Volunteering Australia – the 2011 National Conference on Volunteering

Volunteering Australia is the peak body representing Volunteer Resource Centres and volunteer dependent organisations across Australia. The National Conference on Volunteering was a three day conference located at the Gold Coast Exhibition and Convention Centre.

The Conference themes were; establish, develop and analyse, covering the establishment of volunteer programs, ongoing innovation and the use of analysis to influence policy and strategic dialogue.

Sessions covered topics relevant to the volunteer sector, including insurance, social media, volunteer recruitment and corporate volunteering. Interspersed between the presentations and workshops were plenary sessions, which included the Foundation for Young Australians and overseas volunteer experiences.

Networking was encouraged throughout the conference, with lunch sessions themed around meeting other individuals and organisations. On Tuesday I assisted in the meet your sector theme by introducing other organisations involved in education and training. The session included community organisations and Universities which were able to share in their experiences and knowledge in training staff and volunteers.

I delivered my presentation on Tuesday afternoon discussing how community organisation can develop marketing strategies and partnerships around their strengths. On Wednesday the Minister for Social Inclusion, Tanya Plibersek MP, launched the National Volunteering Strategy highlighting the Commonwealth Government’s priorities for the volunteer sector.

The Volunteering Australia National Conference on Volunteering succeeded in delivering knowledge and skills to delegates while fostering stronger networks and connections.