Background
VQ BACKGROUND
VQ MISSION
VQ'S FUNCTIONAL OBJECTIVES
VQ'S KEY STAKEHOLDERS
VQ'S OPERATING PRINCIPLES
Volunteering Queensland Background
AIM OF ORGANISATION
Since its inception in 1982, Volunteering Queensland (VQ) has grown to become the State’s peak body for volunteering. It represents the interests of volunteers and community organisations who utilise the services of volunteers. VQ is funded by government grants, community projects and services.
VQ is an independent community based non-profit organisation operated largely by volunteers and a small team of paid staff.
As the peak body for volunteering in Queensland, VQ exists to:
- Encourage people to participate in community activities through volunteering;
- Enable volunteers and community organisations to develop the structure, skills and capacity to better the quality of volunteering for the community;
- Engage in advocacy and policy development, and partnerships with government, corporate and other institutions and organisations, on issues relevant to volunteering.
MEMBER AND ASSOCIATE ORGANISATIONS
VQ and the Queensland Volunteer Resource Centre Network have approximately 1,110 members state-wide which are non-profit voluntary organisations from all sectors. Member organisations and groups (funded and unfunded) represent all sectors of the community including arts, culture, heritage, museums, emergency services, conservation and environment, health and social services, tourism, sports and recreation, social justice, multiculturalism, religious and educational institutions, and social action groups.
VQ SERVICES
Volunteer Recruitment
Over 8,000 people a year contact VQ in search of opportunities
to volunteer in their communities. Volunteer positions with
community organisations are listed on VQ’s web-site at
www.volqld.org.au which is linked to ourbrisbane.com and Volunteering
Australia’s national GoVolunteer web-sites. These sites
record thousands of hits per month. Organisations can choose
to have direct contact from prospective volunteers via VQ’s
website or use VQ’s Recruitment Service.
Accredited and Non-accredited Education and Training
VQ provides accredited and non-accredited education
and training for volunteers, managers of volunteers, community
leaders, and committee members in the areas of:
- Working with Volunteers - including workshops on planning, interviewing and selecting, retention, review, and grievance procedures
- Working with Groups and Teams
- Working with the Media
- Group Facilitation
- Risk Management
- Leadership in Community Organisations and Groups
- Community governance
- Submission Writing
Our educators can customise training to suit an organisation’s specific needs.
Volunteer Advocacy, Support, Information and Resources
Volunteer advocacy, support, promotion and capacity
building through:-
- Volunteer Managers Network meetings
- State-wide and local forums and consultations
- Members days
- Specific sector forums
- National Volunteer Week (held the week following Mothers Day in May)
- International Volunteers Day (5 December)
- International, National, and State publications on volunteering
- Special Volunteering Events and celebrations
- Promotional volunteering materials (posters, brochures, stickers)
- Models for resource sharing (skills, equipment, venue, volunteers, training)
- HERMES Volunteer Management Database: $50 for full members, $150 all other members
- Community Consultation Support Unit
- Special projects eg. corporate volunteering, youth, cultural, disability
- Free web-site resources.
International, National, State, and Local Volunteer Research and Networks
- Volunteering Australia’s reference Journal
- Insurance schemes for organisations involving volunteers
- National and State network of volunteer centres
Volunteering Queensland's Mission
Volunteering Queensland works to encourage, recognise, promote and advocate for voluntary participation to benefit the individual and community.
Volunteering Queensland's Strategic Overview
The Pathway Forward 2005-2007 (PDF)
Volunteering Queensland's Functional Objectives
| Service Provision | Enabling community participation by proactively meeting the needs of volunteers, organisations and the wider community. |
| Advocacy & Promotion | Strengthen volunteering by providing advocacy, public policy development, research and promotion |
| Education | Build volunteering, volunteer management and governance capacity through education, training and support. |
| Resourcing | Enhance the quality of volunteering through the provision of accessible and relevant knowledge for volunteers and organisations. |
Volunteering Queensland's Key Stakeholders
1. Customer Service
The relationship between VQ and these stakeholders is characterised
by:
(i) VQ delivering services
(ii) VQ acting on their behalf as a peak body to represent volunteering
issues
(iii) customers purchasing a service
These customers include
- VQ member organisations
- Community organisations
- Government bodies
- Corporate sector
- Regional Volunteer Resource Agencies
- Managers of volunteers
- Potential volunteers
- Community management committee members
- Educational institutions
- Corporate/Business partners
2. Existing and potential suppliers of services to VQ
- Potential volunteers
- General public
- Volunteers, paid staff and VQ board
- Government and corporate funders
3. Sources of support for VQ (and vice-versa)
- Regional volunteer referral/resource agencies
- Volunteering Australia and State Volunteering Centres
- Other peak bodies eg. Qld Council of Social Services (QCOSS), H & C S Industry Training Council (H&CSITC), Council of the Ageing, etc.
- International Association for Volunteer Effort (IAVE)
- General public
- Media
Volunteering Queensland's Operating Principles
1. Volunteering Queensland's staff understand and are committed
to the Centres Vision, Mission and Goals.
This principle will be achieved through:
- Having an up to date knowledge and understanding of the Centres' vision, mission and goals.
- Including in orientation for new staff, VQ's vision, mission and goals document.
- Taking every opportunity to promote the Centres vision, mission and goals.
2. Volunteering Queensland staff understand that accountability
is achieved through commitment to the values, policies and procedures
as agreed through a consultative process. Continual evaluation
and review of all processes will be undertaken on a regular
basis.
This principle will be achieved through:
- Being familiar with and committing to policies and procedures and core staff values of VQ.
- Participating in consultative processes such as daily briefings, recording feedback in feedback book, consulting with Day Leader and volunteer staff managers.
- Using appropriate processes to discuss issues, problems and suggestions to review or change any of the VQ procedures.
- Being responsive to change processes.
- Regular review and commitment to policies and procedures through daily briefings, monthly meetings and orientation training.
3. Volunteering Queensland staff believe that everyone associated
with the centre has a right to be valued as an individual and
be treated with dignity and respect.
This principle will be achieved through:
- Respecting peoples differences and not demonstrating in any way judgmental behaviour such as criticism, labeling, making quick assumptions about people or discussing confidential information about people.
- Being open and aware of peoples different personalities, values and styles through active listening, understanding and accepting of each other's differences.
- Being accountable for our words and actions.
- Responding to each other on an equal basis in a friendly and warm manner.
- Welcoming new staff and Centre users in a way, which creates a positive and harmonious atmosphere.
- A commitment to the resolution of conflict in a manner which seeks truth and understanding and which respects the rights and dignity of all concerned.
- Ensuring the physical safety of all associated with the Centre.
- A commitment to punctuality.
- Formal and informal recognition of staff.
4. Volunteering Queensland staff are committed to providing
a relevant and professional service to the community through
the best use of the skills of the centre staff.
This principle will be achieved through:
- Regular review and response to changing needs of the community in regard to volunteering and services provided by VQ.
- Maintaining a supportive environment through teamwork; good leadership; recognition of individual staff skills; a sense of enjoyment, achievement and humour.
- Providing encouragement and support at all times by supervising staff in carrying out daily tasks.
- Ensuring staff are properly orientated and trained to do their job.
- Integrity and honesty in all dealings with each other and users of the Centre's services.
5. Volunteering Queensland staff are committed to professional
and personal development and ongoing learning.
This principle will be achieved through:
- A commitment to participate in regular training, both formal and informal.
- Feedback sessions with volunteer staff managers.
- Extending skills by participating in training, responding to challenges available through various opportunities within VQ.
- Being responsive to change, both internal and external.