International scope - mentioning several countries

In this quarter’s Points Of View (POV), we wanted to lift the curtain a bit and give our readers a glimpse behind the scenes. Because, honestly, writing these articles isn’t easy. Well, that’s not strictly true. We have lots of fun actually putting the words on the page and knocking drafts backwards and forwards between us. But having ideas for us to write about? That can be hard.

There is a long tradition in Volunteer Engagement of focusing on the things we want, the things we feel we don’t have. Whether it’s more power, resources or respect, we give an inordinate amount of our time, dialogue and effort as a profession to the things we perceive we lack. This got us wondering, as we lead up to International Volunteer Manager’s Day on November 5: “What would change if we got what we wanted?”  

I have worked as a Leader of Volunteer Engagement in Australia for more than 20 years. In 2021, I was given the incredible opportunity to take on the role of Senior Manager of Volunteer Engagement with the Brotherhood of St. Laurence (BSL), a social justice organisation working alongside people experiencing disadvantage to address the fundamental causes of poverty in Australia.

Is a new energy emerging in volunteering?

That’s the belief of the authors of England’s new "Vision for Volunteering." It’s a vision over a year in the making and it sets out a national ambition for where volunteering should be in 2032.

This isn’t the only document seeking to shape the future of volunteering.