Issue 24 - 21 April 2009

At February's Impact on Communities: Managing the Downturn Together workshop in Wellington, participants acknowledged the need to work differently or face dire consequences from the economic downturn.

The gains to be made from greater collaboration, shared services and training, strategic partnerships, possible mergers, diversifying income sources, better evidence and understanding, and proving effectiveness were some of the ideas discussed.

While local communities and groups of agencies progress their own initiatives and activities, the workshop organisers (Philanthropy NZ, NZ Federation of Voluntary Welfare Organisations and the OCVS) considered what we could do next to help support the community sector during these difficult times. 

As a result of these discussions, a new section has been created on the OCVS website to offer some guidance in key areas. Information is currently grouped under the following headings, but these are open to change based on your feedback and input:

• General guidance
• Collaborating - working together
• Improving productivity
• Diversifying income sources and managing costs
• Measuring what matters - to prove (and improve) effectiveness

Included in the many links on the page is the Recession Support website, developed by ACEVO in the United Kingdom.  The site includes articles by experts in a range of fields, and practical advice on surviving and leading through the recession. Although developed for the UK, many of the ideas and articles will provide New Zealand NGOs with food for thought.

New links and resources will be added to the OCVS site based on your ideas and recommendations from the community sector.

» Visit the new web page on the OCVS site

» Learn ways to improve your organisation’s productivity – boost your management skills and work smarter.

While focused on providing ideas for community organisations, the new page on the OCVS site also suggests ways funders and government agencies can make life easier for NGOs. 

While some of the ideas may seem obvious or common courtesy, they are a timely reminder of the importance of strong relationships and open communication during difficult times.  The value of knowing which activities are really making a difference also shines through the advice.

If you have ideas to share or experiences to tell about, please send them through to us at ocvs@msd.govt.nz or phone a friendly contact at the OCVS, Philanthropy NZ or the NZ Federation of Voluntary Welfare Organisations.

Our three organisations will continue to explore other ways to support the community sector during the recession, as we are very aware that the issues facing the sector will not be addressed in a single workstream or piece of work. In a very busy two months since the workshop, each organisation has picked up the issues in different ways:

• Many themes were reiterated at the recent Philanthropy NZ conference, including general recognition of the value of increased collaboration, and a panel about evaluation.
• NZFVWO, with other umbrella groups, is involved in several conversations about working together – such as a recent workshop with national social service providers about a shared vision and sense of direction for the sector.
• OCVS and Philanthropy NZ are planning a further series of regional forums for funders later this year, which will work on several of these themes in their areas.

At this time of considerable uncertainly, it is extremely useful to come together to swap information and develop a shared sense of direction and purpose. We are currently developing our thinking in two other directions: providing any support we can for local workshops and sharing further useful material such as how-to guides, case studies and articles. We invite you to contact Iris Webster on Iris.Webster002@msd.govt.nz if you have material that could be of value to others or want to discuss local issues.

» Visit the new web page on the OCVS site.

The Association of Non-Government Organisations of Aotearoa (ANGOA)has completed its review of the Statement of Government Intentions for an Improved Community-Government Relationship, and presented a report on its finding to the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector, the Hon. Tariana Turia. 

Good Intentions - An Assessment of the Statement of Government Intentions for an Improved Community-Government Relationship includes 15 recommendations for the Minister to consider, including formalising the way the Statement is implemented by individual government agencies, developing an evaluation process to measure progress, and reviewing the resources, effectiveness  and location of the OCVS.

» Download the ‘Good Intentions’ report from the ANGOA website

» Download the associated literature review from the ANGOA website

» View the Statement of Government Intentions for an Improved Community-Government Relationship

» Read the speech by Minister Turia at the ANGOA Roundtable in March, where she acknowledged receipt of the Good Intentions report

» Read background on the review of the Statement of Government Intentions.

Consultation on It's More Than Talk ended on 31 March 2009. It’s More Than Talk was the discussion document from the Building Better Government Engagement (BBGE) project reference group.  It included options for building engagement skills, knowledge and values in the public service.

The BBGE work looks closely at ways that the Government and government agencies can better engage with, and involve, the community and voluntary sector. It also acknowledges the wider role of citizen input to policy decisions, in recognition that it is not always sufficient to engage with community organisations when seeking a community’s voice.

The OCVS and the BBGE reference group organised discussion groups in Waitakere, Auckland, Hamilton, Christchurch and Wellington, which attracted diverse people and resulted in robust discussion.

Full analysis of the feedback from the workshops, the formal submissions and the Bang the Table online discussion is just commencing. These include a number of new ideas and different perspectives on issues – just what was wanted from the consultation process! The discussion document has generally been well received, with broad agreement that effective external relationships and partnerships are essential for achieving sustainable outcomes.

The BBGE feedback includes some areas of similarity with ANGOA’s review of the Statement of Government Intentions for an Improved Community-Government Relationship. Both projects include proposals around:

• a Ministerial/Prime Minister-level commitment to effective community-government relationships
• commitment from government agencies through accountability documents
• evaluation processes to test the effectiveness of government agencies’ relationships.

The BBGE work differs from the ANGOA review in that it provides in-depth analysis around a specific facet of the community-government relationship, and does not address other aspects such as funding processes.

Feedback will be reviewed by the BBGE reference group, and the OCVS will then report the findings to the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector with recommendations on next steps, taking into account the content of the ANGOA report also.  A BBGE report will be compiled and released at a future date.

» Read more about the Building Better Government Engagement project 

» Explore the range of ways you can already participate in New Zealand’s democracy and decision-making processes.

The 11th Good Practice in Action seminar hosted by the OCVS will be on Friday, 29 May at the Wellington Overseas Terminal.

The May seminar will feature a case study from Jim Olson, Director Strategy and Capability Analysis at the Ministry of Defence, and a presentation from the Ministry of Social Development's Northland Labour Market Development team, which revisits a GPIA case study from 2006 focused on collaboration to achieve long-term employment outcomes.

GPIA seminars enable public servants to share experience and learn from each other.  There is no registration fee and bookings are on a first-come basis. Seminars are about information-sharing, results-based learning, and acquiring knowledge and expertise built on the good practice of others.

Come along and be challenged by the world of new possibilities - dimensions such as non-adaptive vs. adaptive; simple vs. complex; and predictable vs. chaotic. Listen to community members talk about the triumphs, the pitfalls and the experiences of being a catalyst in their community’s destination.

» Book today!   e-mail iris.webster002@msd.govt.nz

» Read more about this forthcoming seminar

» Read notes and view presentations from previous GPIA seminars.

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.

When the Promoting Generosity project began back in September 2007, it sparked the interest of a select group of people and organisations mainly already involved in donating, fund-raising, volunteering or giving.  Since then, as our collective knowledge about giving behaviours in New Zealand has grown and data on the importance of the community sector has been promulgated, the number and variety of people with opinions on giving has grown.

In recent weeks, we’ve seen statements from the Prime Minister and Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector encouraging Kiwis to donate and get more involved in their communities. These produced diverse responses from a range of quarters – with some welcoming the comments and others suggesting ulterior motives.  Headlines about giving have even appeared in hard-nosed, business publications such as The Independent. 

As the Promoting Generosity project progresses and explores the subject of generosity in greater depth through its discussion paper series, others too are examining what it means to give and why we do it.

In response to an ideological debate in the media, that used terms such as "Dickensian", "paternalistic" and an "American-style" philanthropic culture; and suggested that more charity may lead to less government assistance, Real Issues #338 from The Maxim Institute made the point that “we still need and always will need, other people”:

“An omnipresent state cannot lean over the back fence, babysit the kids, or leave some food on the back doorstep. A government cannot listen or give in the same way a person can. Far from being degrading or patronising, charity is an expression of human caritas—the root word for charity, meaning common humanity, interdependence, solidarity and love. We give to our neighbours and our neighbours give to us. Encouraging people to give is not a degrading return to the aristocracy. Neither is it a slash-and-burn of the social safety net. It is an investment in something more basic still - our social fabric.”  

To see more about what people are thinking and saying about giving, check the following links:

» Read the Focus on Generosity Paper 2: What value do we place on generosity?

» Learn more about the Promoting Generosity project

» Download Mahi Aroha: Maori perspectives on volunteering and cultural obligations

» See recent Ministerial statements on giving

» Read Maxim’s full article from Real Issues # 338.

The annual celebration of volunteering is just weeks away, with Volunteer Awareness Week (VAW) scheduled for 14-20 June.

VAW provides New Zealanders with a chance to acknowledge the excellent work done by our many volunteers, and discover opportunities to get involved in their communities.

Volunteering NZ is continuing its role of compiling a list of activities planned for communities around the country and building awareness of the week.  It is also distributing free VAW posters and balloons produced in conjunction with the OCVS.

The focus of the week this year is youth – to recognise the long-term (often life-long) benefits of early involvement in community work, and celebrate the positive contributions young people are already making on their marae, in their communities and to society. In the midst of a recession, so it is timely for communities to realise (and recognise) how vital all volunteers are to keeping many services and activities going.  For those who lose paid jobs, volunteering will offer an opportunity to keep connected with their communities and maintain their skills or learn new ones, while also making an important contribution.  So, do a world of good – volunteer.

» Order free posters or balloons from VNZ

» Tell Volunteering NZ about your planned VAW activities

» Find a volunteering opportunity online at the Volunteer Now website

» See a list of ideas for government agencies to mark Volunteer Awareness Week.

The introduction of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) is having an impact on charities that accept credit card donations. The PCI DSS were developed by the major credit card companies as international standards that set highly detailed requirements for merchants and retailers that accept payment cards such as Amex and Visa.  They are intended to help prevent credit card fraud and various other security threats.

An organisation processing, storing, or transmitting payment card data must be PCI DSS compliant or risk losing their ability to process credit card payments.  With the first round of compliance deadlines now past, a flurry of activity has cascaded across the business world. Implementation of the standards initially focused on those merchants with the highest levels of credit card transactions, but now attention is turning to those with lower levels, which includes some charities.

Rather than develop compliance processes of their own, a number of New Zealand charities are choosing to use third party providers to handle credit card donations on their behalf, while others are still trying to get to grips with the changes. Others are ensuring they do not store credit card information and are deleting or destroying details after a one-off transaction, but will still have to complete regular questionnaires. 

Charities that accept credit card payments should talk to their bank to find out more, or visit the links below.

» Read about the PCI DSS on the PCI Security Standards Council website

» Read about capturing credit card details online

» See PCI DSS guidance from a bank and a third party provider.

The Police Prosecution Service (PPS) is seeking applications from organisations that help reduce crime and crashes, to be considered to receive donations from individuals under the Police Adult Diversion Scheme. This is an annual application process and fresh applications to become an ‘approved group’ need to be made for the 2009/10 financial year.  

Applications from not-for-profit organisations are due by 1 May 2009. Applicants need to demonstrate how they contribute to one or more of the following:

• drug and alcohol reduction
• prevention of violence in the home and street, including sexual violence
• positively influencing children and young people who demonstrate "at risk behaviour"
• reducing offending by Maori
• reducing victimisation
• reducing organised crime
• changing behaviour on our roads.

Each district will consider applications received from organisations that provide services or programmes within their district.

» Detailed information about the application process is available on the Police website at:
www.police.govt.nz/service/diversion/donations.html.

• Inland Revenue has produced a one-page summary about the recent donation tax credit changes to inform donee organisations.
  » Download this guide for donee organisations
  » Read more about tax credit changes

• The Policy Quarterly (Vol. 5 No. 1) has several articles on the recession, including articles by Michael Fletcher, Brian Easton and Robert Stephens.
  » Read this issue at http://ips.ac.nz/publications/publications/show/256.

• Subscribe to five electronic newsletters updating you on New Zealand’s community sector all in one place at CommunityCentral.  The updates include news from the ANGOA Roundtable, the CommunityCentral Update, ManaMahi, the NZCOSS Network News  and the VNZ Update from Volunteering New Zealand.
  » Go online now at http://communitycentral.org.nz/e-newsletters.

• Ministry of Health – Health and Disability NGO Sector email update.
  If you are interested in what is going on within the health and disability sector, or want to share information about your organisation with the sector and with people across the Ministry of Health, then subscribe to the Ministry of Health – Health and Disability NGO sector email update.
  » E-mail your contact details to Caroline at ngo@moh.govt.nz
  » Find out about the Health and Disability NGO Working Group at www.ngo.health.govt.nz.

• Electoral Finance Reform website highlights opportunities for public input.
  The Ministry of Justice’s review programme will focus on the way election campaigns are carried out and how they are funded. The Review involves all parliamentary parties and the public so that a durable electoral finance regime can be put in place before the 2011 general election. The website includes the timeframes, background information and papers, and advice about how to make a submission. The first step in the process will be the release of an Issues Paper in May.
  » Visit the Electoral Finance Reform website.

• In March, the Minister of State Services announced a cap on core government administration and pledged better performance.
  Mr Ryall said “the cap does not include Work & Income and Child, Youth & Family in the Ministry of Social Development because we anticipate their services may be increasingly needed by a growing number of people affected by the recession.”
  » Read the 26 March 2009 statement from the Minister.

• National Conversation on Work initiated by the Human Rights Commission to explore issues of fairness in the workplace.
  » Visit www.haveyoursayaboutwork.org.nz to comment, complete the survey or find out about regional meetings.

• Is redundancy the most effective way to reduce employment costs?
  From a macroeconomic perspective, job and income losses will only worsen the economy. From the perspective of a struggling employer facing decreased customer interest, this may seem academic. With unemployment predicted to rise, there are two key reasons to keep redundancy as your very last tactic.
  » Read this article from the Feb 2009 Higbee Schaffler Strategic Pay e-newsletter.

• A Generous Difference - some thoughts on philanthropy and social innovation by Vivian Hutchinson, based on his recent presentation at the Philanthropy NZ 2009 Conference.
  The Great Depression of the 1930s was one of the most fertile periods in Western history for social innovation ... and our current economic crisis will no doubt demand just as much creativity and innovation from all of us. This paper looks at what social innovation is, and discusses the key role that philanthropy can play in fostering fresh thinking and action on our country’s social challenges.
  » Download a PDF of the paper
  » View the paper online
  » See who else presented at the Philanthropy NZ 2009 Conference in March.

• Community Strategic Planning/Visioning Process produced by Futures Thinking Aotearoa (the NZ Futures Trust).
  This document helps communities identify important issues when preparing their plans for the future.
  » Download this from the local government website.

• Developing A Wellington Regional Strategy compiled by Futures Thinking Aotearoa. Read about work to refine the process communities use to develop robust Long Term Council Community Plans (LTCCP) for their regiond. The aim is to create a resource to assist communities and local bodies in this task.
  » Download this from the local government website.

• Undertaking Child Impact Assessments in Aotearoa New ZealandLocal Authorities: Evidence, practice, ideas by Nic Mason and Kirsten Hanna, Institute of Public Policy, AUT University. Commissioned by the Office of the Children’s Commissioner, and supported by UNICEF NZ.
  Under-20-year-olds comprise nearly 30% of the total population, yet their interests are seldom considered by decision-makers. Using a Child Impact Assessment approach involves assessing a proposed policy, decision or activity to determine its likely impact on children.
  » This report explains why and how to make this approach happen in local councils.

• A new edition of the NZ Police’s A Practical Reference to Religious Diversity was launched to mark Race Relations Day in March. The guide contains updated material on various faiths and religious practices in New Zealand and includes the national Statement on Religious Diversity, which sets out some basic human rights principles about religious diversity.
  » The new version will be on the NZ Police website shortly at www.police.govt.nz.

• New website for cultural well-being information.
  The Ministry for Culture and Heritage (MCH) defines cultural well-being as "the vitality that communities and individuals enjoy through participation in recreation, creative and cultural activities and the freedom to retain, interpret and express their arts, history, heritage and traditions.”
  » Visit the website at www.culturalwellbeing.govt.nz

• New Zealanders and the arts: Attitudes, attendance and participation in 2008.
  The key trends in attitudes to the arts over the last three years (since Creative NZ’s 2005 research) find that New Zealanders’ identity is closely linked with the arts. When asked about this, 79% of adults aged 15 years and over said the arts help define who we are as New Zealanders (up from 75% in 2005); 79% agreed that the arts should receive public funding (up from 77% in 2005) and 72% of New Zealanders say that the arts are ‘for people like me’ (up from 67% in 2005).
  The survey highlights an increased attendance in the arts among Māori and Pacific peoples. In total, 88% of Māori and 86% Pacific peoples attended at least one arts event in the past 12 months compared to the national average of 86%. Higher than average participation by the same group remains consistent with the 2005 survey.
  » Read more about the research online.

• Recession Support website assisting third sector organisations during the recession – United Kingdom.
  » See story # 1 above and visit the site online at www.recessionsupport.org.uk.

• Grantmakers Describe the Impact of the Economic Crisis on Their Giving, the Foundation Center, USA.
  Part of an ongoing research series intended to shed light on the impact of the economic downturn on the nonprofit sector.
  » Read the research online at http://foundationcenter.org/research_update/.

• Growing membership in a recession – a presentation by Tony Rossell, USA.
  Discover the four key areas of expertise you and your organisation need for membership growth.
  » View the webinar presentation on the Membership Marketing Blog.

• 3 reasons why you should have a twenty something on your board
  A blogspot from the Not-for-Profit Network News.
  » Read the blog online.

• Ten Strategies for Engaging Generation Y in the Nonprofit Workplace.
  A blogspot from the Not-for-Profit Network News.
  » Read the blog online.

• Move over 4 Ps, it’s time for the 4 Rs, by David Kinard, USA.
  In this blog, David suggests that relationships, returns, relevance and responsiveness are more important to cause-related organisations than the traditional marketing mix of product, price, place, and promotion.
  » Read the blog online
  » Subscribe to Australia’s Not-for-Profit Network News where we heard about these blogs.

April (in New Zealand)

22 April:   Good Practice Participate seminar presented by Vivien Twyford, IAP2.
» See OCVS website for details.

23 April:   ANGOA research forum – Auckland.
» Find out more online at www.angoa.org.nz.

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:   Governance for Aucklandconference: What the Royal Commission Report means for you, AUT Conference Centre, Auckland.
» Visit www.ipp.org.nz for more details.

28 April:   Social Services – National Organisations present their models of in-house training, Wellington.
Organised by the Social Services ITO, presentations will outline training systems and programmes - design and development, structure and resources. Featuring NZ Federation of Family Budgeting Services, Royal NZ Plunket Society and the National Collective of Independent Women’s Refuges. An update on the project to map different programmes against unit standards in social service national qualifications will also be included.
» More details from Jac Lynch, jac.lynch@tkaito.co.nz or ph 04 915 7711.

29 April:   Auckland’s governance reforms: how far will the ripples spread? workshop. Te Papa, Wellington.
Featuring Prof. Robin Hambleton, Professor of City Leadership, University of the West of England.
» To register, contact Robin Hannah on (09) 921 9999 ext. 6589, email: robin.hannah@aut.ac.nz or visit www.ipp.org.nz.

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.

May (in New Zealand)

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.

3-9 May:   Privacy Awareness Week
» Find out more at http://www.privacy.org.nz/privacy-awareness-week/.

4 May:   Red Cross Breakfast in Schools – Breakfast Champions awards announced.
Two years on from the programme’s launch, the Red Cross Breakfast in Schools programme is operating in 46 decile one primary schools throughout the country. On average, 1,400 healthy breakfasts consisting of cereal, milk, toast, spreads and a hot drink are served to hungry children every morning before school. The Breakfast Champion awards will recognise the commitment, hard work and contribution volunteers have made and continue to make to the programme.
» Read more at www.redcross.org.nz. 

4-5 May:  The annual ALGIM Web Symposium for website, online services and communication teams in the public sector (local and central government), Wellington.
ALGIM is the Association of Local Government Information Management Inc. This event will feature case studies and workshops from across the public sector on e-democracy, social media, website marketing and information architecture. Plus panel discussions on content management systems and website statistics and reporting, and the annual web awards and evaluation results.
» Find out more from the Government Technology Services website at http://gts.ssc.govt.nz./algim-web-symposium/.

5 May:  Sensible Sensors, Technology and Privacy Forum organised by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner - Wellington.  (10am-noon)
The forum will look at sensor technology, including RFID tags, nano-sensors, and the implications of collecting and storing information from sensors.  Collected data collected can be about identity or even about human behaviour. The technology is getting smaller and smarter, and we’re beginning to find sensors ‘everywhere’. How will these new technologies affect our Privacy?
» To find out more about this event, or to register, email amir.shrestha@privacy.org.nz.

6 May:  Sensible Sensors, Technology and Privacy Forum organised by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner - Auckland.  (10am-noon)
The forum will look at sensor technology, including RFID tags, nano-sensors, and the implications of collecting and storing information from sensors.  Collected data collected can be about identity or even about human behaviour. The technology is getting smaller and smarter, and we’re beginning to find sensors ‘everywhere’. How will these new technologies affect our Privacy?
» To find out more about this event, or to register, email amir.shrestha@privacy.org.nz.

6 May - end of June:  Safekids campaign workshops:  Child injury prevention workshops - around New Zealand.
These free half-day workshops will introduce the themes of the 2009/2010 Campaign - Motor Vehicle Child Passenger Safety and the prevention of Cutting & Piercing Injuries.
» To find out about a workshop in your area, contact your Safekids coalition leader or visit the Safekids website.

7 May:   Workplace Wellbeing workshop: Working for Effective Employment Relationships, Hawera.
» For more info, contact Deirdre Nagle – Bishops Action Foundation. Ph 06 759 1158 or email actionfoundation@xtra.co.nz.

7 May:  IAP2 Wellington Regional Group meeting - at Wgtn City Council meeting rooms (assemble in foyer, 101 Wakefield St).
Presentations on participation from 5:30pm-7:30pm. Cost $20.
» RSVP and enquiries to nznorth@iap2.org.nz or visit www.iap2.org.au for more information.

8 May:   Workplace Wellbeing workshop: Working for Effective Employment Relationships, New Plymouth.
» For more info, contact Deirdre Nagle – Bishops Action Foundation. Ph 06 759 1158 or email actionfoundation@xtra.co.nz.

12 May:   ESOL Home Tutors Parliamentary Breakfast, Wellington.
Guest speaker Philippe Legrain will speak about: The economic benefits of diversity. A Visiting Fellow at the European Institute of the London School of Economics, Mr Legrain is the author of, ‘Open World: The Truth About Globalization’, which advises readers on how the opportunities generated by the reality of a globalised world can be utilised. Mr Legrain’s second book, ‘Immigrants: Your Country Needs Them’, discusses the inevitability of migration and argues that there are benefits that migrants, with their diversity, add to their country of choice. 
» Find out more from ComVoices, email rsvp@ideasshop.co.nz.

12 May:   ME Awareness Day.
ME (Myalgic Encephalopathy) is a debilitating disease that can affect  anyone. In New Zealand, it is estimated that there are around 20,000 sufferers.
» Find out more at www.anzmes.org.nz/.

13 May:   ANGOA monthly roundtable meeting – Wellington.
» Find out more online at www.angoa.org.nz.

20 May:   360 Degree View Not-for-Profit Training Day – Christchurch.
A great value full-day programme organised by the Fundraising Institute of NZ. $75 per registration.
» Find out more www.finz.org.nz/360-Degrees or phone Kim Blazey on 03 327 3415.

20-22 May:   GOVIS Conference 2009, Wellington Town Hall, Wellington.
The theme for the conference is User-centred Government: More than meets the eye.
The conference will explore how to shift to a State Services system that can work flexibly and effectively in networked ways across organisational boundaries, and develop more tailored and personalised services and policies by working innovatively with communities of interest in the design, development and delivery stages.
» Find out more online at http://gts.ssc.govt.nz./govis-conf/

22 May:   Workplace Wellbeing workshop: Working for Effective Employment Relationships, Masterton.
» For more info, contact Peter McNeur – Wairarapa REAP. Ph 06 377 1379 or email peter.mcneur@waireap.org.nz

23-31 May: Youth Week: Make time for youth.
» Find out more at www.youthweek.co.nz.

27 May:   ANGOA research forum – Wellington.
» Find out more online at www.angoa.org.nz.

29 May:   Good Practice in Action seminar – Wellington.
Focused on Collaboration and Complex Adaptive Systems and featuring presentations by Work and Income’sNorthland Labour Market Development team and the Ministry of Defence.
» See story # 5 above.

June (in New Zealand)

10 June:   ANGOA monthly roundtable meeting – Wellington.
» Find out more online at www.angoa.org.nz.

12 June:   Workplace Wellbeing workshop: Working for Effective Employment Relationships, Tauranga
» For more info, contact Beverley Rudd - Tauranga Volunteer Centre. Ph 07 571 3743 or email mgr.volunteerwbop@xtra.co.nz

12 June:  Good Practice Participate seminar # 4 presented by Trish Hall – Wellington.
» Watch for more details of this 90-minute OCVS event soon.

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.

24 June:   Matariki – the Aotearoa Pacific New Year.
Matariki celebrates the diversity of life. It's a celebration of culture, language, spirit and people. In the Far North, Matariki Muriwhenua 2009 will be a month-long festival. As part of this celebration they are profiling the wonderful work done by volunteers, essential in isolated, rural communities. The campaign will leverage off Matariki and is named ‘Volunteers are Stars’. Gold stars (with this text) can be bought (with a small donation) at any of the six local banks.
» Look online to learn more about Matariki around Aotearoa
» Contact Advance Northland Tourism for more info about Matariki Muriwhenua.

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.

The rest of 2009 (in New Zealand)

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, phone Sara in the 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.

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.

International events

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.

9 July:    Giving and Volunteering Research Conference 2009, Amsterdam.
The Department of Philanthropic Studies at VU University, Amsterdam is hosting this conference to foster co-operation and the exchange of ideas between academic researchers and practitioners from the philanthropic sector.  Paper proposals are due by 1 May, with full papers due by 25 June 2009.
» If you are interested in presenting a paper, contact r.bekkers@fsw.vu.nz or read more about the conference online at www.ngopulse.org or www.giving.nl/.

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.

If you do not want to receive any further email updates from the Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector, please reply to this email with ‘unsubscribe’ in the subject line, or e-mail ocvs@msd.govt.nz.

If you wish to be added to the Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector distribution list for this e-newsletter and other regular communications, send an email to ocvs@msd.govt.nz with your name and postal address.

The Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector exists to inspire co-operation and superb relationships between the government and the community and voluntary sector. You can find out more about the OCVS on our website: www.ocvs.govt.nz, by email at: ocvs@msd.govt.nz, phone: 04 918 9555, or by fax: 04 913 3080.

Reproduction: You are welcome to reprint, forward or publish stories from this e-newsletter to raise awareness of the topics covered. Acknowledgement of OCVS as the source would be appreciated. (Any queries to ocvs@msd.govt.nz)