Presentations & Workshops

Attendees can choose from 4 concurrent breakout sessions in each timeslot:

Morning session: 11:30am – 1pm

Workshop:

Presenter: Hazel Maynard – Volunteering Victoria

It’s Not All About the Cake: Top Ten Lessons for Emerging Managers of Volunteers

A hit at the 2019 conference, this workshop is for emerging managers of volunteers. Join industry veteran Hazel Maynard to discover her top ten tips for new and new-ish volunteer managers. This story-based workshop draws on Hazel’s 30+ years’ experience as a volunteer manager and trainer. Taking a light-hearted approach to a serious topic, the workshop will cover the weird and wonderful world of volunteer management with practical tips to avoid the common traps and pitfalls faced by many new and emerging managers of volunteers.

Multi-presenter Session 1:

Session MC: Marg Joiner – Zoos Victoria

Using Innovation to Grow Volunteering

Leesa Riley – Parks Victoria

The Volunteering Innovation Fund was created to inspire ideas and encourage innovation by funding community-led projects that consider new ways of volunteering in and for the environment. Indigenous youth, culturally and linguistically diverse communities and Victorians with vision impairments are amongst those already benefiting from the initiative, growing, and diversifying the current volunteering pool.

Ardoch’s Online Volunteer Portal

Suan Sow and Maiaan Galant – Ardoch

Ardoch launched an online volunteer portal, giving volunteers a one-stop-shop to complete training, register for events, record their volunteering hours, update their contact details, and access resources. This online community gives volunteers more control over their journey, enables Ardoch to provide equitable access to events and training to volunteers across the state, and will enhance our capacity to recognise volunteer efforts. This presentation will include a live demonstration of the online community, discuss potential enhancements, and share how this technology is acting as bridge to the future for volunteer management.

Loddon Mallee Health Network Volunteer Strategy

Sharon Walsh – Bendigo Health

This presentation will discuss the collaborative work undertaken to gain buy in from CEOs and the aims to support health service volunteer programs and enhance volunteer participation.

Workshop:

Presenter: Emily Unity – Mental health professional

Social Technology: The Future of Volunteering

Technology is transforming the way we live, work, and play, but how is it affecting equity and inclusion? Traditionally, new developments in technology have been feared. This workshop offers an alternative narrative and invites participants to consider how we can harness technology to create a more equitable and inclusive future. Participants will be involved in an interactive workshop that will start conversations about technology, equity, and the future possibilities. Together, we can shape a future that is more inclusive for all, regardless of background, identity, or intersectionality.

Multi-presenter Session 2:

Session MC: Rory Sackville – Good2Give

Bridging the Volunteering Digital Divide

Rory Sackville – Good2Give

This presentation will focus on digital corporate giving and volunteering and bridging the digital divide to increase equity, diversity and inclusion for not-for-profit organisations (especially small and remote/regional organisations) by offering case studies of corporate looking to support local, grass roots organisations (both via giving and volunteering) and volunteer matching program.

Working with Afghan Australians: The Bakhtar Community Organisation Perspective

Bassir Quadiri – Bakhtar Community Organisation

The presentation will focus on new migrants and approaches to provide them with the opportunities to overcome obstacles, challenges and embrace the bright future that they deserve. This presentation will be an excellent opportunity to share my experience with fellow volunteers and leaders.

A Vision for Volunteering: Creating Inclusive Volunteer Opportunities for Blind and Low Vision Volunteers

Cassie Hassall and Deborah Gates – Vision Australia

Vision Australia is a leading provider of disability and aged care services for Australians who are blind or have low vision. We have more than 2500 volunteers, and a key focus is providing and inclusive volunteering experience for people who are blind or have low vision. Almost 15% of our volunteers are blind or have low vision. This presentation will help build the capacity and awareness of organisations in designing volunteer roles and programs that are accessible and inclusive for people who are blind or have low vision.

Afternoon session: 1:45pm – 3:15pm

Workshop:

Presenter: Tara Cantwell – Boroondara Volunteer Resource Centre

Diversity and Inclusion: Success with 6 Key Factors

Through research into the barriers to diversity and inclusion experienced by volunteer managers, we have identified six key success factors that contribute directly to equality, diversity & inclusion. Participants are invited to work from a strengths base to quickly lead to positive and individualised diversity actions by notably Identifying key areas in their own program to build on and tools and resources to further develop equality, diversity and inclusion in their volunteer program.

Multi-presenter Session 3:

Session MC: Laura Lynch – Boroondara Volunteer Resource Centre

Research Findings - Writing Themselves in 4: LGBTQI+ Young People and Volunteering

Dr. Natalie Amos – ARCSHS

Natalie will present on some of the key findings from WTI4 and also speak to the protective factors that support better health and wellbeing outcomes for LGBTQI+ young people – including community connection and volunteering.

Best Practice to Engage Disadvantaged Youth

Patrick Taylor – PhD Candidate, RMIT University and Dr Alison Every – In2Science Program Director, La Trobe University 

This presentation introduces participants to peer mentoring techniques and strategies to engage young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in the STEM space, with the aim of driving fun, excitement, and an overall passion for STEM.

Access and Inclusion for Folks Who Work With Young People

Is Hay and Bridget Jolley – Youth Disability Advocacy Service, Youth Affairs Council Vic

YDAS facilitators will present a shortened version of Together training. Together is an access and inclusion training for folks who work with young people. It is co-designed and led by the ultimate beneficiary, disabled young people.

Workshop:

Presenter: Sam Champion – YACVIC

Supporting Youth Engagement and Youth Leadership

Participants will walk away from this workshop with tangible tools and resources to help them engage and support young people. It is the opportunity to explore the key to creating empowering environments enabling young people to feel safe and explore their leadership qualities.     Participants will learn how to connect with young people and get groups thinking and talking; consider group dynamics and balancing individual vs group needs; set up safe and empowering spaces for/with young people; enable youth-led meetings and projects; partner with young people to plan great youth-focused events.

Multi-presenter Session 4:

Session MC: Gillian Kerr – Alfred Health

Proven Initiatives to Improve Diversity

Maya Avdibegovic – Court Network

The presentation will discuss Court Network’s initiatives in the last 3 years that have resulted in improved access to justice for disadvantaged and diverse court users including the diversification of our volunteer workforce, building organisational capability to better respond to needs of diverse court users, piloting our Sudanese Cultural Guide project at Children’s Court and expanding our service model to improve access to justice for court users throughout their court journey.

Award Winning Collaboration – Parks Vic, AMES and the Sikh Community

James Brincat – Parks Victoria, Laurie Nowell – AMES Australia & Jasvinder Sidhu – Tarneit Sikh Temple Volunteer Group

This presentation will discuss this partnership that emerged at the height of COVID-19 restrictions to provide an innovative inclusive volunteer program to respond to food security issues brought on by the pandemic for at risk communities. It will reflect on the creation of a safe and encouraging environment for inclusion, the strength of diversity in working together, key motivators that enabled opportunities and critical elements for success in working together.  

Research Findings by Melbourne Uni: Volunteering & EDI

Chris Harrison and Professor Lou Harms – Amber Community

This presentation will discuss how the impact of road trauma can have a ripple effect across communities. Road Trauma Support Services works with people who volunteer to share their lived experiences to influence change and, in the process, give meaning and purpose to the traumatic incident. Recent research from Melbourne University surveying and interviewing Volunteers in the program shows the importance of assessing, training, supporting, and meeting individual needs working with equity, diversity, and inclusive practices.