Just some more stuff about the same old things

INCREASING THE INCREDIBLE JOY OF BEING A VOLUNTEER

The Environment Centre depends on our volunteers to keep us going.

Submission-writing, letter-writing, looking after the shop, answering the phone, checking emails, helping people with information, liaising with other groups, media work, carpentry, website maintenance, administration, fund-raising and making displays are just a few of the on-going jobs that get done as a result of the goodwill and commitment of volunteers.

We often take that goodwill for granted, without providing much of a framework to make sure everyone's having a rewarding experience.

Two things are certain - everyone's working for free, and if no one turns up any more the Centre will vanish.

How can we make sure each volunteer can feel empowered to contribute to the shape of the Centre's big picture? How can we make sure everyone's ideas are being heard? How can we create opportunities for people to gain fulfillment by working at their level of skill and energy for the Centre?

Gary has drafted a Memorandum of Collaboration to formalise the interaction between the Centre and its volunteer workforce.

Come and read it if you're a volunteer, or thinking of volunteering, or if you're interested in the Centre's internal workings. It sets up a vision (printed in the last newsletter), objectives and actions to enrich the volunteer experience.

Do you have thoughts on it? Do you have something to add? Are you interested in taking on any of the actions? Come to a CEC meeting (third Thkursday of each month) and bring it up.

The objectives:

To maintain community input through civic action the CEC recognises the importance that the volunteer experience ensure these specific objectives:

• Work is rewarding and substantial
• Life-enlarging experiences where volunteers can see the big picture
• Establish clear communiction between the organisation and the volunteers
• Facilitate communication between volunteers
• Establish clear roles of volunteers
• Provide recognition for volunteers' efforts, work & workmanship
• Streamline the logistics of the organisation
• Create a sense of affiliation between volunteers and the CEC