The School of Volunteer Management: 2008 in review

2008 has been an exciting and challenging year for the School. While undertaking a huge effort to develop a firm base for the expansion of its training and consulting services, the School maintained its PD Workshops and Customised Training at 2007 levels. However, student enrolments in Accredited Courses increased by 110%.

Key activities and achievements in 2008 were:

• Two intakes of new volunteer Bridge to Volunteering Presenters (January and September)
• The restructure of all training and consulting services, which included the introduction of a number of new PD Workshops aligned to the National Volunteering Standards.
• Expansion of the very popular Speak Up! Speak Out! public speaking courses.
• The introduction of a range of Short Courses (2–3 hours). These will be expanded in 2009.
• Recruited the School Administration Manager (Mark Tippett) in February.
• Introduced a Consulting service.
• Introduced a Board/Management Committee Development Program.
• Recruited and inducted additional Contract Trainers. A further intake in planned for January 2009.
• Prepared for the School’s audit for re-registration as a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) and achieved re-registration.
• Commenced transition of the Accredited Courses currently offered by the School – the Diploma of Business, the Certificate II in Business and the Certificate I in Active Volunteering.
• Commenced action to progressively add the following Accredited Courses to the Schools scope:
  • Diploma of Management
  • Diploma of Community Sector Management
  • Certificate IV in Volunteer Program Co-ordination
  • Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
  • Certificates II and III in Active Volunteering
• Re-vamped and re-launched the School’s website, allowing online bookings and enrolments in all courses and workshops.
• Achieved Approved Provider status for the Strategic Skills Program. Please check the web site early in 2009 for more details.

Next year will see further initiatives by the School to make its training and consulting services more accessible. These include:

• The availability of a greater range of diploma and certificate courses and a greater range of subject choice.
• Easier access to diploma and certificate qualifications through more flexible Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) arrangements.
• Easier and cheaper access to diploma and certificate level skill sets in Business and Management via the Strategic Skills Program.
• The introduction of more PD Workshops and Short Courses.

Please contact the School to discuss any of the above and we look forward to seeing you at one or more of our courses and/or workshops in 2009.