 September 2018

From 20 September 2018, the Government is strengthening participation requirements for some people receiving an unemployment payment, including mature age Australians.

Changes to participation requirements recognise that many older Australians are working longer. The changes are aimed at encouraging more mature age people to actively undertake activities to improve their chances of getting into paid employment and off welfare, particularly in their first 12 months on payment when they are more likely to have recent workforce experience .

Volunteering Australia has received several enquiries about the changes to participation requirements in relation to the Working Age Payments Reforms - Budget 2017-18. The Department of Jobs and Small Business has provided the following information to address the enquiries they have received here.

Lotterywest Grants Information Session

Are you planning a project or event that may require grant support? Lotterywest invites you to come along to the Lotterywest Grants Information Session to learn about the types of projects that they can support you with as well as answer any questions you may have.

This session will be held at Lotterywest, Level 2, 38 Station St, Subiaco on Monday 19 November.

Register here

VIRA

This month Manager IT services Robert has been busy facilitating VIRA training sessions for new users and volunteer managers who are considering how the system can work for them. 

VIRA is our purpose-designed volunteer management system, built from the ground up – by volunteer co-ordinators, for volunteer co-ordinators – to simplify and streamline every facet of volunteer management, from recruitment and administration, to mobilisation and reporting.

If you’d like to find out more, follow VIRA on Facebook or email vira@vol.org.au

Join the Volunteering WA Volunteer Managers Facebook page

We’ve recently launched a private Facebook group for Volunteer Managers! Facilitated by Training Manager Gilda, the group provides a forum for members to discuss issues with their peers, post things of interest and online networking.

Financial members are invited to join here.

Training & Events

All of the training and events we offer are listed here and we encourage you to register as the classes do book up quickly.

 

Volunteer Risk Management and Taboo Topics
Monday 12 November
9.30am – 1pm | West Perth

In this workshop we delve into all the things no one wants to talk about. In addition we have a practical risk management section that will help you identify the different types of risks and look at common insurance claims and how they can be avoided. This is a popular workshop and only 7 places remain! This workshop also counts towards your VWA Volunteer Manager Endorsement.

Cost is $88/$145.
Register here


National Standards for Volunteer Involvement
Wednesday 14 November
9.30am to 2.30pm | West Perth

If you coordinate or manage volunteers or have management or governance responsibility in an organisation that works with volunteers, the National Standards will be a useful tool for your organisation. This workshop also counts towards your VWA Volunteer Manager Endorsement.

Cost is $150/$185 (includes the Implementation Guide and Workbook, morning tea and a light lunch)

Register here

 

NOTE: Workshops are now full for the Key Issues of Volunteer Management on 23 October and Unravelling Wicked Problems on 5 November.  If you would like to go on the wait list please contact Gilda@volunteeringwa.org.au


Introduction to Volunteering WA and VIKTOR
Wednesday 31 October
9.30am – 11.30am | West Perth

This free session is for you or your organisation if you’re new to Volunteering WA. It will answer any questions you may have about using VIKTOR (the national online volunteer recruitment, referral and management platform) to promote your volunteer positions and discusses the services and support that are available to you and your organisation to enhance your volunteer program.

For more information please contact Jane on 9482 4325.
Register here.

Corporate Corner

Last week our office had a visit from Volunteering SA and NT who took part in a two day training session on Volunteering WA’s Corporate Program.

The training started at a Shell volunteering day at Native ARC, a not for profit organisation which aims to provide medical attention and rehabilitation services to injured or sick wildlife.  The VSA & NT team were prepped as to what goes into successfully executing a team volunteering day and what processes are involved to ensure they run smoothly for both the volunteers and the not-for-profit organisations. 

The next day was training on VWA’s successful skills-based corporate volunteering programme which provides a fantastic win-win situation to both corporates and not-for-profits.

For more information on corporate volunteering email tara@volunteeringwa.org.au

Alcoa Peel Volunteer of the Year Awards

Have you got a special volunteer that needs to be acknowledged? The Alcoa Peel Volunteer of the Year Awards are the perfect way to recognise your volunteers, promote volunteering and also showcase your organisation.

The awards aim to recognise and value the important contribution of volunteering in the Peel Community.  Of course, they not only showcase your volunteers and your organisation but are the perfect way to bring the importance of volunteers to the forefront.  
Nominations close 4pm on 31 October and can be made here.

Mental Health Week

Last week was Mental Health Week and the Volunteering WA team took part in two mental health awareness activities thanks to a grant from the West Australian Association of Mental Health.

Our team loved attending a Wellbeing @ Work Workshop, delivered by Holyoake, which focused around having a healthy body and mind. Afterwards the fabulous Mel from Twisting Peacock Yoga encouraged us to surrender to our mats and  guided us all through a gentle restorative yin/guided meditation session.

Positive mental health is just one of the many benefits of volunteering so it was a pleasure to be involved in this week.

Shout out Saturday

Do you need help finding volunteers to fill a position in your organisation? Our Saturday feature, only for members, advertises your position on our Facebook page which is followed by over 4,200 followers. Email karan@volunteeringwa.org.au to promote your volunteer vacancies.

Please ensure your volunteering role is on VIKTOR so that we can link the Facebook post straight through to the Volunteering WA website.

New Members

A warm welcome to new members:

We look forward to working with you.