Responses to: Wishes and Resolves for the
New Era
Submitted by Andre, manager/volunteer center, KS
I think that we will all be spewing "POLF" propaganda in the new century.
I wonder when they will realize that we won't use their logo until
they start funding volunteer centers rather than trying to claim them
as their own. Talk about identity theft!!!
Submitted by Gerald (Jerry) Pannozzo, CVA, Rivington House
Health Care Facility, New York, NY, U.S.
ADVOCACY
I believe International and National Associations and Local and State/Provincial
Organizations need to focus on building strong links. I suggest we
look to grassroots movements that developed into national and/or international
organizations (centralization doesn't have to be the enemy). A key
ingredient is effective communication both ways.
PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS
Prior to my intentional career change, I scheduled information interviews
with volunteer administrators who identified networking and training
opportunities. Once hired, my employer encouraged me to attend trainings
and conferences (provided by professional associations). There were
few options for formal training or degree programs so I applied for
certification through AVA. I received my CVA at the time I accepted
a job in health care. I discovered another professional association
and I attended health care specific trainings. We work in a variety
of settings and yet it is my hope that by 2010 there will ge easily
accessible accepted credentially for us, (like other professions).
We need to come together and define what training will look like;
agree on who we invite to the table as we develop this training ("bosses
and co-workers"); and make the personal commitment to invest in credentialing.
Part of the training should reinforce the importance of collecting
and sharing data and systems for measuring outcomes beyond merely
volunteer hours and numbers.
MY RESOLUTION
Promoting the profession and my professional development is too important
to me to delegate the "power" to someone else. Therefore, I will continue
to volunteer (on my own time when necessary) for local and international
associations.
Submitted by Diane Leipper, Leipper Management Group, Nevada,
USA
We need strong leadership in our associations to define the profession,
to set the standards, and to consolidate the efforts. But it is a
membership that understands what being a professional is really all
about, is willing to do the work and make the necessary sacrifices
that provides the direction for the association. Some major shifts
in the attitudes and perceptions of "practitioners" will have to occur
before societal recognition for the value of volunteer management
as a profession can become a reality.
We have to do more than pay lip service to the idea that we are professionals.
We can't just pick and choose those things that are easy, don't require
too much effort or investment on our part, and won't upset our personal
apple carts. On the other hand - what is it we are really after? Why
do we want or need these things? Why are they important? To whom are
they important? Will being a recognized profession achieve these things
or would some other method be more beneficial? Why? How? Unless we
participate in honest review and provide straight forward answers
to questions like these, how can we know which direction we are going
and determine the best way to achieve our goals? How can we expect
an association to advocate for us if we haven't first clarified what
it is we want and why? We have to ask hard questions and face hard
answers. We have to work together and as you say, end the turf wars,
quit duplicating efforts, and develop inclusive structures. We have
to believe that the efforts required to become a recognized profession
are worth working for.
Submitted by Lucas Meijs, Meijs Consultancy, The Netherlands
Bravo for Susan. Again you make good points! I would like to join
you in the crusade to explain to the world that volunteering and volunteerism
is not as simple and unequivocal as many people think! My personal
fifth point would be to develop and present a more elaborate insight
into the diversity of organizations and organizational forms that
work with volunteers. As I frequently tell my students (and colleagues)
at the business school "yeah, we have twenty five books on volunteers
within organizations so we think we know everything about it. We have
thousands of books about paid staff in organizations and we still
think we have to study and research it...." We need to stop talking
about volunteers, volunteerism and volunteer programs as if it is
all the same!!!
