2017, Issue 4

31 December

Volunteer tribune

XMAS CARD 2017 1

VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR

NETWORK ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS

2—3

MEMBERS’ CORNER 3

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 4—5

GOOD NEWS STORIES 6

VITAL STATISTICS 7

XMAS PARTY 8—9

STAFF ANTICS & ANTIQUES 10

Inside this issue:

FNQ Volunteers Inc. Mission Statement is to develop and strengthen volunteering in Far North Queensland

for the mutual benefit of the individual and the community.

The VCNEM was held on18 Oct 2017. Attending Members were: Leukaemia Foundation (Annette Jarrett), CentaCare (Yvonne Petrusma), St John’s Community Care (Vanessa Maladakis), Aust. Red Cross (Javier Suarez & Linda Morton), and The Pyjama Foundation (Liz Jorgensen). Attending FNQVI Staff were: Oni (Services Coordinator), Loani (RO), Cathy (RO), Maria (Receptionist), Sandra (Receptionist), Evelyn (Membership)

Summary of Discussion

1. Welcome and

introduction to

members

Oni Vuniyaro opened

meeting with a warm

welcome to all VCNEM invitees.

2. VEXPO 2018 update

a) Oni invited all to meet, discuss

and explore ideas for VEXPO for

next year 2018. First workshop

will be in February 2018 and all to

be informed once date confirmed.

b) VEXPO date has been set for

Sunday, 29th July 2018 at TANKS.

c) VEXPO partnering was

discussed and clarified re

approaching Cairns Regional

Council to co-partner with.

d) Annette advised to contact

Anita Plos at TAFE North and get

2-3x volunteer students in the

Events & Management courses to

assist co-ordinating with FNQ

Volunteer staff (Loani to make

contact)

3. Volunteer management

challenges

a) Discussed new volunteer

standards.

b) Oni informed that the VCN

toolkit developed by Brie has not

progressed as anticipated. Have

to find and pursue further. All

members have not viewed, only

Annette and Ann received toolkit.

c) Annette suggested for all

members to make an

appointment at FNQ Volunteers

office and look over toolkit and

pick out documents suitable to

them. Yvonne stated all members

are different and some may have

consistent documents in place.

d) Mentoring on ‘how to

interview standards’; how to say

no.

e) Annette advised to look at the

signupgenius.com website and

utilise with volunteering in

general and events. It has tutorial

videos, quicker communication

and saves time doing roosters.

The administrator can change

details and has access to days,

time, slots and comment sections.

All volunteers signed can access,

view and select volunteer

positions and times that suits

them online.

4. Other issues

• Important to make sure

company liability and

volunteer insurance

current, registration and

standards followed.

• Incident reporting steps

refresher

• Volunteers can be put off

by lots of paperwork

involved in process.

• Difficult to keep

volunteers when it’s not

busy who have been trained.

• Australian Red Cross (Javier) has

offered Wellbeing Centre as

venue for next VCNEM.

Meeting closed at 12:30pm

Next venue at Red Cross February

2018, date TBA.

P A G E 2

P A G E 3

Marlin Coast Neighbourhood Centre Newsletter: Read more...

Cafnec needs a

FINANCE ASSISTANT #1870

Someone who is skilled with MYOB, but is qualified in

accounting procedures and general admin duties

5 hrs / week

Contact FNQVI on

4041 7400 for referral

The Feast of the Senses is North

Queensland’s premier tropical

fruit event! Showcasing our

amazing variety of exotic tropical

fruits and produce it is like no

other festival in Australia and is

truly a feast for all of your senses.

Contact FNQ Volunteers

for referral on

4041 7400

Volunteer required

until end of March ‘18

Gen. Office Assistant

# 1072

START MID JAN 2018

ADMIN INCL. COMPUTER

WORK, PHONE ANSWERING,

SOME LIGHT LIFTING,

BOOKING TICKETS ONLINE,

PHOTOCOPY, COUNTER

ENQUIRIES & TICKET SALES

A teacher from TAFE Queensland North approached FNQ Volunteers to give a presentation on 1st Nov 2017 to new immigrant and NQ Indigenous students. The first presentation was so successful, a second presentation was arranged for International Volunteers Day 5th November 2017.

At the first presentation students were asked what they thought volunteering was about. To some of the represented cultures, volunteering is a new aspect the students had not encountered before. Both presentation s included slides about FNQ Volunteers’ functions, it’s Members, & the referral process.

The Australian Red Cross participated in the 2nd presentation. Javier (Life Skills Officer) presented an interesting short video on how the Red Cross started and talked about the humanitarian side of Red

Cross and the community work they do here in Cairns.

All the students and teachers enhanced the discussion with their feedback. Cathy (Referral Officer from FNQVI) explained how volunteering can help with life, work & skills. Loani (Referral Officer from FNQVI) spoke more about the referral process, what information is collected & then spoke further on the various roles that FNQVI has available.

TAFE Teacher Margaret Parker thanked the presenters for their time in assisting the students to integrate into the cultural aspects of life in the Cairns Community.

P A G E 4 V O L U N T E E R T R I B U N E

Wed 1st Nov ‘17: Services Coordinator Oni & two Referral Officers (Loani & Cathy

not pictured above) gave a presentation to new students at TAFE Queensland

North on the concepts & aspects of volunteering. (Photo: FNQVI)

International Volunteers Day 5th Dec ‘17: Represented were Javier (Australian Red Cross

Wellbeing Center Cairns). TAFE students & teachers, Cathy (FNQVI Referral Officer) & Oni

(FNQVI Services Coordinator standing). (Photo FNQVI)

P A G E 5 V O L U N T E E R T R I B U N E

Rosemary from FNQVI filled the group in on FNQ Volunteers’ role in the

community. After the presentations, refreshments were served.

————————————————————||———————————————————————

29th Nov ‘17—The Friendship Moring at St John’s Community Care

Redlynch Parish Hall, Rosemary assisted with decorating the Live

Christmas Tree. There was a competition to see who could do the best

Ho-Ho-Ho.

Rosemary was introduced to everyone and left 18 pamphlets at the main

office for information about FNQVI.

There was a of food there and the participants were very interested in

that.

Sharron the MC was doing Jokes from readings from the bon-bons.

The children sang Jingle Bells amongst other favourites

Vic Shaw sang Christmas Carols.

A volunteer from FNQVI — Liz P— was there with her mum.

Everyone had a great time.

28th Nov ‘17: At the Red Cross Volunteer Information Day, Javier spoke

about the importance of volunteers because they come from a vast

representative number of the population. Volunteering is no longer

doing just the op shop, or cutting up rags– it now involves a lot more.

Guest Speaker DJ Cronin said volunteering involves a lot of skills like

good communication, good listening , empathy and sympathy.

He explained the difference between— empathy (a connection with

person); and sympathy (more of a disconnect from a person). He

showed videos on the two states, and on volunteering. It was very

interesting.

P A G E 6 V O L U N T E E R T R I B U N E

Volunteer Good

News Stories

Another of FNQ Volunteers staff has

found work. Dyanne was volunteering at

the new Mulgrave Road premises, but is

now working in Central Shopping Centre

part-time.

Several other volunteers are on part-time

or full-time courses with providers to

improve their skill levels.

Reported in the Sept newsletter, Cristina

P. now has a second job working at the

Good Guys selling coffee machines. Sheer

tenacity and a constant desire to create

opportunity for her young family has put

Cristina in this enviable position.

LOCAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT Cairns Regional Council's Disaster Management

Unit provides administrative, financial and

operational support to:

The Local Disaster Management Group -

Cairns Region (LDMG)

The Local Disaster Coordination Centre

The Queensland State Emergency

Service (SES)

Staff from the Disaster Management Unit work

directly with communities to help support their

capability during disasters.

Connecting with the LDMG, FNQ Volunteers has

capacity to facilitate the supply of volunteers to

the LDMG in the event of an emergency.

We do this by simply keeping a register of

volunteers who can be contacted in the event of

an emergency.

If you would like to participate in this register

Click Here

“Take some time to give back with the guidance of FNQ Volunteers. When you want to help but don't know where to start, start here.”

...a Volunteer from Cairns...

DATE CLAIMERS 2018

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

JCU MARKET DAY—WED 18TH FEB

NATIONAL VOLUNTEERS WEEK—

21-27 May

FNQVI VEXPO - SUN 29 JULY

P A G E 7 V O L U N T E E R T R I B U N E

Our Facebook site is working well. In the last 6

months the below statistics reveal a continued

modest reach and postings number.

Facebook Av. Posting Reach: 93

Posting Reach Max: 312 Min: 1

Average Clicks/Actions per post: 7

Click/Actions Max: 37 Min: 1

Lifetime Likes increased by 39 from 237 -> 276

VITAL STATISTICS From the second half of 2017, we can report

that the following statistics came from the use

of forms on the FNQ Volunteers website:

Contact Us: 18

Job Active Referral: 10

Membership Expression of Interest: 1

Volunteer Expression of Interest: 85

Online Position Description Form: 5

Newsletter Additions: 28

FACEBOOK STATISTICS

453

If any Members wish to use an

upcoming event to market their

volunteer requirements, please

contact reception@fnqvolunteers.org

ATTN SANDRA with details and most

importantly promotional material.

We celebrate

Volunteering

everyday in

FNQ!

Final Interview Total for 2017...

One of the main reasons for low numbers of Interviews conducted for the second half of

2017 was the move away from the city centre. 377 Mulgrave Road does not have the

pedestrian traffic flow that 68 Abbott Street had, mainly in the form of tourists and walk-ins.

We previously received a lot of traffic from the city library and Job Agencies in town and

people who simply wanted to volunteer; and this is also reflected in the number of walk-ins.

Criteria First Half of Second Half of Total for 2017

Occasions (Dates) interviews conducted 113 117 290

Interviews Conducted 290 163 453

Interview No-Shows (not included in above figures) 28 25 53

Online Individual Expressions of Interest 188 171 359

Walk-ins converted to appointments 48 18 66

Community Interaction Opportunities 7 8 15

No of Staff Hours Volunteered 2193 1651 3844

P A G E 8 V O L U N T E E R T R I B U N E

A small but stylish Christmas

lunch was celebrated at

Dundees on the Waterfront

on Wed 6th Dec ‘17.

Volunteers received Secret

Santa gifts from each other,

followed by Certificates of

Appreciation. The mains

and desserts were

scrumptious. Everyone had

a jolly good time!

Camera phones got a good

workout.

P A G E 9 V O L U N T E E R T R I B U N E

P A G E 1 0

Address: Shop D 377 Mulgrave Road Bungalow Cairns Old 4870

FNQ Volunteers Inc. wishes to express thanks to the Australian Government’s Department of Social Services

We’re on Facebook: FNQ Volunteers Inc.

Phone: (07) 4041 7400 Fax: No longer available E-mail: info@fnqvolunteers.org Website: fnqvolunteers.org.au Mobile: m.fnqvolunteers.org.au

V O L U N T E E R T R I B U N E

Want Your Event listed in our newsletter? Email us...

info@fnqvolunteers.org… Attn: Newsletter

STAFF ANTICS & ANTIQUES

We wish to acknowledge in this final newsletter for 2017 the fantastic creative work done by our

receptionist Sandra, who alongside her reception duties organises events, decorates the office for

special occasions providing a link with external Member events in the Cairns community. Sandra has

been responsible for much of the photo-taking this year. She did a wonderful job this year with the

Christmas Lunch, even donning the “hat and hair tails” to play Mrs Sandy Claus. Thank-you Sandra !

ABN: 28 719 411 457