Responses to: We Can Model True Collaboration

Responses to:
We Can Model True Collaboration

Submitted on 30 April 2005 by Anne Fuller, NSN (as well as public radio, folk festival), State Liaison (volunteer), Juneau AK USA
About the mandatory orientation: I wonder if you can schedule it for the same day or time that the volunteer will be serving. Just thinking that if I've decided I can help at the hospital on Wednesday afternoon, being told that first I have to arrange to attend a long Monday night session could discourage me.

Submitted on 15 April 2005 by Hillary Roberts, Project Linus NJ, Inc., President, Keyport/NJ USA
Is collaboration standing still? Not according to industry articles, reality tv offerings and magazine ads touting cause marketing and its innovative place in non profit programming. I'd like to see more non-profits join their for-profit brothers in taking a look at this topic and offering workshops to educate professionals. It's important that charities excel in marketing their own services before taking a bite of the collaborative pie.

At the heart of many major non profit agencies is the soul of a smaller, worker bee idea that knew how to expand services through collaboration. A variety of programs, now funded, began as one time events. Collaboration was key!

If agencies are slow to merger perhaps it is inexperience showing rather than a lack of enthusiasm for door opening opportunities. We can all welcome confident collaboration with shared focus and determination once we understand the benefits, the bells and whistles.

Submitted on 12 April 2005 by Robyn Cooper, Volunteer First Aid Service, St John Ambulance Australia (WA) Inc, Executive Officer, Perth Western Australia

In 2004/05, 12 government and non-government agencies in Western Australia (who had developed strong links through an action research project being conducted by Dr. Judy Esmond into Volunteer Recruitment) formed a coalition to develop a funding submission to state government aimed at delivering a series of high quality, interactive professional development for volunteers from across their organisations, which would address the 6 most critical volunteer training needs identified by the participating organisations.

In working together on a joint training initiative, the agencies were successful in obtaining a far greater level of funding than would have been available to them individually. This pooling of resources enabled the delivery of training that:

Was recognisable by and transferable across the participating organisations

Enabled volunteers from different organisations to interact with each other and share experiences and skills
Was of a high standard and delivered by experts in the field

Was reflective of the range of tasks undertaken by volunteers and the skills and values required to perform in their roles effectively;

Acknowledged that volunteers had pre-existing skills and experience and recognised the importance of personal development for volunteers

Could be delivered within a manageable timeframe and recognised that their available time for training and development activities was limited

Was tailor made for the volunteers of the participating organisations

This synergistic approach has created a model for a new, collaborative and highly successful way of working on joint volunteering initiatives in Western Australia, for the maximum benefit of volunteers and their organisations.

Submitted on 7 April 2005 by Jason E. Camis, Franklin County CVB, Director, Ottawa, KS USA
Our collaboration is around National Volunteer Week. We're doing a community-wide volunteer celebration for National Volunteer Week and inviting over 40 organizations from food bank to hospital to visitor center (& their 900+ volunteers) to come celebrate. In addition to recognizing them, they are all getting "I'm Special" cards with discounts and freebies from local businesses during that week.

In addition, our visitor center volunteers often help other volunteer driven events in the community when we're asked. They really enjoy doing something different once-in-a-while. And when we do something fun with our volunteers (like a trip), we invite other organization's volunteers to come along.

Submitted on 5 April 2005 by Jo Eells, IMA NW Region, Community Life Specialist, Rock Island, IL USA
Totally agree with the concept of collaborative volunteer management. We do have limited resources but with partnering that limit is raised so much higher.

Have one suggestion. When using an acronym, i.e., DOVPM, you might want to explain it the first time it's used. The Army makes that a rule, just so that everyone knows precisely what they're referring to when they use an acronym in any document. I believe that the VPM = Volunteer Program Manager/ment but don't have a clear idea of what DO means! Could you elaborate?

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