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ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA - 8/12/2005

Well thank you for sharing the past five and a half week journey with me!

I've met so many people this trip from right around the world who have been tapping into my journey blogs that I feel quite humbled by it all. It's been a great learning opportunity and I certainly come off of the road feeling more informed about the state of volunteerism internationally than ever before.

My sincere thanks are extended to all those who helped facilitate and arrange the training sessions in so many places and I really enjoyed meeting so many volunteer program managers in so many places.

Already I'm being asked 'so what did you learn?' and 'what observations did you make?'

Well here are just a few thoughts and predicitions.

Firstly, I have an impending sense that more and more volunteer program managers are becoming comfortable with the idea of utilising volunteers to assist with the all important work of having highly skilled volunteers assist them with their work in the recruitment, support and training of new volunteer team members. It seems we are a little less precious about our roles than we have been in the past.

Secondly, I've noticed a growth in the creation of senior strategic volunteer management roles - particularly in national organisations. While this may or may not be relevant to Australia (as we don't have so many truly 'national' organisations) it certainly appears to be a growing trend around other parts of the world. This is exciting as it begins to give volunteerism the credence it deserves as a major factor in organisations the world over.

Thirdly a prediction! I think that there is a good chance the UK will emerge, over the next few years, as a new leader in international volunteerism. I think that many of the initiatives being implemented as part of their 'Year of the Volunteer' will in fact prove to be cutting edge ways of doing things and I believe that there will be many lessons we can all learn from them.

Finally, allow me to indulge in a thank you to my long suffering family who live so often without me in the house!

  Home at last!

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - 6/12/2005

The last two days have been spent here in beautiful sunny Queensland in Australia. It was a great privilege to spend International Volunteers Day addressing a volunteer recognition event held for the Wesley Hospital volunteers in the city of Brisbane.

I then had the great opportunity to present two sesssions to a group of around 70 volunteer program managers from in and around the Brisbane area. The workshop was convened by local volunteer program manager Lorraine Angeli, who over the years has done an amazing job to facilitate and promote volunteerism training in the Brisbane area. It is people like Lorraine who keep our profession alive and vibrant.

   Photos from the Brisbane training

SINGAPORE - 2/12/2005

Well having left the snowy and cold fields of Scotland far behind I am now in hot, humid and steamy Singapore, where I've just completed two days of training on recruitment and retention of volunteers with my good friend and colleague Martin J Cowling. We've been working with a group of around 30 volunteer managers here on behalf of the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) here in Singapore.

The NVPC is Singapore's lead volunteerism agency. They host a wide range of training opportunities and promote volunteerism throughout this wonderful nation. If you have never done so, let me encourage you to visit the NVPC website for all the details about the work that they undertake. Of particular interest, while volunteering is on the rise in Singapore, you may be interested to know that the rate of volunteering still only runs at 15% of the population - something the NVPC are working hard to increase. To learn more about volunteering in Singapore take a look at their 2004 participation survey summary.

Martin and I also had the chance to speak with both Moy Yin and another leading volunteerism figure in Singapore, Michael Loh, about the exciting initiative that our Singaporean colleagues are discussing to develop a professional association in Singapore.

Photos below:

1. NVCP Training Manager and host of our visit, Moy Yin

2 & 3. The group in Singapore

SCOTLAND - 30/11/2005

Well a month and a half on the road would not be any fun at all if I didn't have a chance to unwind for at least a few days, which is exactly what I have been doing over the past week as I've had the chance to tour Scotland. So allow me to be self indulgent and not mention volunteerism at all!

I have been extremely fortunate to have had leading UK volunteerism expert and author (and Scotsman) Fraser Dyer take time out of his busy schedule to show me around his home turf. Fraser, who has become a good friend was very patient in taking me to a wide variety of locations including Loch Lomond and the Trossach's National Park, the beautiful city of Edinburgh, Glasgow and my personal favourite (as a golf nut) of St Andrews, the home of golf.

If you've never had the chance to visit Scotland, let me encourage you to visit. It's a beautiful country filled with wonderful sights and people.

Thankyou Fraser!

Photos below:

1. In a mild frenzy on the 18th fairway at the Old Course, St Andrews

2. Fraser in front of the magnificent Edinburgh Castle

3. A snowball for all of you sweltering in the heat back home!

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - 24/11/2005

Yesterday was another training day. This time in the beautiful city of Glasgow here in Scotland, where I conducted a full day training session for both the Scottish Association of Volunteer Management (SAVM) and CSV Scotland. It was a fantastic day in the most exquisite training venue I have ever worked in - the Glasgow City Chambers. The day was also sponsored by the Association of Chief Officers of Scottish Voluntary Organisations (ACOSVO). It was terrific to finally meet some of the leading influences in Scottish volunteerism and to share some international perspectives with the group.

Last night I had the added pleasure of staying at the home of SAVM National Development Manager Ann Bain and her husband, which offered a really great opportunity for Ann and I to get to know one another a little better and to talk about volunteering issues across the world.

Photos below:

1. Myself and workshop participants in Glasgow City Chambers

2. CSV Scotland Director Claire Stevens, myself and Ann Bain from SAVM

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LONDON, ENGLAND - 21/11/2005

Today was spent in London where I had a chance to briefly visit Volunteering England, who are doing some amazing work to develop the volunteering sector here in the UK . Formed out of the amalgamation of three other national bodies only 18 months ago, and backed by a variety of government volunteering initiatives designed to maximise the impact of England's Year of the Volunteer, VE are now in my opinion, arguably the most progressive national volunteering body in the world.

I then had the great pleasure of addressing a meeting of the National Strategic Development Forum (NSDF), a group of senior volunteer program managers investigating the development of a professional Association for volunteer managers in the UK . It was a terrific opportunity to be able to share the Australian experience and to encourage my colleagues here in England to be proactive in the development of a professional body here.

COVENTRY, ENGLAND - 19/11/2005

~ Seventh Institute for Advanced Volunteer Management~

The last three days have been a flurry of activity as I participated as a faculty member with the 'Institute for Advanced Volunteer Management' hosted here in England by CSV. The Institute was this year attended by 110 students who were led through a series of workshops over three days by the faculty staff made up of Steve McCurley, Rick Lynch, Fraser Dyer, Martin J Cowling and myself. Additional sessions were also conducted by CSV staff and trainers, which all added up to a very powerful three day experience for those who participated.

The Institute was this year held in the historic city of Coventry, which is famous for its Cathedrals, and more particularly the site of the Old Cathedral that was destroyed during WWII and which is now used as a place of rememberance and reconciliation. Coventry is also the place where Lady Godiva alegedly rode naked through the streets around 1000 years ago in order to persuade her husband to cut the taxes of the village people. The story goes that the town's folk in respect of the Lady turned their backs on her so that no-one actually saw her nakedness, with the exception of one person, who reportedly took a peek in order to report back to her husband that she had actually done the ride that she had dared to do! Legend goes that this one person was struck blind, and his name  ...Peeping Tom! One wonders if he was ordered to do that task - or if he volunteered! :o)

I'm now in Grantham where I am spending a few days with good friend and UKVPM's founder Rob Jackson and his family. Rob who works with Volunteering England as their Regional Volunteering Development Manager has been a leader in UK volunteerism for many years and the opportunity to spend time with him simply discussing 'all things volunteering' is (sadly) both his and my idea of a good time!

Pictures below

1. The 2005 IAVM Team ~ Myself, Arnie Wickens (CSV), Steve McCurley, Allie Kirkpatrick (CSV), Rick Lynch, Fraser Dyer & Martin J Cowling

2. In action at IAVM

3. Martin, Alison Marshal (President of Vol NZ) and myself at IAVM

4. Rob Jackson

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CORK, IRELAND - 14/11/2005

~ Volunteering Ireland's 3rd annual VOLT Conference~

Today I had the absolute pleasure of being the keynote trainer at the VOLT conference here in Cork. VOLT (which stands for Volunteer Organisers Standing Together) is really the Irish equivalent of AAVA in the Australasian region, although by structure they are alot more closely aligned to Volunteering Ireland than within the Australasian sector.

I was thrilled to present a masterclass on the topic of 'divesity and inclusion', followed by a more strategic second session on the same topic. Other speakers on the day included Mary O'Sullivan & Helen Finucane from Enable Ireland, David Roche from the Cork Gay Project and Alvina Grosu from Irish Migrant Voices. The day was a huge success and I believe delegates left with a renewed sense of enthusiasm for involving volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures and interest groups.

Pictured below with me are Kate O'Sullivan, the immediate Past President of Volunteering Ireland and Volunteering Ireland's CEO, Stuart Garland.

MULLINGAR, IRELAND - 13/11/2005

After travelling to Dublin and visiting one of my spiritual homes (...the Guinness factory!), I managed to find my way to speak to about 250 delegates at the first ever conference of Ireland's Muintir na Tire's 'Community Alert' program. While Munitir na Tire has been established in Ireland since 1931, the community alert program is a newer national initiative only now celebrating its 21st birthday. It is a community safety initiative, similar to many of our Neighbourhood watch programs, and a partnership between the volunteers of Muintir na Tire and the Irish Police (Garda). I spoke at the conference on volunteering trends and then had the pleasure to sit through several other presentations - all of which were very interesting.

After spending the night in Blarney and visiting the world famous blarney stone this morning (someone questioned if I actually need the gift of the gab anyway!), I'm now in Cork, the European capital of culture for 2005. For those of you who know DJ from the Wesley hospital's volunteer program in Brisbane, this is his part of the world (Hi DJ!). Tomorrow I am speaking at Volunteering Ireland's VOLT conference and really looking forward to meeting even more of the wonderful Irish people and enjoying their hospitality   ...but for now it's off for another Guinness!

  Images from the Community Alert Conference in Mullingar

ORLANDO , FLORIDA, USA - 9/11/2005

Well a five week tour without some play time would be no fun, so I have spend the last three days visiting the Magic Kingdom, Epcot Centre and MGM Studios with a number of colleagues from right around the world. They included Susan J Ellis, the President of Energize in Philadelphia, Sarah-Jane Rehnborg from the Center for Volunteerism and Community Engagement at the University of Texas, Kate Power, the Head of Volunteering Strategy with SCOPE in London and Martin J Cowling from People First Total Solutions in Melbourne, who many of you will know. It was great fun!

Simply watching and learning from the Disney people and their leadership in customer service was an education is its own right. Also - did you know that the Disney employees (who are actually all called cast members) have their own volunteer program? It was founded in 1992, and collectively the group are referred to as VoluntEARS! Learn all about them HERE.

(L) Susan J Ellis and myself / (R) With Martin J Cowling and Nemo

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, USA - 4/11/2005

~ International Conference of Volunteer Administration ~

At the time of writing this, ICVA 2006 is three quarters finished. As always it has been a rewarding experience to meet with and learn from hundreds of volunteer program managers from all around the world. It never ceases to amaze me how well you can get to know another person via newsgroups and the internet, as once again I've met a number of people at this conference I'd only ever corresponded with on previous occassions via electronic media. I've presented two workshops while here - one on the topic of assisting volunteers through difficult times, and another as a co-trainer with Susan Ellis, examining international exchange opportunities. You may be interested to know there are three Aussies at the conference (Martin J Cowling, Kerrie Spinks & I) and one New Zealander (Alison Marshall). Together we are doing all we can to raise the ANZAC spirit!

International Delegates Planning

Yesterday, Martin and I had the opportunity to meet with a number of the AVA team and other delegates from outside the US, to discuss some of the issues, challenges and commonalities in relation to volunteer program management across the various corners of the globe. The group consisted of 16 particpants from Australia, Nepal, Canada, Mongolia, Israel, Mexico, Taiwan, Nigeria and the UK. The intention is to pick up some of the international dialogue that was started with the development of the Universal Declaration on the Profession of Leading & Managing Volunteers, created in Toronto in 2001. As more information comes from that group we will be sure to spread the word through OzVPM, as AVA are very much wanting some broad feedback to what may develop.

For those interested, the 2006 ICVA will be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota from 27-30 September and will carry the theme of "Reaching Globally / Acting Locally:The Power and presence of Volunteer Management"

                           International delegates meeting

(L-R) Martin J Cowling, Kerrie Spinks, Alison Marshall, Andy Fryar

CHICAGO, USA - 2/11/2005

Well the last two days have been both enjoyable and informative as I have had an opportunity to see this wonderful city.

Yesterday I hooked up with Angela Burford, an Australian Volunteer Program Manager now working here in Chicago. Believe it or not Angela is even from the same area of Adelaide (Salisbury) where I work with the Lyell McEwin Volunteer Association! Angela made contact with me when she learnt I was heading into town and we had a really enjoyable afternoon wandering the streets. We even had a drink on the 96th floor of the building Oprah lives in! (...thanks Angela). Then last night I had the great pleasure of dinner with Kim and Mike Thomas (pictured below with me). Kim is the President of the local AVA group for Metropolitan Chicago who have hosted my visit to Illinois. I was interested to learn about the organisation Kim has just taken a new position with - AWANA Clubs International. Awana is an international, Bible-centered children's and youth ministry providing local churches with weekly clubs, programs and training for students in preschool through high school. It was founded here in Chicago in 1950 and is now spread through 109 countries around the world including Australia and New Zealand. Kim's role will be overseeing all the US based volunteer programs associated with AWANA.

Today I trained with AVA-MC at the Chicago Architecture Foundation which was a wonderful experience. The group were fantastic to work with and the venue terrific. The Foundation have quite a wonderful volunteer program and with the support of hundreds of volunteers offer more than 80 different boat, bus and walking tours of Chicago the year round. Highly recommeded if you are ever in these parts.

CHICAGO, USA - 31/10/2005

  ~ In memory of Rosa Parks ~

Well after a 26 hour trip I arrived here in Chicago safely, and what an amazing city. I've been here before but only passed through via the airport. The architecture of Chicago is simply amazing and worth the visit alone.

There are two big stories in the media here at the moment - President Bush's nomination of a new Supreme Court judge, and the death of civil rights leader Rosa Parks, and it is some reflections about the second of these stories I'd like to share with you.

Who was Rosa Parks?

Well sadly I don't think she is as well known in Australia as she should be. Rosa Parks is regarded as the Mother of the Civil Rights Movement here in America. In 1955, Rosa Parks made a simple decision that sparked a revolution. When a white man demanded she give up her seat on a bus in Alabama (as was expected in the day), the then 42-year-old seamstress said no. She was arrested, and as a part of the following public outcry, a 380 day bus boycott ensued. At the time, she couldn't have known it would secure her a revered place in American history. But her one small act of defiance galvanized a generation of activists, including a young Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. with whom we in Australia are much more familiar.

Of particular interest to OzVPM, are two things:

Firstly at the time of this action Rosa was already an active volunteer in the civil rights movement. It is testament to the power of volunteering that half a century later, on her death, her body has been laid in state and testamonies are flowing in from all levels of society. Never underestimate the power of a single volunteer or voluntary action!

Secondly, we must also remember the huge amount of voluntary activity that has been created through her action and the ensuing growth of the civil rights movement the world over.

Rest in peace Rosa Parks.