Southern Volunteering (SA) Inc Annual Report

Southern

Volunteering

(SA) Inc

Annual

Report

2018—19

Contents

Chair’s Report 1

Executive Officer’s Report 3

Volunteer Support Service Metro South 6

Volunteer Support Services Fleurieu 9

Volunteer Stories 11

Training and Sector Support 14

Community Visitors Scheme 16

Treasurer’s Report 21

Extract of Financial Reports 22

Our People 23

Acknowledgements 25

Chair’s Report

John M. R. Smith

B.Sc. B.Soc. Admin

Chairperson

Board of

Management

As Chairperson since 2014, I am extremely pleased to present the Southern Volunteering (SA) Inc (SVSA) Annual Report 2018/19, the 35

th year of

operation of this extraordinarily resilient and successful organisation.

Since 1984 SVSA has assisted tens of thousands of people to identify their interests and skills and link them to volunteer roles in a diverse range of community organisations, including human services, health, emergency services, education / training, environment, animal welfare, arts/ culture / tourism, and sport / recreation, and many others. SVSA has made a big impact in building the volunteer sector in the local regions. In 2018/19 SVSA has continued to provide high quality support to volunteers and Volunteer Involving Organisations in the Southern Metropolitan and Fleurieu regions of South Australia, as well as providing an excellent service for older people living in Aged Care Facilities through the Community Visitors Scheme (CVS).

As a small non-government organisation with only 5 part time staff (2.6 full time equivalent) and 15 volunteers, SVSA has shown remarkable ongoing resilience to not only survive but flourish in an environment where it has had to regularly re-tender for services and advocate to Government to continue funding services.

SVSA displayed this resilience and professionalism in 2018/19 where we were able to successfully tender to not only retain our funding to deliver CVS for over 100 residents, but we won the contract to facilitate the CVS Network across South Australia.

A big thankyou to our Executive Officer Mel White, and CVS coordinators Kaye Mahomet and Jo Rees who showed their exceptional skills and expertise in this sector by writing high quality proposals. To be awarded the CVS Network contract in a competitive tender process against other major providers is a remarkable achievement. The CVS staff have also gone beyond the call of duty by assisting the Federal Government in orientating and supporting new providers to the CVS program, on top of providing the contracted coordinating function.

Like a broken record, we will have to continue to advocate for the minimum standard of 6 months advance notice for whether contracts will be continued or otherwise. The outcome of CVS tenders were advised in mid October 2018, only 10 weeks prior to the termination of the contract 31 December 2018 – a contract we had delivered successfully since 1992. Thank goodness we had loyal staff who were committed to the program and willing to take the risk they would still have a job in 2019. The Commonwealth Government has seven key funding principles in their “Commonwealth Grants Rules and Guidelines (2017)”, particularly “robust planning and design” and “collaboration and partnership” which sadly are not adhered to in practice.

In our Strategic Plan 2015-2020, SVSA has an objective to contribute to the 17 Strategic Development Goals (or Global Goals) 2016-2030 of the United Nations. We do not have any specific measures of this but we clearly assist in advancing these goals through the diverse range of our member non-government organisations where we refer volunteers and provide support to provide a positive environment for volunteers.

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In relation to advocacy and joint coordinated service planning, we have worked closely with Volunteering SA/NT and Northern Volunteering SA (NVSA) to continue to build volunteering across the wider

Adelaide metropolitan area. I would like to particularly acknowledge Evelyn O’Louglin, CEO of Volunteering SA/NT who has provided excellent long term leadership in advocacy at a state and national level; and Donatella Amos (Executive Officer of NVSA) and Roxanne Withers (Chairperson of NVSA for 9 years) both of whom make quality contributions.

All these people and organisations are listed in detail on the last few pages of this report.

Volunteering is fundamental to society from the individual, to locally, nationally and world-wide. Volunteering was first internationally recognised in 2001 through the International Year of Volunteers. National Volunteer Week 2019 had the theme “Making a World of Difference” and celebrated its 30

th year. We know that there are one billion

volunteers across the globe, 6 million in Australia, and 900,000 formal and informal volunteers in South Australia. We know that if we cost volunteers at $43 per hour (the average wage), they are valued at $37 billion based in Australia on 932 million hours contributed (latest figures 2016). Based on research of Dr. Lisel O’Dwyer of Flinders University, the national economic and social value of volunteering is worth $290 billion, an astronomical amount. As documented elsewhere in this Annual Report, we know that the impact of volunteering on services, society, clients and volunteers themselves is immense. SVSA is proud to be a significant part of the volunteering sector and making our local contribution.

In finishing – volunteering can be viewed as an act of generosity of spirit for the benefit of others. In the words of Winston Churchill “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

John Smith

Chair

There are several people and organisations I wish to thank:

The SVSA Board who are all volunteers and have ensured we meet governance requirements and make good decisions in the best interest of building volunteering. Jannine Richards has done a magnificent job as Treasurer with her attention to detail and Cathie Vincent has provided wise counsel and support as Deputy Chairperson. Lin Perea, Jillian Dannenberg and Steve Exell retired during the year and all gave very valuable input, as have current members Margi Whitfield, Rebecca O’Dell, Walter Kodakovic and Julie Naylor.

The SVSA staff. Executive Officer Mel White has continued to meet all the diverse and unexpected challenges in leading a small non-government organisation – her understanding of the volunteer sector is admired. The corporate knowledge and skill of Gayle Mills is invaluable, whilst Jackie Horton continues to build the volunteer resource program in the Fleurieu. Our CVS staff, Kaye and Jo, already mentioned, provide fantastic support to the team of 100 volunteers.

The SVSA volunteers who are critically important to the running of our organisation

The CVS volunteers, all of whom show tremendous interpersonal skills and generosity of spirit in supporting aged care residents

Local, State and Federal Government funding bodies who provide essential funding to support volunteering and our sponsors who provide in-kind support.

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Executive

Officer’s Report

Melanie White

B.Sc. (Hons)

Executive

Officer

Southern Volunteering has had a very busy year of

development and growth, with successful

applications for additional funding providing the

highlights.

Funding

The end of the 2017-18 financial year saw an

enormous amount of work completing the tender

documents for the Community Visitors Scheme

funding in an open, competitive process. In late

October 2018 having waited with bated breath for

several months we were delighted to receive the

news that our tender had been successful. The

success came with some disappointment in the

process itself and that despite an enthusiastic vision

to expand the reach of the scheme we have been

delivering for 26 years, we were funded at around

the same amount. We were given the go ahead to

expand the scheme into the Fleurieu but with no

additional funding, and were most delighted to be

awarded the small contract to run the CVS provider

network for the State. The latter I feel is

commendation for the quality of the services we

deliver and we were delighted this had been

recognised through the quality of the information we

provided in the tender.

In December 2018 we received the news we had

been awarded a medium grant from Grants SA to

resurrect our training provision to the sector.

Finally, in January 2019 we received

correspondence inviting us to talk to the Office for

Ageing Well, a department of SA Health. We had

met with them in early 2018 to present the results of

our VIBE (Valuing Individuals Background &

Experience) Volunteering pilot program that ran for

7 months on the Fleurieu Peninsula. In April 2019

we were awarded 2 years funding from the Office

for Ageing Well to deliver the VIBE program in both

our service areas.

The funding detailed above is in addition to our

Volunteer Management Activity grant from the

federal government and our state funding from the

Department of Human Services. The latter was

successfully renewed for a further 3 years in June

2019.

Although the CVS Network funding and VIBE

funding are the only new funding we received, we

have learnt very quickly to not become reliant on

what we thought were ‘dead certs’. The change to

the Grants SA program means that funding is more

competitive, criteria are much broader and

innovation is the name of the game. Similarly, with

CVS, having successfully delivered the scheme

since 1992 it was a shock to discover it would be

going out to open tendering and we could potentially

lose one of our bedrock services. Both these

examples in themselves offer us a valuable lesson

in not becoming complacent and sitting on our

laurels, we need to develop, diversify and dream

about new ways to deliver services in an ever

changing world. On this note our strategic planning

this year has very much had this flavour of staying

ahead of the game.

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Infrastructure

In any small organisation or business, the duties

associated with maintaining a solid infrastructure

can sometimes hamper the opportunities for growth.

I am always at pains to tell everyone that Southern

Volunteering runs the whole of its operations with

2.5 FTE paid staff. I would encourage you to reflect

on that as you read the rest of this report especially

the outcomes we consistently achieve and exceed,

as I think we are most certainly punching above our

weight in terms of productivity. Of course we could

not do what we do without the assistance of many

volunteers across the organisation and I offer my

sincere thanks to each and every one of you.

Special mention goes to our Board of Management.

The organisation is incredibly lucky to still have our

Chair John Smith at the helm and his commitment

to the organisation goes above and beyond that of

most Chairs. I also give thanks to Cathie Vincent

our level-headed Deputy Chair, Jannine Richards

our amazing Treasurer, Margi Whitfield our diligent

Secretary, Walter Kodakovic our broad thinker and

newly co-opted members Rebecca O’Dell and Julie

Naylor who bring much needed added value from

experience and skills acquired during their careers.

As I have mentioned previously the organisation

comprises of 5 part time members of staff, 2.5 full

time equivalents. The team consisting of Gayle,

Kaye, Jo and Jackie are to be commended for their

passion, enthusiasm, diligence and can-do attitude.

Being part of a small diverse organisation requires

an incredibly flexible, multi –tasking team and I am

very fortunate to work with four individuals who

possess such skills.

We continue to battle to balance time spent on basic

‘housekeeping’ on a budget, with the drive to

continuously improve our service delivery and

sourcing and acquiring the required knowledge to

do so. It always raises a smile in the office when

someone asks for our HR/Finance/Marketing

‘department’. My frustration has been quietened this

year as I have come to the conclusion that we are

indeed making good progress and growth.

Looking to the future

I have been most fortunate this year to be a

participant on the 2019 Governors Leadership

Foundation Program. For those of you familiar with

the program you will know that it is highly regarded

in the state as the most transformational leadership

program available. My own personal learning has

been huge, and the learnings brought back to the

Board and staff meetings have been invaluable. The

course content has helped drive discussions within

the organisation and I believe given us a refresh in

envisioning the future. We are under no illusion that

we must keep evolving as an organisation, looking

at broader ideas and working together with our

closest colleagues from Volunteering SA & NT and

Northern Volunteering, both of whom we have a

fantastic relationship with, and also collaborating

with non-traditional partners to ensure we achieve

our vision of ‘Vibrant Communities Strengthened

Through Volunteering’.

2019 marks our 35th year of operation as a not for

profit organisation, an amazing story of survival,

strength, and of course, stellar service delivery. We

have worked hard to create a culture and envision a

future, not constrained by the timelines of funding

and therefore look forward to reporting of the

achievements of Southern Volunteering for the next

35 years and beyond as the world will always need

volunteers and the invaluable actions they

undertake.

Mel White

Executive Officer

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Volunteer Support Services Metro South

I think it would be fair to say that Southern Volunteering (both the Christies Beach office and Victor Harbor office) continues to ‘punch above its weight’ in terms of the services provided. Given the funding available, which impacts on the affordability of staffing and the cost of operating an office, the services continue to support the community and are in a constant state of accountability and quality improvement.

Volunteer Referrals

In the 2018-2019 financial year we recorded assistance provided to over 1600 individuals. Of those, 284 attended an interview, of which, for the first time, was a downturn in the number of people coming into our office for a face to face discussion on available volunteering options. However, the number of people expressing an interest in volunteer roles through the online portals of SEEK Volunteer and GoVolunteer has risen exponentially. We recorded 1008 online Expressions of Interest. Southern Volunteering, on behalf of our financial member not-for-profit organisations, input the position details to these sites through the Volunteering WA developed VIRA database.

The majority of member organisations opted for Southern Volunteering to receive the initial enquiry on their behalf. Since the introduction of the online service, in response to the overwhelming interest, we tailored our initial response to expressions of interest in volunteer vacancies, offering people the option of having their details forwarded to the organisation advertising the role, or offering the person the opportunity to come into our office for a chat regarding the role and perhaps consideration of

alternative options. The response has been mixed, with many people knowing exactly what they are interested in pursuing and therefore cutting out any additional steps, to those that do not follow through with either option. We had a record number of people (83) cancel their appointment on the day or simply not show, impacting on the overall tally. Of the face to face interviews, 61% identified as unemployed.

The online response indicates a shift in the demographic of interest in volunteering with a much higher interest from younger people wanting to gain experience to support their ongoing and completed qualifications. Across the board, Administration/Reception continues to be the most sought after volunteer role.

Volunteer Involving Organisations

Since the introduction of the revised fee scale for membership with Southern Volunteering, a record 98% of the member organisation have renewed in the last financial year with 5 new organisations coming on board in the Southern Metro area. Our online membership application process has been utilised for both new members and by existing members updating their volunteer role requirements.

Volunteer Support

Aside from providing direct volunteer referrals to people, our interviewing process extends to assisting with a wide range of issues, such as participation in alternative community activities, clarification of some Centrelink processes, offering support through suggested roles to enhance job

seeking options. With an increase in organisations requiring online applications for volunteer vacancies, we have assisted a number of people with registering and completing their application. This has been identified as a barrier for some people, particularly in identifying suitable referees. In addition, our statistics reveal that 40+ % of those interviewed identified as having a mental and/or physical health issue.

As part of my role I address groups, providing an overview of volunteering. One of the key points is the value of being a volunteer in terms of employment. Being able to demonstrate that one is reliable, works well with others, is learning and utilising skills cannot be undervalued in terms of the attributes potential employers seek in a referee check.

The Christies Beach Team

This year has seen the departure of Jill Spink who decided to retire as our Receptionist after 2 ½ years. Jill’s bubbly personality, reliability, generosity and great necklace collection will be greatly missed but she has been good enough to offer her services as Minute Taker for our monthly Board of Management and staff meetings, utilising her stenographic skills. In addition to Jill, Barry Hocking, our primary Volunteer Referral Officer (Interviewer) who, despite being in his early 60s, has regained full time employment. A great loss to Southern Volunteering but a great example of someone who ticked all the boxes in terms of enthusiasm, people skills and a wonderful attitude to work and life.

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Volunteer Support Services Metro South

Liz Monaghan, our Monday Receptionist also decided to leave and juggle all those other demands in her life. Liz has been very supportive and her lovely Birmingham accent will be missed. Margi Whitfield resigned as an interviewer in December 2018, moving onto a position with our Board of Management. A big thank you to all for their wonderful contribution.

Makayla Wells has been invaluable this past year. Makayla is in her mid 20’s, the youngest volunteer we have had in recent memory and has provided such a diverse range of skills, especially her dexterity with the keyboard and attention to detail!

Where would we be without the assistance of our IT guy, Paul Willis! He has set up our systems and continues to provide support on a voluntary basis. Can’t thank him enough.

Joining Southern Volunteering in May 2019, Sue Eggins, Margie Woods and Salvino Provino are now part of our team.

Reflecting on the past year, in particular the turnover of volunteers, the downturn in face to face interviews and the demands of the online approach to volunteering, we have significantly updated our documented procedures, incorporated various support materials to assist potential volunteers in exploring and approaching volunteering and continue to keep our focus on the referral of volunteers to our member organisations.

As Southern Volunteering approaches 35 years of operating in the South, I think we can reflect on those years and recognise our evolution in all aspects of what we do and how willing and supportive both staff and volunteers continue to be in delivering a broad spectrum service.

Gayle Mills Volunteer Coordinator/Office Manager

6 month follow up survey feedback

‘Volunteering has given me the

confidence to return to work.’

‘Volunteering makes me feel like I'm

contributing, makes me feel

worthwhile, gives me confidence, I

love helping people.’

‘I’ve met new people, been able to

utilise my skills and knowledge from

working in retail and my mental

health has improved. I’ve gained

better self esteem.’

‘I have improved self confidence,

new friendships and a purpose in

life.’


‘Barry was really helpful and

thorough helping find suitable

volunteer options local to me.’

‘I found the service very helpful and

friendly and they went above and

beyond to help me find something

that suited my needs.’

‘Found Barry to be very helpful and

he provided me with information

which resulted in being able to

obtain volunteer work.’

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Volunteer Support Services Fleurieu Introduction

2018/2019 has been another year of progress for the Southern Volunteering team on the Fleurieu. Statistically, all required targets were successfully met despite the upward trajectory of interviews conducted over the past 3 years finally starting to plateau. This was not unexpected and our focus now is on maintaining the required targets and always working towards best practice.

Organisations & Volunteer Vacancies

A total of 8 new organisations were welcomed as members of Southern Volunteering. This brings the total number of organisations providing volunteer programs on the Fleurieu to 57 with 102 active volunteer roles currently being advertised.

The diversity of volunteer roles has become extensive. There are opportunities from one off volunteering, to committing a few hours per month or even a few days per week.

Some of the member agencies are seeing the benefit of seeking assistance from Southern Volunteering to locate volunteers to fulfil governance roles. Most of these agencies are small, volunteer led organisations that have exhausted possible candidates from within the club. Southern Volunteering has been able to refer potential volunteers who have seen the Committee and Board positions advertised online and have submitted an expression of interest based on their skills and previous experience.

Remote Interviews in Goolwa

Earlier this year we commenced outreach interview sessions from the Alexandrina Council Offices in Goolwa. This service provides the convenience for residents in and around Goolwa who are unwilling or unable to make the drive to the Victor Harbor office, an

opportunity to discuss local volunteer vacancies.

So far this service has been provided bi-monthly with mixed results. However, I anticipate that more and more residents will take advantage of this opportunity as they become aware of the dates of our visits to Goolwa.

Volunteer Communications Coordinator

One of the biggest challenges we face on the Fleurieu is to how to improve brand awareness with little available marketing budget. Team discussion led us to the conclusion that the most effective (and free) opportunity for marketing was through social media. Despite the unanimous agreement that this idea should be vigorously pursued, no existing team member had the knowledge to take on this role! However, what Southern Volunteering does extremely well is to recruit volunteers. Therefore we advertised for a Volunteer Communications Coordinator. We were incredibly fortunate to recruit Mary Woolaway who took to this role with skill and enthusiasm. She immediately recognised our financial limitations but had experience in using social media. Consequently, Southern Volunteering has seen increased Facebook traffic as well as featuring on many of the other local Facebook pages. Mary also introduced the use of Mailchimp which allows us to communicate events, stories and positions through email campaigns and establishing a Pinterest page has been another way that people can search online for volunteer vacancies.

Mary’s hard work is paying dividends as I am regularly getting feedback from people who have discovered Southern Volunteering through digital means.

Growing Our Profile

I’m pleased to have had the opportunity to make a presentation to the Encounter Bay Rotary Club earlier

this year as well as presenting to the Fleurieu Region Community Services Advisory Committee and the Positive Ageing Taskforce Network Meeting. These presentations emphasise to community leaders who we are and what we do. A meeting with the Victor Harbor Council’s incoming Mayor and Chief Executive Officer was another positive step in showcasing our organisation.

National Volunteer Week

Significant effort was made this year to promote Southern Volunteering during National Volunteer Week in May. Multiple radio interviews were conducted as well as shopping centre displays in Victor Harbor and Goolwa. A large article in the Times newspaper not only brought home the importance and value of volunteers but promoted our role within this space.

The Fleurieu Team

Every achievement made and every milestone met as well as every challenge that was overcome took place because of the wonderful team of volunteers I have the privilege to work with every week. Despite the normal turnover of volunteers we continue to maintain a core group who are enthusiastic, committed and fun to work with. Cindy McGarry and Dorothy Hewitt have come on board this year and Dale Lamont as our fourth and longest serving Volunteer Referral Officer always provides unwavering support and readily mentors the other team members with skill and patience.

It has been a busy but enjoyable 12 months. We celebrate our achievements and look forward to continuing to provide an important contribution to the local Fleurieu community around everything volunteering.

Jackie Horton, Regional Coordinator Fleurieu

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Volunteer Support Services Fleurieu


“Dale initially interviewed me and

Jackie also spoke with me they both

were very good at making me feel

comfortable and informing me of

what was expected of the role and

when I would be advised if I was

successful .”

“I was very nervous to meet with

them. I had never had a job

interview or saw anyone who dealt

with volunteering before. The

people at Southern Volunteering in

Victor Harbor were very nice to me.

I was very happy to talk with them

and go back in if needed to.”


“I have benefited from volunteering

with improved self confidence, have

gained work-related skills,

improved health, and have made

new friendships.”

“It's good to be involved and active,

particularly from a mental health

point of view. Improved health and

new friendships are great benefits

from doing this.”

“Volunteering helped boost my self

confidence and I gained skills that

will be useful for my future career.”

“Love volunteering far more than I

could have ever anticipated.”

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Volunteer Stories

Joanna’s Story

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?

I am 63 years old, therefore not retired yet. I love people and I’ve done all sorts of jobs, from working for National Parks as a Cave Guide to working in sales, in an office

and even a spruiker. I’ve been very lucky in my life.

Why did you decide to volunteer?

It was an option for me as I was on Newstart with Centrelink, I had trouble finding employment and due to my age it was suggested volunteering may be the answer. It’s

very hard to find work locally, so that’s why it originally came up. I thought yes what a fabulous idea.

How did you find out about voluntary work and how did you decide what to do?

I found out about voluntary work initially from Centrelink, and also from my Job Service Provider Workskil who mentioned you Southern Volunteering and suggested I could

do some volunteer work. That’s when I made an appointment to come here.

Tell me about the process of applying to be a volunteer with your chosen organisation[s]. Was there anything you liked or disliked or would change?

I thought it was a very reasonable way of going about doing it. The process was quite painless so I see no need for change. I understand the need to fill in forms so that you

are able to match people with positions.

How was your first day volunteering?

Amazing! The term “steep learning curve” comes to mind. It was good fun.

What do you personally get out of volunteering? How does it make you feel?

It makes me feel happy and a useful part of the community. All of the things that I believe are so important to have an enjoyable life. You give back to people; they don’t feel

as though you are pressuring them, it is extremely good for me. It’s actually assisted me with some of my depression. I’ve had depression for years and a lot of people do

but the fact that I was actually able to bring some of my exuberance to other people and keep their atmosphere enthusiastic, I can go home absolutely exhausted at the end

of the day and know I’ve done a good job. What more can you ask for?

In late 2018 we initiated a project we had in mind for quite some time. It was recognised that the soundbites of feedback we received through the surveys sent to volunteers

1 month and 6 months after their appointment for volunteer referral, were a small part of much bigger, richer stories we needed to capture. With the induction of volunteers

Dale Lamont in our Victor Harbor office and Salvino Provino at Christies Beach, into the role of ‘Story Curators’ they began identifying people who may be happy to share

their volunteering journeys in the form of a conversation turned into a story, to encourage others to volunteer and also to demonstrate the impacts our service has. Below

are two of the stories captured so far:

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Volunteer Stories

Has there been anything unexpected you have gained from becoming a volunteer?

New friends, a greater feeling of self worth, I don’t know if that makes sense to you. It really has made me feel that I am a really successful and useful part of the community.

What difference do you think volunteers make to the community?

Oh, how would we survive without them! I now realise they are priceless, and it’s not just me that thinks that. Jane our Centre Manager said ‘What would we do without

them?’ Southern Volunteering is such an important organisation for this region, especially as there are so many people that are perhaps at an age when they really need to

be doing something productive, and also passing on some of their skills to other people, some of us have got skills that aren’t easily picked up. For instance, I’ve just finished

doing a three-week stint of something called ‘shared skills’ where I was actually teaching simple sewing to girls who were between the ages of 10 and 13. They were the

same age as my grandchildren, who live a long way away, so it was wonderful.

Would you or have you recommended volunteering to other people?

Anybody who will listen, yes!

Anything else you would like to add?

No, just that if people are the least bit uncertain, give it a try, you are not locked in, and you, like me, may get a whole lot more out of it than you ever considered possible.

I feel that it is a really positive thing. First time you try it and it doesn’t work, try, try again, because eventually there will be a niche for you no matter what your skills are.

Yves’ Story

Can you tell me a bit about yourself?

I was born in 1960, a French citizen living in New Caledonia. I retired 2 years ago after living for 20 years with my Australian partner in New Caledonia. We got married last

year and then we decided to settle in McLaren Vale. So, I have some spare time and that’s where the idea of doing some volunteering work started. I was a civil servant

before and then I was managing a few programs for the Minister of Education doing some editing, and that was for 8 years or so. But I am still looking for a part time job, and

for the moment I have some spare time.

Why did you decide to volunteer?

The first reason is that I’m a permanent resident of Australia and that I would like to spend the rest of life here, and I’d like to give back to the society which has welcomed

me. I had a big range of possibilities and I decided to volunteer walking distance from home. I very much love the Australian way of life.

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How did you find out about voluntary work and how did you decide what to do?

It existed in New Caledonia, and I have been involved in citizenship activities before but then when I retired I also decided to look after my parents. I have aged parents, one

91 and the other 94. So, when I came here I wanted to continue looking after people, like my parents, of a certain age and that’s why I chose to work in retirement homes as

my first choice. When I came here for a meeting I was given addresses which I contacted and the first one I contacted said ‘yes’.

Tell me about the process of applying to be a volunteer with your chosen organisation.

I came here because I was advised to come here and it was close to my home. I spoke with a gentleman here who opened a file on me and I was given much information,

actually. I was lucky that the first call I made was the right call.

How was your first day volunteering?

I knew where I was going and it was a very nice place. The lady in charge gave me a warm welcome with her assistant, so we checked and discussed a few things. After

the first introduction I had a visit of the place. Then I was given the second meeting, and this second meeting was about visiting the residents that I’ll be spending some time

with. I was also given information about the regulations, the code of conduct and everything I needed to know. It was very organised and very well done.

What do you personally get out of volunteering, how does it make you feel?

As I said previously, I want to be part of the community here in Australia and be useful. The people I’m seeing at the residents are over ninety years of age. It’s also this idea

that their life and my life are interesting and during the visits we just share in conversation. I keep them company and it ’s about the time we spend together and they can

share about their life and listening to them about what they went through.

Has there been anything unexpected you have gained from becoming a volunteer?

It has confirmed something to me that you have to grasp life as it comes, and I have applied that also to my own life and family life. Being positive and valuing things and

that has been a confirmation to my own belief, and it’s all unique. Life is to be valued as much as possible.

What difference do you think volunteers make to the community?

There is the focus around the daily duties to do, and like all jobs, you bring your skills and be serious about what you do – your work ethic and your obligations. And when

you are a volunteer you are not under certain stresses, I would say. You have time to give, and you have time to share. That’s what you do, you are there to share an

experience with no stress. You don’t bring your personal stress. You don’t bring your professional stress, and that is for me, something that opens communication and

opens feeling.

Would you or have you recommended volunteering to other people?

Yes, of course. I would recommend to do volunteering to create a balance in life. It can only bring you something positive. And helps you stay in connection with others.

Volunteer Stories

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Training and Sector Support Training remains a valued, core service provided by Southern Volunteering to the sector. We provide free Introduction to Volunteering sessions for potential volunteers, training to volunteer managers at minimal cost, Southern Area Volunteering Information (SAVI) network meetings for Volunteer Managers and fee for service training to organisations that have their own cohort of students they are looking to train. Where possible we provided subsidised training for volunteers in the form of a schedule of courses running approximately one session a month. This has been delivered from May 2019 having had a break in this activity due to the changes within Grants SA in the state government and a temporary suspension of the funding we utilise to run this program.

Thus in the 2 month period May to June 2019 we delivered two courses; Safe Environments for Children and Young People and The Accidental Counsellor – Responding Appropriately to Unexpected Situations, to a total of 35 participants.

As we know our member organisations value our training and eagerly await the program we did communicate to them during the period July to December 2018, that we were awaiting a funding decision after an application made in September 2018. However, during this time we were able to offer three other courses. LGBTIQ Awareness training was delivered through another organisation who had been funded to run a number of these courses across the state and collaborated with us to access our membership and provide the sessions free of charge, one being held in the Metro South area and one on the Fleurieu Peninsula. We also offered a Compassion Fatigue Awareness training course for Volunteer Managers. This was priced more highly than our usual costs to ensure we broke even.

Five SAVI (Southern Area Volunteering Information) network meetings were facilitated by Southern Volunteering during the year, across both our service delivery areas in the Metropolitan South and on the Fleurieu Peninsula. The meetings enable Volunteer Managers to hear updates from representatives from Southern Volunteering, Volunteering SA & NT, the Office for Volunteers and the Volunteering Strategy for South Australia. The ‘Information Links’ paper is provided with website links to relevant, recent announcements and developments that impact volunteering. The meetings can also include guest speakers, network member presentations and the chance to discuss a pertinent Volunteer Management issue in a confidential environment. Southern Volunteering very much views our role as facilitator for these meetings with the network membership driving the requests for information and presentations.

To maximise training opportunities for volunteers, managers, coordinators and Board or committee members Southern Volunteering pro-actively promotes all external training which is deemed relevant or appropriate to the sector and which complements that provided by Southern Volunteering.

In addition, sector support covers the range of queries we deal with from our member organisations each year that come to us by telephone, email or in person. They cover issues such as managing volunteers, governance, police and screening clearances, managing Centrelink obligations and many others issues The staff team have amassed decades of knowledge between them with 3 of the team working in volunteer management in excess of 15 years each. This knowledge is invaluable as it means there is always someone available to provide information to the organisation and assist them in finding the answers they need.

Member feedback

‘Very happy with advice received regarding a volunteer suffering from early stages of dementia.’

‘You do a great job of thinking up what we need to know!!’

‘Southern Volunteering are there to support our organisation when we need it. They are interactive and prompt in their delivery. They are very professional .’

‘Always friendly and helpful when you ring or email. Happy to help and recommend volunteers for us.’

‘Southern Volunteering provides a much needed service that supports volunteering in our region, despite limited funding and resources.’

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16

Community Visitors Scheme

Overview

The Southern Volunteering Community Visitors

Scheme (CVS) is part of a network of volunteer groups

across the country, giving their time to befriend people

living in Aged Care Facilities, who are lonely or are at

risk of social isolation. This year, 2019, marks the 27th

year Southern Volunteering has been delivering the

Community Visitors Scheme. The Scheme is funded by

the Federal Government and the aim of the scheme is

to provide a link between the resident and the wider

community, to minimise their isolation, assist in helping

to promote their independence and enhance their

social contacts.

This year, 92 Southern Volunteering Community Visitor

volunteers provided 2906 visits to 143 residents across

28 Aged Care Facilities in the local council areas of

Mitcham, Marion, Onkaparinga and Yankalilla.

In early 2018 the Community Visitors Scheme funding

was put out to open, competitive tender. This was a

challenging time, as we had to inform our volunteers,

some of whom had been volunteering for us for up to

20 years, of possible changes. In October 2018 we

were all exhilarated to hear that we were successful in

our tender, along with many of the other existing

providers. Alongside the new funding, we have

developed a new workplan and are working towards

meeting the outcomes. This includes the expansion of

the area we deliver to encompass Aged Care Facilities

in the Fleurieu region and for volunteers to deliver

visits to small groups of residents. With regard to the

latter, we already have two active volunteers, who are

running a musical group and an art therapy group.

We were also successful in winning the tender to

become the State Network Member for South

Australia. We have taken up the responsibility for

organising a network of all CVS providers in South

Australia, liaising between the Department of Health

who fund the scheme and the South Australian

Network members, and providing support and

information to CVS providers.

Volunteer recruitment and demographics:

Southern Volunteering CVS Coordinators received and

responded to over 176 expressions of interest from

potential Community Visitor volunteers over the year.

This resulted in 29 new volunteers who have

transitioned into the role in a professional manner and

are exceptional in their approach. They are quite a

diverse group, professional retirees, younger

volunteers, and volunteers from CALD backgrounds

who blend in with the exceptional volunteers we have

worked with for so many years. Young mothers have

been inspired to become volunteers to both support

community and to have their children make a

difference to older residents in Aged Care. Volunteers

under 35 years of age make up 21% of our volunteer

cohort.

CALD volunteers making a difference: Matching of

a Polish speaking volunteer has greatly improved the

quality of life of a Polish resident, who is able to

communicate using her first language and discuss

matters of cultural significance to her. The volunteer

made this comment about the visits: “I brought in

some Polish magazines and read to her some more

interesting parts and some humorous stores. That

made her happy! We talked about traditional Polish

cooking and I reminded her about some rich Polish

customs and culture related to holidays”.

Volunteer recognition: The nature of the

scheme dictates that volunteers do not need a

particular skill set to volunteer, just the ability to

make conversation with someone with empathy,

and without judgement. The volunteers on the

Scheme are truly remarkable with their dedication to

this role requiring self-motivation and the ability to

operate largely under their own initiative, without on-

site support or supervision from the CVS

Coordinators.

In 2018-19 14 volunteers achieved their one year

service award, 5 volunteers achieved their five year

service award and 2 volunteers achieved the ten

year service award.

Newsletters: 3 Volunteer newsletters were

developed during the reporting period and

distributed via email or mail to all volunteers. The

newsletters highlight issues and showcase the

benefits volunteer visits provide. Feedback identifies

that articles showcasing individual volunteer stories

were enjoyed by all.

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Volunteer training and get-togethers: The CVS

Coordinators advertise training sessions delivered by

SVSA and other providers through direct email and the

quarterly CVS newsletter. Four successful volunteer

get togethers and training meetings were held during

the year. In March our volunteer training meeting

focussed on Volunteering and the Law.

We were able to inform CVS volunteers about areas of

the law that affect them. Various scenarios and

questions were shared, highlighting areas where

volunteer rights were different to workers (e.g. workers

compensation and unfair dismissal) and where

volunteers have the same rights as workers (e.g. anti-

discrimination legislation). Maintaining boundaries, key

points in record keeping, privacy and confidentiality

were also discussed.

CVS Visit to Parliament: The volunteers were

delighted to be recognised for their work by a visit to

the South Australian Parliament at the invitation of Nat

Cook MP. The volunteers were invited into the

chamber, given a tour of Parliament House and a light

lunch. Ms Cook introduced the volunteers to other

Members of Parliament and the CVS volunteers were

presented with ‘Thank You’ cards made by children

from Tatachilla College on the steps of Parliament

House.

Promotional Activities: Southern Volunteering

continues to promote CVS on their Facebook page,

the Southern Volunteering website, govolunteer and

Seek websites, local papers, word of mouth, the SVSA

shopfront, the CVS newsletter, talks and leaflets. We

have also promoted the scheme at various Expos. We

joined over 900 individuals in the Volunteering SA &

NT National Volunteer Week Parade through the City

in In May, proudly displaying our banner and teaming

up with another CVS provider.

Feedback: With the commencement of the Royal

Commission and a new set of Aged Care Standards to

meet, we are constantly reminded of the huge

demands on staff working in an Aged Care Facility.

We work closely with the Lifestyle Coordinators,

ensuring both the volunteer and the resident are

matched well and have a good experience, and it is

pleasing to see we are being recognised and

appreciated for the work we do. Exceptional feedback

includes:

“This is a note of appreciation for the services we

receive as part of the Community Visitor Scheme of

Southern Volunteering. The professional service and

attention to detail has truly made a difference to the

lives of our residents. Examples I can recall are as

follows: A resident was seeking intellectual

conversation and was quite exclusive. One of the CVS

volunteers purchased some expensive fine crockery

and would take the resident to the café where they

would enjoy their time together.

The resident changed her appointments to fit in

around the visits. The volunteer is now assisting the

resident to write her life story – an activity they both

enjoy. A resident who has limited mobility, yet is

highly intelligent and was frustrated with what she

was now unable to do, was paired with a volunteer,

who suggested they learn a language together and

the result was heart-warming. For a while, I was

being greeted with all sorts of international

salutations! A resident who would not come out of

her room at all has bonded with a volunteer who is

slowing gaining her trust and inviting her to activities

to reassimilate her. The resident will still have

difficult days, but she (the CVS volunteer) doesn’t

give up on her and they have shared many laughs

together.”

Conclusion: We extend our thanks to the CVS

volunteers who are extraordinary members of the

community, often going above and beyond the call

of duty, without seeking praise or recognition. They

make a phenomenal difference to the lives of

socially isolated older residents. We look forward to

continuing to be connected with the wonderful

program and with our exceptional volunteers in the

coming year.

Kaye Mahomet and Jo Rees (CVS Coordinators)

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Community Visitors Scheme - Volunteer Quotes CVS Visitors encourage residents to be active and

come out of their rooms…

“We attended the Spicks and Specks quiz together this

morning as resident quite likes the quizzes and a few

of the questions were about Bruce Springsteen (she

likes Bruce).”

“Beautiful day – took a walk in the garden then had

afternoon tea outside on the balcony in glorious sun.”

“Took resident to the café in centre for a cuppa. She

thanked me for taking her ‘out’ and said we should wait

for a train next time! She is so beautiful.”

A visit from your CVS friend can make the world of difference to how you feel…

“Resident was really upset when I arrived. She had been through her wardrobe and drawers, but

couldn’t locate any spending money. I reassured her and spoke to the receptionist who contacted

her family for additional spending money. Then we went to the café for a cuppa and treat!”

“It was my resident’s birthday today. I had some presents for her and we had coffee with scones in

the activities room. She loved the attention!”

CVS Visitors and residents share fun and laughter…

“Such a pleasurable visit – she was so relaxed, happy,

chatty, laughing and teasing me. So good to see!”

”We had quite a few laughs today – we discussed

weird and wonderful medical issues!”

“I brought my resident some chocolates today. Her

face lit up, she was so happy. Such a small treat for so

much pleasure! She is remembering my name now and

happy to see me.”

A visit from a CVS volunteer is something to look forward to…

“Resident told me she likes Sunday as it’s only 2 sleeps till I come!”

“Resident loves cats, so I showed her my personal videos of cats and she was so excited. Time went fast with resident and she said, I am waiting for you to

come again, with all your nice ways.”

“I took resident in a little desktop Christmas tree and it really brightened up her day. You should have seen her smile, then she gave me a hug. She said she

really looks forward to Wednesday’s when I come (remembering me now!). She’s really lovely (once you can get behind the depression and dementia). I’m glad

I help brighten her days.”

CVS Visitors learn from the resident they visit, it’s a two way street…

“(From a young volunteer) I really look forward to spending time with resident. I enjoy hearing about

what life was like in the past, compared to what it is now. I enjoy all the conversations we have

about life in general!”

“Saw resident in her room and we talked about life when she was first married, her likes and

dislikes. She has a super sense of humour…she talked about her mother-in-law who she didn’t get

on with, so she and her husband moved to Spain. Very entertaining!”

”I asked resident’s advice on a personal matter…resident loved giving me advice and sharing life

experience…she loved being able to help me out.”

“We share a lot of interest in rock music, books & family. He was playing some very loud rock

music on my arrival today. The staff enjoyed some.”

“Lovely visits. Don’t know what I’d do without her. She accepts me with my faults and weaknesses.

Love her!”

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Treasurer’s Report Core Administration

Income Income for this financial year was $90,069 being a 3%

decrease on the previous financial year. As a result, our

management fees were decreased by 7% overall to assist

with the lower income. However, staff concentrated on

earning income in other areas which saw an increase in

our interest from banks by 40% on the previous financial

year along with an increase in membership of 19%.

Expenditure A major part 75% of income is used for salary payments

partially funded by the DCS Discretionary Grant. Other

income was carefully expended 25% on administration

and operating costs. Southern Volunteering has a surplus

of $11,160 at year end.

Volunteer Management Activity

Income VMP Onkaparinga The Department of Social Services funding for the

Volunteer Management Program (VMP) during this

financial year was $91,806 for the Onkaparinga area, a

2% increase on last year.

VMP Fleurieu The Fleurieu was funded for $45,903 being a 3% increase

on last year. A total of $5,700 additional funding came

through regional funding projects. Total funding for the

Fleurieu was down by 30% on the previous year due to

less regional funding and no financial backup from our

core.

Expenditure VMP Onkaparinga The majority of grant funds were spent on salary

payments 84% as this program is labour and

resource intensive. The Onkaparinga program ended

the year with a deficit of $(352).

VMP Fleurieu With 11% of total income from the Victor Harbor &

Yankalilla Councils, Southern Volunteering once

again continued to operate in Victor Harbor.

Expenditure was concentrated on salary payments

81% with 19% being expended on administration and

operating costs. The Fleurieu program ended the

year with a deficit of $(6,124).


Income The Department of Heath funding for the program

during this financial year was $152529 being a 1.6%

decrease on last year, due to the grant provided

being lower than the previous year.

Expenditure The majority of grant funds were expended on salary

payments 56%, with the volunteer reimbursements,

training and administration of the service making up

the other major expenditure items 44%. The program

finished the year with a deficit of $(260).

Volunteer Training

Income Training income of $4,071 was generated from fee

for service sessions provided by SVSA to

organisations, being 64% of total income. A grant

for low cost training for volunteers from Department

for Human Services Grants SA program was

received in the latter part of the financial year.

Expenditure The training program continues to develop and most

funds are spent on contract training providers 77%.

The program recorded a surplus of $2,516 at year

end.

Overall Southern Volunteering staff continue to be

invaluable in their skills, experience and

commitment to the organisation. Their workload

increases each year, yet their hours of work must

remain stable and within budget constraints of the

organisation. Our wonderful volunteers who assist

the staff on a day to day basis make the running of

Southern Volunteering much easier. Thank you to

each and every one of you.

Unfortunately, the various grants received by

Southern Volunteering do not increase at the same

rate as costs. The Board is spending an increasing

amount of time lobbying for core funds and CPI

increases to fall in line with increases in salary

payments and other expenditure. Congratulations to

all board members for your efforts in working to

secure the future for Southern Volunteering.

Jannine Richards Treasurer

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Extract of Financial Reports

Cash assets

Receivables

Current tax assets

Other

Property, plant and equipment

Payables

Current tax liabilities

Provisions

Provisions

ASSETS

Current Assets

Total Current Assets

Non-Current Assets

Total Non-Current Assets

TOTAL ASSETS

LIABILITIES

Current Liabilities

Total Current Liabilities

Non-Current Liabilities

Total Non-Current Liabilities

TOTAL LIABILITIES

NET ASSETS

MEMBERS FUNDS

119,345

520

2,246

122,211

32,968

32,968

155,180

4,660

9,116

62,386

76,162

76,162

79,018

79,018

91,315

1,537

5,556

98,409

39,153

39,153

137,561

9,073

11,119

30,492

50,684

44,250

44,250

94,934

42,627

42,627

2019 ($) 2018 ($)

This is an extract of the full set of audited financial reports which are available upon request.

INCOME

Grants

Other income

TOTAL INCOME

EXPENDITURE

Employee expenses

Other expenses

TOTAL EXPENDITURE

Surplus/(Deficit)

Extraordinary items

Net profit attributable

to the association

364,286

26,740

391,026

277,569

132,531

410,100

-19,074

-19,074

342,760

15,844

358,604

240,568

120,845

361,413

-2,809

39,199

36390

2019 ($) 2018 ($)

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Our People

Staff

Melanie White

Executive Officer

Gayle Mills

Volunteer Coordinator/

Office Manager

Jackie Horton

Regional Coordinator

Client Services Fleurieu

Kaye Mahomet

Community Visitors

Scheme Coordinator

Jo Rees

Community Visitors

Scheme Coordinator

Volunteers Board of Management

John Smith

Chair

Cathie Vincent

Deputy Chair

Jannine Richards

Treasurer

Margi Whitfield

Secretary

Walter Kodakovic

Board Member

Julie Naylor

Board Member

(Co-opted )

Rebecca O’Dell

Board Member

(Co-opted )

Metro South Office

Sue Eggins

Reception/Administration

Barry Hocking

Volunteer Referral Officer

Liz Monaghan


(Resigned May 2019)

Salvino Provino

Story Curator

Jill Spink


Jannine Richards

Finance Administration

Makayla Wells


Margi Whitfield


(Resigned December 2018)

Paul Willis

IT Infrastructure Support

Margie Woods


Fleurieu Peninsula Office

Di Bower


Dorothy Hewitt


Carolyn Howison


(Resigned May 2019)

Dale Lamont


& Story Curator

Cindy McGarry


Linda Perea


(Resigned May 2019)

Mary Woolaway

Communications Officer

Life Members

Jane Jones

Maureen Peel

Kay Hefferan

Bernie Ford

Graham Purdie

Vivienne Barker

Angela Gregory

Sheila Parkhurst

Ann Bain

Sylvia Wolverson

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Community Visitors Scheme Volunteers

Brenda Anderson

Bob Arnold

Sabina Barrachina

Elizabeth Birkett

Sandra Chandra

Janine Chapman

Marion Clamp

Sandra Clay

Michelle Clemow-Meyer

Lorry Crase

Jennifer Destro

Harper Ding

Anna Dingemans

Karen Draggett

Amanda Fail

Josh Ferris

Shirley Galdes

Betty Glasson

Chris Goodyear

Dave Grant

Di Graves

Emily Hall

Margaret Hamill

Elizabeth Hansen

Dorothy Hewitt

Hedwig Hirtler

Margaret Hodge

Leanne Hough

Henry Hough Hobbs

Julie Hurst

Kirsty Jones

Siobhan Kelly

Paul Kennedy

Mary Kildea

John Kimber

Ian King

Tahlia Kither

Pierre Korda

Trish Lalor

Janita Lauer-Smith

Kim Lauwrens

Rosemary Lloyd

Ingrid Loader

Christine Lounder

Charlie Madden

Evelyn Mansfield

Nicki Maros

Nicole May

Sue McEwen

Jenny McRae

Barbara Merritt

Linda Millwood

Marian Mitchell

Pamela Mitchell

Vanessa Morrell

Kristy Nixon

Megan Norris

Luciana Obrete

Leonie Pawelski

Huiduo Peng

Kim Phan

Jan Phillips

Gail Pittaway

Denise Preston

Robyn Richards

Lorraine Ridderhof

Kathy Riding

Fran Roberts

Amy Robertson

Karina Sader

Sue Scott

Valentina Sikorska

Joan Simpson

Sue Snell

Madi Spratt

Suse Stonecrop

Jean Stoten

Sarah Tee

Joy Thorpe

Andrew Threadgold

Joan Timperley

Michael Treloar

Judy Turner

Jodie Ward

Roy Walker

Lesley Wilkin

Deni Williams

Cassie Wilson

Min Khaung Win

Rod Woods

Wendy Zippel

Lies Zuidland

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Acknowledgements Southern Volunteering (SA) Inc acknowledges the invaluable financial and in kind

support provided by the following organisations in 2018-19

Alexandrina Council

City of Victor Harbor

Community Business Bureau & Leaders Institute of SA

Department of Human Services

Department of Health

Department of Social Services

District Council of Yankalilla

Healthy Technology

Junction Australia

Quikfix Computers

26

Metro South Office: 49B Beach Road, Christies Beach 5165 T: (08) 8326 0020

Fleurieu Office: Unit 1, 44 Torrens Street, Victor Harbor 5211 T: (08) 8552 7858

www.svsa.org.au

Southern Volunteering (SA) Inc Annual Report

Documents