Issue 23 - 17 March 2009

“Work together differently or face dire consequences from the economic downturn” was the challenge put to attendees at the Impact on Communities: Managing the Downturn Together workshop held in Wellington on Wednesday 25 February.

The message was delivered repeatedly by members of an invited panel and key speakers at the workshop, which involved 60 community and government sector participants.

“Now more than ever, co-operation amongst non-profits is essential” said NZFVWO President Tony Mayow. 

“Whilst businesses may be struggling to maintain jobs, the voluntary sector continues to maintain volunteers for now, but if demand for services goes through the roof and funding goes through the floor, then the sector could face huge problems,” said Mayow.

Leading Wellington economist, Suzanne Snively helped set the scene for participants in a keynote address, pointing out that “New Zealand non-profits and their volunteers contribute 4.9 percent to our nation’s GDP, more than the construction industry. With around 105,340 paid employees, the community sector can help lead productivity and the pace of economic recovery.”

Jointly hosted by the NZ Federation of Voluntary Welfare Organisations (NZFVWO), Philanthropy NZ and the Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector (OCVS), the gathering worked towards identifying practical actions to help the non-profit sector manage its way through the economic downturn.

Seven themes reverberated throughout the day:

• the importance of doing things differently – understanding the impact of the downtown on the sector over the next decade
• understanding the downturn’s impact on iwi/Maori organisations and how these organisations can remain true to their kaupapa
• making use of relationships across the whole sector – to work collaboratively, to merge or share resources
• responding to the sector’s infrastructure needs, including social capital
• publishing more and better evidence on effectiveness
• maximising funding opportunities and diversifying revenue streams
• and maintaining the quality and training of the non-profit sector workforce.

As a first step, workshop participants agreed to respond to the downturn by exploring how to overcome duplication and gain efficiencies, while encouraging people to continue to volunteer and be employed in the sector. Closer relationships with Government to develop joint initiatives will also be sought

» Read the speech and media release made by the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector

» View the Wellington workshop presentation by economist Suzanne Snively

» Read notes from the workshop discussions at the Downturn forum

» Download notes from Kaikohe’s Awhina Forum exploring the challenges of the recession

» Read notes, presentations and next steps from the Prime Minister's Job Summit on 27 Feb

» View dates for Regional Employment Summits scheduled between 18 March and 24 April

» Learn ways to improve your organisation’s productivity – and work smarter

» Explore more than 25 links to help and information for community groups

» Access links to funding sources for community groups.

Data from Statistics NZ’s NZ Non-Profit Institutions Satellite Account: 2004 was quoted repeatedly in presentations and discussions at the Downturn workshop.

It was clearly useful for people from the sector to be able to quantify the community sector’s size (in terms of numbers and employees) and its contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP).  The OCVS has also noticed a number of community organisations using this data in a range of ways to help reinforce their significance – in publications, quotes, media releases and funding applications.

For the record, here are some key facts about New Zealand’s non-profit sector.

• New Zealand’s non-profit sector contributes 2.6% to GDP.
• This increases to $6.95 billion (or 4.9% of GDP) when taking into account the volunteer labour contribution. (This is similar to the contribution of the entire construction industry.)
• The sector contains more than 1.2 million volunteers who give more than 270 million hours of unpaid labour to the sector.
• It has over 97,000 non-profit organisations.
• Non-profits have over 105,000 paid employees – only 10% of all non-profit organisations employ paid staff.

Of course, the Satellite Account includes much more detailed data about the various sub-sectors as well.  For example, the culture, sports and recreation sub-sector is the biggest - containing 44.6% of the total non-profit institutions, and it has the greatest percentage of organisations solely reliant on volunteers (ie: they don’t employ any paid staff).  The social services sub-sector makes the biggest contribution (22.1%) to GDP (excluding the volunteer contribution).

For more data on each of the sub-sectors, check out these summaries from the Satellite Account – some also include a few key facts about donating and volunteering, drawn from the data used to produce the How Do New Zealanders Give? report.

» Culture, sport and recreation sub-sector facts

» Social services sub-sector facts

» Religion sub-sector facts

» Development & housing sub-sector facts

» Education & research sub-sector facts

» Grant-making, fund-raising & volunteerism promotion sub-sector facts

» Law, advocacy & politics sub-sector facts

» Health sub-sector facts

» Environment sub-sector facts

» Business & professional associations & unions sub-sector facts

» International sub-sector facts.

The final face-to-face workshop to discuss the content of It’s More Than Talk (the discussion document from the Building Better Government Engagement BBGE project’s reference group) was held last week. Each of the five regional meetings generated new ideas and perspectives for the group to consider.

It’s More Than Talk includes options for building better community engagement skills, knowledge and values in the public service. It has been publicly available for formal consultation since before Christmas, and submissions are due by 31 March 2009.

The BBGE reference group specifically invites feedback on these questions:

• Do you think the engagement issues outlined in Section 2 are accurate?
• Do you agree with ideas for the way ahead in Section 4?
• Do you agree with the summary of possible actions suggested in Section 5 and if so, which do you consider to be the top priorities?

To supplement formal feedback, the BBGE group has created an online space at www.bangthetable.com/BBGE so you can share your thoughts and ideas with others to help generate in-depth, meaningful discussion on the important issues raised in It's More Than Talk.

Already, nearly 1,000 unique visitors have checked out the online discussion, although only a few have taken the opportunity to add a comment or vote in the five quick surveys about priority actions.

One advantage of the online discussion is that you can put an idea out there for others to respond to, whereas any formal submissions will not be made public until well after consultation closes. The online discussions mean there can be dialogue and debate about fresh ideas not included in It's More Than Talk - you can create new discussion topics, respond to comments by others and vote for top priority actions in five quick online surveys.

Consultation on It’s More Than Talk is open until 31 March 2009.

» Leave a comment in the online discussion

» Vote in the five quick surveys to identify the priority actions for government

» Read notes from the first three BBGE workshops in Auckland, Waitakere and Hamilton

» Visit the OCVS website to download the discussion document, and see details of where to send your feedback.

Late last month, Executive Assistant Gabrielle Benson began a three month secondment in the Older Peoples Policy team of the Ministry of Social Development.  While Gabby is enjoying a short change of scene, the OCVS has Karen Upton filling in as EA to our Director Alasdair Finnie. (And we have Gabby on speed dial for tricky queries!)

Senior Policy Analyst Kat Paton is embarking on a secondment too – but for significantly longer.  This week, Kat began a 12 month secondment as Private Secretary in Minister Turia’s office to support the community and voluntary sector portfolio.

Kat will be known to many of you through her involvement in the Promoting Generosity project and the Keeping it Legal workshops, as well as a host of other activities.  Although we’ll miss Kat in our office, it will be great to have someone with such an intimate knowledge of the OCVS and the community and voluntary sector supporting the Minister’s team.  We are currently exploring options to fill the significant gap left by Kat.

» Read more about the OCVS team

» Read about the work of the OCVS.

The third in a new series of 90-minute seminars focused on community engagement and participation will feature a presentation by Australian expert Vivien Twyford.

The seminar (entitled Debunking myths about community engagement and establishing realistic expectations) will challenge participants to rethink their allocation of time and resources between planning, implementing and evaluating.

Vivien will explore and explain the implications of her statement: “The command and control theory of management was designed to reduce uncertainty and vagueness and deal with complexity in war.  This approach to community engagement can place a community in the role of the enemy.  Planning using this approach often focuses on tools to manage and influence the community to agree with expert decisions.”

The Good Practice Participate seminars have proved popular, so book your space today for this Wellington event – there is no registration fee. This seminar on 22 April will be held at the St Johns in the City Conference Centre on the corner of Willis and Dixon Streets (1:30pm to 3:00pm).

Those with a strong interest in extending their skills in participation knowledge and processes may want to enrol in one of the official IAP2 Certificate in Public Participation courses. The two-day Techniques in Effective Public Participation course will be delivered in Wellington by Pattillo on 23 and 24 March.  The two-day Planning for Effective Public Participation course will be delivered in Wellington by Twyfords NZ on 29 and 30 April, and the one-day Effective Communication for Public Participation will be delivered on 1 May.  Both training companies offer other Certificate courses throughout the year.

» Enrol for GPP seminar in Wellington on 22 April – no registration fee.

» Download previous GPP seminar presentations by Anne Pattillo and Dr Trish Nickel.

» View the spectrum of public participation on the Good Practice Participate website.

» Check Pattillo’s schedule of Certificate in Public Participation courses in Wellington and Auckland

» Check Twyford NZ’s schedule of Certificate in Public Participation courses in Wellington

» Learn more about the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2).

The Promoting Generosity project Hub has produced the second in a series of papers exploring aspects of generosity. The purpose of the series is to stimulate discussion between the Promoting Generosity initiative Hub members, advisors and others in order to guide the work of the Hub and help inform others working to promote giving at a local level.

What value do we place on generosity? examines the benefits that stem from generosity for givers, receivers and the community as a whole.

The paper identifies the following benefits to society as a whole:

• Generosity is culturally and religiously important
• Generosity connects those within communities
• Generosity helps build resilient and cohesive communities
• Generosity can lead to a better distribution of resources
• Generosity makes us better hosts – Manaakitanga.

Benefits to the community and voluntary sector and individual and business givers are also identified in the paper.

Although we cannot say in any measurable way that we have less generosity in New Zealand today than we have had in the past, the Promoting Generosity Hub has received indications that many people, both in New Zealand and abroad, would like to see more generosity, more giving, and a greater sense of community than exists today. This is even more important during a period of economic downturn.

» Download Focus on Generosity Discussion Paper 2: What value do we place on generosity?

» Read more about the Promoting Generosity project.

The March Good Practice in Action seminar for public servants featured presentations from the State Services Commission (SSC) and NZ’s International Aid and Development Agency (NZAID). 

The SSC presentation covered what is being done to strengthen trust and reinforce the spirit of service in the public sector.  NZAID presented on how they responded rapidly and decisively to implement organisation-wide change after their procurement and contracting processes were rated as “poor and needing significant improvement” in an audit. 

GPIA seminars are full-day events in Wellington organised by the OCVS for public servants so they can share experience and learn from each other.  They are about information sharing, results-based learning, and acquiring knowledge and expertise built on the good practice of others.

The next GPIA seminar on 29 May will focus on Collaboration and Complex Adaptive Systems, and feature presentations by Work and Income’sLabour Market Development team from Northland and the Ministry of Defence.

» See presentations from recent GPIA events, including the March seminar

» Public servants register for the Good Practice in Action seminar on 29 May 2009.

The NZ Federation for Voluntary Welfare Organisations (NZFVWO) and the OCVS have recently reported on an evaluation of the legal resource Keeping it Legal E Ai Ki Te Ture. 

The evaluation included analysis of website statistics and data on distribution of the hard copy resource, and an online survey that was completed by 271 individuals in the middle of 2008. The evaluation report is now online for those interested in the findings.

Overall, Keeping it Legal has been well received, and is recognised within the community and voluntary sector as a quality resource, as evidenced by the following outputs and outcomes:

• 12,000 hard-copies were printed and distributed in just over 3 years.
• The website had 21,534 absolute unique visitors between 30 June 2006 and 30 April 2008.
• The website has maintained an average of 1,130 visits per month.
• 88% of survey respondents indicated increased knowledge in their organisation about their legal risks and responsibilities because of Keeping it Legal.
• 89% of survey respondents indicated that their organisation can better manage their legal risks and responsibilities because of Keeping it Legal.

The printed hard copy is now out of stock, however the online version continues to be updated as laws change.  The OCVS and NZFVWO are currently exploring options to maintain and enhance the online version and promote the resource more widely.

» Read the evaluation report including the survey results and web data

» Visit the Keeping it Legal website and create your own legal risk management action plan for your community group.

If you have an event, conference or meeting related to community or voluntary issues, you are welcome to send a brief description of the event to us at ocvs@msd.govt.nz for inclusion in our email updates.

As 31 March approaches, it’s almost time to take advantage of new tax laws that took effect for the 2008/2009 financial year. The changes offer individuals, companies and Maori authorities greater incentives to make donations to approved non-profits, by increasing the levels of tax credits (formerly called rebates) that they can claim – and extending the ability to claim to close companies. 

The key points are:

• Individuals can claim a tax credit of one-third (33.33%) of all donations they make, limited only by the level of their annual taxable income. (Previously there was a rebate limit of $630.)
• Companies are entitled to a deduction for all donations made to donee organisations, limited only by the amount of the company’s net income. (Previously there was a 5% limit on deductions that companies could claim for cash donations.)
• The donation deduction is also extended to unlisted close companies (companies with five or fewer shareholders).
• Maori authorities are entitled to a deduction for all donations made to donee organisations, limited only by the amount of their net income. (Previously there was a 5% limit on deductions that Maori authorities could claim for cash donations.)

» Read more from IRD about the greater tax incentives for charitable donations

» Download a one-page summary about how the tax changes are making giving easier

» Check the IRD website for a list of approved donee organisations (these include, but are not limited to, charities registered with the Charities Commission)

» Individuals – request or download a Tax Credit Claim Form (IR526) from IRD or read the IR525 Guide about claiming a Tax Credit

» Companies can claim on their income tax return (IR4) - read more on the IRD website

» Maori Authorities can claim on their income tax return (IR8) - read more on the IRD website

» Read the Good Practice Participate case study about how Inland Revenue worked with a community and voluntary sector reference group to develop the consultation on tax incentives for giving.

The Electoral Commission resource, Taking Part explains how decisions are made in New Zealand and how New Zealanders can help shape them by having their say – and not just at election time.

The Electoral Commission developed this resource with the input of many people involved in different aspects of our democracy and in helping others to participate.

Taking Part covers Decisions and laws of the country, Decisions and rules for where you live, and Important decisions you can make - enrolling and voting, as well as Express yourself - ways for having your say and being heard.  There is also a special version for new New Zealanders.

» Read more about Taking Part or download the Taking Part guides
» Order free printed copies of Taking Part - email info@elections.govt.nz including your name/organisation, contact details, number of copies requested, intended audience and a postal and courier address
» Check other links related to encouraging participation.

A national network of organisations representing former refugees living in New Zealand was formed in January, after more than a year of consultation and meetings.

The initial purpose of the National Refugee Network is to share information. As it builds resources, the network will look at how to develop a mechanism for communities to talk to each other, and promote a shared voice on issues of common concern.

A National Steering Committee (NSC) will oversee the work of the Network. Its members are:

• Anne Uma George, Vice-Chair, Auckland Refugee Community Coalition
• Zenebe Tsega, Treasurer, Auckland Refugee Community Coalition
• Ismail Gamadid, President, Hamilton Refugee Forum
• Sadiya Ali, member, Hamilton Refugee Forum
• Adam Awad, Executive Chair, ChangeMakers Refugee Forum (Wellington)
• Jean-Claude Sacheun, Board member, ChangeMakers Refugee Forum
• Ahmad Tani, Chairman, Canterbury Refugee Council
• Bashir Ahmad Nooristani, Spokesperson, Canterbury Refugee Council.

Kafeba Mundele, Chair of the Auckland Refugee Community Coalition, was appointed Chairperson of the NSC.

» Contact Kafeba, Glenda McCallum or any of the Committee members for more information or to join the network.

In February, 150 people randomly selected from across Australia, spent four days discussing and deliberating on Australia's democracy and how it could be improved.

A number of different methods for encouraging discussion were used to get people thinking, sharing, weighing the pros and cons of the ideas and then prioritising them. These deliberative techniques included 21st Century Dialogue, World Café, small group dialogue and deliberation, Reflective Panel, Expert Panels, and a version of Open Space.

As a result of discussions, thirteen recommendations have been presented to the Australian government.

» Read more about Australia’s first-ever Citizens’ Parliament.

• Speech by the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector Tariana Turia – made to the ANGOA Roundtable meeting on 11 March.
  In this speech, Minister Turia acknowledges receipt of Good Intentions - the assessment of the Statement of Government Intentions for an Improved Community-Government Relationship, and makes brief comment on some of the report’s recommendations.
  » Read the speech on the Beehive website
  » Read background on the review of the Statement of Government Intentions
  » Find out about attending future ANGOA roundtables or research forums at www.angoa.org.nz.

• Speech by the State Services Minister Tony Ryall to the State Services Policy Leaders Forum in February. This speech discusses the challenges of the world economic crisis as it will affect the New Zealand State sector, and outlines the new Government's objectives for improving public services provided to New Zealanders. 
  » Read the speech online.

• Grassroots Voices - prepared by the New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services.
  This report focuses on the experiences of family and whanau in receiving assistance from Christian social services and government agencies. It draws on interviews with 130 social service clients, 82 social workers and 33 social service agency CEOs.
  » Download Grassroots Voices.

• The Strategic Pay Not for Profit Sector Remuneration Survey is now underway.  The deadline for participation and submission of organisation data is 17 April 2009.  The survey report will provide valuable information to organisations in all parts of the not-for-profit sector as they negotiate funding contracts and consider the pay of their staff.  It will be useful to managers, boards of trustees and directors, and will assist them in responding to developments in the remuneration market or making submissions to funding bodies. A shorter version of the data-pack specifically for smaller organisations will also be available.
  » Find out more about participating in the survey or ordering the data, or contact David Shannon at David@strategicpay.co.nz or phone 09 303 4053.  

• KPMG's 8^th Biennial Fraud Survey 2008 provides a detailed insight into contemporary fraud issues in Australia and New Zealand.
  The findings in this report come from the responses to a questionnaire sent in August 2008 to a representative sample of Australia and New Zealand’s largest organisations across the public and private sectors. Gambling was the major driver of fraud and a significant number of the reported incidents of fraud involved some form of identity compromise.
  » Download the report or request a hard copy.

• Focus on Citizens: Public Engagement for Better Policy and Services
  - a report prepared by Joanne Caddy of the OECD Directorate for Public Governance and Territorial Development, Nov 2008.
  

  At the 2005 OECD Ministerial Meeting on Strengthening Trust in Government, Ministers agreed that governments need to do better at engaging with citizens if they are to build trust while designing and delivering better public policy and services. In response, a two-year cross-cutting project on Open and Inclusive Policy Making was launched in early 2007, which drew upon a wide range of expertise within the OECD Directorate for Public Governance and Territorial Development.
  

  The Focus on Citizens report offers ten Guiding Principles for Open and Inclusive Policy Making, together with original essays from 18 leading thinkers and practitioners, and 14 country case studies highlighting concrete experience, which complement the comparative information collected from a survey completed by 54 civil society organisations.
  

  Page 148 of this 245-page OECD report includes a case study of New Zealand’s online participation work, including the development of the Guide to Online Participation, which was created using a wiki hosted by the State Services Commission.
  » Download or view Focus on Citizens: Public Engagement for Better Policy and Services
  » Read more background and OECD guidance on Public Engagement
  » Read NZ’s Guide to Online Participation: When Government Engages
  » Visit NZ’s online participation wiki, and join the community of practice to stay informed about future developments
  » Explore the Good Practice Participate website offering guidance on engagement for New Zealand public servants.

• Delivering on the Promise of Non-Profits, Harvard Business Review, December 2008.
  This article suggest that to be truly effective, non-profits need to rigorously confront a few essential, interdependent questions: Which results will we hold ourselves accountable for?, How will we achieve them?, What will results really cost, and How can we fund them?
  » View an edited version of this article online.

• Report on Abuse of Charities for Money Laundering and Tax Evasion, OECD.
  Tax evasion and tax fraud through the abuse of charities is a serious and increasing risk in many countries, and some estimate that the abuse of charities costs their treasury many hundreds of millions of dollars. The vast majority of charities are legitimate but some may be targeted by criminals to launder the proceeds of tax crimes and other serious offences. This report describes the common methods of the abuse of charities in 19 countries, sets out the detection strategies that countries have adopted and compiles the red flag indicators that will help tax staff identify suspicious transactions when processing tax returns and carrying out audits.
  » Download this OECD report.

• Beyond the Checkbook: A Financial Management Guide for Leaders of Small Youth-Serving Organizations from the Finance Project, USA.
  » Download this guide from the Finance Project website.

• Real Help for Communities: Volunteers, charities and social enterprises - Office of the Third Sector, Cabinet Office, United Kingdom.
  This publication outlines the UK Government's action plan for £42.5 million of support for the third sector during the global economic downturn.
  » Download this report from the UK Office of the Third Sector.

• Volunteering and the State, The Institute for the Study of Labor (IZE), Bonn.
  This paper explores the capability of the state to affect the individual's decision to work for free - identifying three channels for crowding out of voluntary labor. Firstly, an increase in public social expenditure decreases the probability that the individual will volunteer (fiscal crowding out). Secondly, a political consensus between individuals and the government can induce volunteers to reduce their unsalaried activities (consensual crowding out). And finally, the more a government supports democratisation, the lower is the individual's engagement (participatory crowding out). Religiosity and a more unequal income distribution in a country increase individuals’ willingness to volunteer.
  » Read this IZE report.

• Volunteering as a route (back) to employment - Centre Europeen Volontariat General Assembly final conference report, Paris France, 2007.
  Good practice examples indicate that volunteering clearly plays an important role to develop peoples' potential in general and that it contributes to the improvement of self-esteem, including a feeling of usefulness, less solitude, a reduction in family tensions and the restoring of identity. Volunteering helps the creation of a personal network of support and, thus, of social capital. Volunteers develop competencies, and especially for young people, volunteering contributes in clarifying their career orientation. All these positive results of a volunteering experience may raise the employability of the volunteer.
  » Download this report from www.cev.be.

March (in New Zealand)

17 March: Closing date for submissions on NZ’s draft Human Rights Report.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, in consultation with other government agencies, the NZ Human Rights Commission and civil society groups working in the area of human rights, developed a draft report on New Zealand's human rights situation. The final report will be submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Council for review in May. 
» Read more on the MFAT website.

17 March: Meeting in Wellington to discuss establishing a New Zealand Chapter of IAP2 – 4:30 - 6pm, St Johns Bar, Cable Street – all welcome.
» Read about the International Association for Public Participation.

18 March: Forum on the single umbrella group for the disability sector – Parnell, Auckland.
An opportunity to consider the benefits of the proposed development to follow on from a discussion paper commissioned by a board composed of the Chairs of the NZ Federation of Vocational Support Services (VASS), National Residential Intellectual Disability Providers (NRID), Supported Living NZ (SLNZ) and the Association for Supported Employment in NZ (ASENZ), and authored by Jan Dowland.
» An executive summary of the discussion paper is on the Auckland Disability Providers Network website.

18-19 March: Philanthropy NZ & Community Trusts combined conference: Passion, Pragmatism, Possibilities – Wellington.
» Read more on the conference website.

18-20 March: National Maori Asthma and Respiratory Conference, Orakei Marae, Auckland.
A special conference for Maori and non-Maori nurses and other health professionals, hosted by the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation. 
» Late registrations possible, see the Asthma Foundation website for details.

19 March:  Social Marketing in Tough Times - A conversation with Professor Gerard Hastings in Wellington.
Gerard is Professor of Social Marketing at the University of Stirling and is Director of the Institute for Social Marketing and the Cancer Research UK Centre for Tobacco Control Research. This event has been organised by the Social Marketing Downunder network.
» Read more about the network at www.socialmarketing.co.nz

19-20 March:  Managing Difficult Conversations interactive workshop – Wellington.
Based on recent research at the Harvard Negotiation Project, this Conflict Management NZ Ltd workshop will focus on transforming difficult conversations into learning and problem solving opportunities.
» Read more at www.cmnz.co.nz.

19-20 March:  Skills to Make a Difference: The National Non-Profit Sector Conference – Napier.
» Find out more at www.nfpconference.co.nz

20 March:  Fundraising for Good course – Invercargill.
» For more details see www.foresee.co.nz   

20 March: IPANZ workshop with Inspiring Communities – Wellington.
Speakers Mark Cabaj (Tamarack Institute for Community Engagement, Canada) and Vaughan Payne (Opotiki District Council) will look at practical examples of central government, local government and others working together on economic development in a community of place.
» Find out more from the IPANZ website.

21 March:  Race Relations Day.
This year’s theme is People in Your Neighbourhood. Partners in the day include the Human Rights Commission, the Office of Ethnic Affairs, the NZ Federation of Ethnic Councils, WOMAD, The Media Counsel Ltd, local government and the British Council NZ, along with many other organisations throughout the country.
» See www.hrc.co.nz for more information.

23-24 March: Two-day Techniques in Effective Public Participation course delivered in Wellington by Pattillo. (Part of the IAP2 Certificate in Public Participation programme.)
» Find out more about Pattillo’s schedule of Certificate in Public Participation courses in Wellington and Auckland.

24 March:  ComVoices Parliamentary Breakfast hosted by the Minister for Social Development and Employment Paula Bennett, Beehive, Wellington. 
Guest speaker will be Mark Cabaj - a principal at the Tamarack Institute for Community Engagement and the Director for Vibrant Communities in Canada.  Mark will speak about Building stronger communities during economic change.
» Contact ComVoices to find out more about the parliamentary breakfast programme.

25 March: Maxim Institute lecture by Baroness Caroline Cox:What is at stake?: Why we need to value the foundations of Western civilisation– 6pm-7:30pm, Christchurch.
Baroness Cox will draw from her experiences in various countries to discuss why concepts like the rule of law, human dignity, civic and mutual responsibility, and equality are so vital to a strong and prosperous global society.
RSVP (by 20 March) to rsvp@maxim.org.nz or phone Summer Haycock on (09) 627 3261.

25 March: IPANZ seminar: 'Governance of NZ public and private sector boards: Some similarities and differences', Wellington.
Rob Greenfield (Governance Manager Agency Group, Ministry of Culture and Heritage) will cover some of the key factors that apply to any board and examine how these are applied to NZ Public Sector Boards. Recent headline-catching scenarios will be briefly discussed to demonstrate some of the similarities and differences with corporate governance in other sectors.
» Find out more or register for this event on the IPANZ website.

26 March: Expo for environmental community groups, presented by the Hamilton Environment Centre, in partnership with Trust Waikato (10am-5pm), at Hamilton Gardens.
The event will include workshops/presentations on topics such as writing and publicity with the media, greening your business, IRD status and the Charities Commission, funding advice, how to write a funding application, how to organise a community event, as well as a range of stalls.
» Visit www.envirocentre.org.nz to register for this free event.

26 March: Maxim Institute lecture by Baroness Caroline Cox:What is at stake?: Why we need to value the foundations of Western civilisation – 6pm-7:30pm, Auckland.
Baroness Cox will draw from her experiences in various countries to discuss why concepts like the rule of law, human dignity, civic and mutual responsibility, and equality are so vital to a strong and prosperous global society.
» RSVP (by 20 March) to rsvp@maxim.org.nz or phone Summer Haycock on (09) 627 3261.

28-29 March: Lifeline Hawkes Bay is running a Suicide Prevention Workshop in Napier.
The two-day workshop teaches skills to:
- recognise indicators of suicidal thinking
- effectively intervene and support a person at risk
- link a person to resources in the community.
» For further info or to book, contact Billie at Lifeline HB on 06 844 7008.

31 March: Consultation closes on the It’s More Than Talk discussion document.
» See story # 3 above for more details.

31 March: NZ Institute of Chartered Accountants Topical Update course for NFPs - Napier.
The course covers governance issues in the current environment, the five top tax points and issues for 2009, progress on the NZ IFRS and annual returns for the Charities Commission. Non-profit organisations can register at the special rate of $230 (just add the code “NFPSR” to your registration forms).  
» For more course info, go to www.nzica.com/courses and enter the key word: NFPs.  

April (in New Zealand) - NZICA course dates added after distribution

1 April: NZ Institute of Chartered Accountants Topical Update course for NFPs - Palmerston North.
The course covers governance issues in the current environment, the five top tax points and issues for 2009, progress on the NZ IFRS and annual returns for the Charities Commission. Non-profit organisations can register at the special rate of $230 (just add the code “NFPSR” to your registration forms).  
» For more course info, go to  www.nzica.com/courses and enter the key word: NFPs.  

1-2 April: OCVS Director, Alasdair Finnie to speak on Encouraging participation and promoting volunteering at the NZ Kindergarten Association's General Managers hui in Wellington on day two.
» www.nzkindergarten.org.nz

2 April: NZ Institute of Chartered Accountants Topical Update course for NFPs - Wellington.
The course covers governance issues in the current environment, the five top tax points and issues for 2009, progress on the NZ IFRS and annual returns for the Charities Commission. Non-profit organisations can register at the special rate of $230 (just add the code “NFPSR” to your registration forms).  
» For more course info, go to  www.nzica.com/courses and enter the key word: NFPs.  

3-5 April: The Royal NZ Foundation for the Blind’s Red Puppy Appeal needs volunteer collectors on these dates.
» Apply online at www.redpuppy.org.nz/  NOW!

6 April: NZ Institute of Chartered Accountants Topical Update course for NFPs - Hamilton.
The course covers governance issues in the current environment, the five top tax points and issues for 2009, progress on the NZ IFRS and annual returns for the Charities Commission. Non-profit organisations can register at the special rate of $230 (just add the code “NFPSR” to your registration forms).  
» For more course info, go to  www.nzica.com/courses and enter the key word: NFPs.  

7 April: NZ Institute of Chartered Accountants Topical Update course for NFPs - Auckland.
The course covers governance issues in the current environment, the five top tax points and issues for 2009, progress on the NZ IFRS and annual returns for the Charities Commission. Non-profit organisations can register at the special rate of $230 (just add the code “NFPSR” to your registration forms).  
» For more course info, go to  www.nzica.com/courses and enter the key word: NFPs.  

14-17 April:  6^th Performance Measurement Assn International Conference - Theory and Practice in Performance Measurement – University of Otago, Dunedin.
» Look here for more information on the conference.

15-18 April: Museums Aotearoa conference: Culture–Access–Innovation (MA09), Gisborne.
Exploring the challenges of making museum collections relevant and accessible to all audiences, MA09 will offer hands-on workshops, as well as keynote presentations and case studies. Curators, directors, educators, exhibition developers, collection managers, and registrars – anyone with an interest in engaging audiences through museum collections – are invited to Gisborne to share ideas and new approaches to museum programmes.
» For more information visit www.museums-aotearoa.org.nz or email mail@museums-aotearoa.org.nz

17 April:  Systems Thinking for Solving Complex Problems workshop - Duxton Hotel, Wellington.
Led by internationally renowned expert Professor Kambiz Maani, this half-day workshop will help you construct lasting and effective solutions to complex problems by taking account of:
- economic, environmental and social aspects of problems
- variables that underpin human behaviour – for example morale or fear
- relationships with other stakeholders.
» Further information about the workshop and systems thinking.

22 April: Good Practice Participate seminar presented by Vivien Twyford, IAP2.
» See story # 5 above.

24-26 April: Global Youth Service Day (GYSD).
This annual event celebrated in over 100 countries, highlights the contributions of youth to their communities through volunteer service.  During GYSD, youth around the world organise community service projects to address the needs of their local communities through service, to be recognised for their contributions, and to be a part of a global youth service movement.
» Find out more about GYSD.

27 April: IPANZ seminar:Improving Policy Analysis and Decision-making in the 21st Century – Wellington.
The speaker will be Yves Bourassa, Policy Manager from Environment Canada.
» Find out more from the IPANZ website.

28 April: NZ Institute of Chartered Accountants Topical Update course for NFPs - Christchurch.
The course covers governance issues in the current environment, the five top tax points and issues for 2009, progress on the NZ IFRS and annual returns for the Charities Commission. Non-profit organisations can register at the special rate of $230 (just add the code “NFPSR” to your registration forms).  
» For more course info, go to  www.nzica.com/courses and enter the key word: NFPs.  

29 April: NZ Institute of Chartered Accountants Topical Update course for NFPs - Dunedin.
The course covers governance issues in the current environment, the five top tax points and issues for 2009, progress on the NZ IFRS and annual returns for the Charities Commission. Non-profit organisations can register at the special rate of $230 (just add the code “NFPSR” to your registration forms).  
» For more course info, go to  www.nzica.com/courses and enter the key word: NFPs.  

29-30 April: Two-day Planning for Effective Public Participation course delivered in Wellington by Twyfords NZ. (Part of the IAP2 Certificate in Public Participation programme.)
» Find out more about Twyford NZ’s schedule of Certificate in Public Participation courses in Wellington.

30 April: NZ Institute of Chartered Accountants Topical Update course for NFPs - Invercargill.
The course covers governance issues in the current environment, the five top tax points and issues for 2009, progress on the NZ IFRS and annual returns for the Charities Commission. Non-profit organisations can register at the special rate of $230 (just add the code “NFPSR” to your registration forms).  
» For more course info, go to  www.nzica.com/courses and enter the key word: NFPs.  

May onwards (in New Zealand)

Various dates: The Institute of Directors (IOD) offers a range of professional development courses for board members. These include Not-for-profit governance essentials offered in several locations. The IOD also provides a range of services, including allowing not-for-profits to advertise their governance vacancies on the IOD website at no cost.
» Check out the 2009 IOD training calendar online.
» See the Institute of Directors governance presentation made at the Charities Commission AGM.

1 May: One-day Effective Communication for Public Participation course delivered in Wellington by Twyfords NZ. (Part of the IAP2 Certificate in Public Participation programme.)
» Find out more about Twyford NZ’s schedule of Certificate in Public Participation courses in Wellington.

29 May:  Good Practice in Action seminar – Wellington.
Focused on Collaboration and Complex Adaptive Systems. Featuring presentations by Work and Income’sLabour Market Development team from Northland and the Ministry of Defence.
» See story # 7 above.

14-20 June:  Volunteer Awareness Week – Do a world of good: Volunteer.
A4 and A3-sized posters and red balloons are available free of charge.
» e-mail your orders (amount you require and your mailing address) to Glennis at office@volunteeringnz.org.nz.

18 June: State Services Senior Leaders Development Conference at the Wellington Convention Centre (Town Hall and Michael Fowler Centre).
» Conference details are on the DevCon website.

30 June:  From silos to collaboration within organisations course starts at the Wellington Psychodrama Training Institute. 
» For more details, e-mail admin@wpti.org.nz or visit www.psychodrama.org.nz.

24-25 Sept:  3^rd Caring for the Carers Summit, Waipuna Conference Centre, Auckland.
Carers NZ will host this Summit, which will include an afternoon Work Life Care! workshop for employers, human resource managers, unions, support and government agencies, and carers. Scholarships for carers will be available.
» To register your interest for the Summit, please phone Sara at Far North (09) 406 0412, or email sara@carers.net.nz. 

28-29 Oct:  Volunteering Unleashed - Volunteering NZ national conference - Wellington Town Hall.
Themes are likely to include youth and baby boomer volunteering, and how best to co-ordinate and develop education and support for volunteer managers. The conference will gather various stakeholders from the community and voluntary sector, government and corporate in a number of workshops and panel discussions.
» Watch for further details on the VNZ website.

Overseas dates

• 11-13 May: Connecting Up: The Online future of the Nonprofits, Are we there yet?-  Sydney, Australia.
  Australia's national non-profit technology conference will share great stories about how organisations and communities have used technology.
  » Further details at www.connectingup.org/conference or www.connectingup.org/blogdoug.

• 26-29 Nov:  12th IAVE AsiaPacific Regional Volunteer Conference - Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
  Volunteerism as a Lifestyle for Social Solidarity is the theme of this regional International Association for Volunteer Effort (IAVE) conference, which will provide an opportunity for NGOs, governments, and the corporate sector to work together on issues such as volunteer participation in large-scale international events, corporate social responsibility, ICT use in volunteer programmes, diversity and community engagement.
  » Further information is at www.iave.org.

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