2024 Volunteer Managers Conference

Thursday September 19 and Friday 20 September

Chris O’Brien Lifehouse Education Room
119-143 Missenden Rd, Camperdown NSW 2050

Being a part of NSW Network of Managers of Palliative Care Volunteers is a really valuable way to connect with peers. In addition to our quarterly meetings, every second year we offer an intensive professional development opportunity In the form of a mini-conference.

This year, having taken on board feedback from the last conference and input from members, we have put together a programme we are confident will have something for everyone.

Network members made it clear that for this conference they want less lectures and presenters and more collaboration and brainstorming. We already have within our group our wealth of knowledge, experience and ideas. So let’s mix it up a bit. Let’s share what we know and build on our information base together. With fresh eyes and ears on topics we will be both supporting newer managers and energising more experienced managers.

When asked what topics would be of most value to include in the conference the top two were volunteer recruitment and volunteer training so we are hosting 90 minute sessions on each of these topics. Other areas of interest identified by you were Management skills, boundaries, and debriefing; Volunteer retention and engagement; and Legal issues, policy, and risk around volunteering. We will have time to explore these during the Hot Topics sessions.

This conference is designed to be an informative and collaborative enterprise. We encourage you to come armed with your own examples, resources, ideas, questions, and answers to share and discuss. Let’s work together to find solutions and create best practise.

We really hope as many of you as possible will be able to attend and make the most out of this opportunity. We have strength in numbers. Our theme is EXCHANGE, REFRESH, RENEW, INNOVATE.

VENUE

A big thank you to Karen Heath, Volunteer Manager at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, who has kindly offered us use of their excellent education room for our conference. There is limited paid parking nearby but we suggest getting public transport if you can.

Get directions here.

To help you get there a free shuttle bus is available upon request to and from Central train station. The bus leaves Chris O’Brien Lifehouse on the hour, leaves Central Station on the half hour, from 8am to 3pm.

RURAL AND REGIONAL SPONSORSHIP: For volunteer managers living in NSW but outside of the Sydney metropolitan area we are pleased to announce Palliative Care NSW will be opening applications for sponsorship to attend. This sponsorship will cover accommodation at the nearby Rydges Camperdown but not conference registration. There are a number of free rooms available which will be awarded on a needs basis. Please throw your hat into the ring for a chance at this wonderful opportunity.

Please use this application form to apply. Fill it in and return it by email to Kate Bowman by 7 August.

VolMgr Conf Sponsorship Application Form

CONFERENCE PROGRAM

Sharon Walsh, Director, Volunteer Services, Bendigo Health will be our special guest on Day One. Sharon is facilitating our recruitment session but will stay with us to share her knowledge and insights outside of this timeslot. 

Sharon leads Volunteer Services for Bendigo Health and is the Founder/Chair of the Leaders of Health Volunteer Engagement (LOHVE) Network and the driving force behind their annual Benchmark aimed at understanding health volunteer programs. Sharon is also currently the Project Lead for the Loddon Mallee Health Network (LMHN) Volunteer Strategy which was developed to help shape the future of volunteering for all 16 public health services within the Loddon Mallee.

For Sharon, “volunteering is a health matter” both by way of service to health organisations, the impact this has on the health experience and communities, and the health and wellbeing benefits gained by volunteers themselves.

Sharon has presented, locally, nationally and internationally, twice for the International Association of Volunteer Engagement (IAVE), and more recently, sharing her experience with 46 hospitals for the Hong Kong Hospital Authority. Sharon was humbled to be invited to participate as a member of the Victorian Volunteer Strategy Taskforce and the National Strategy for Volunteering Core Design Team.

ACCOMMODATION

Rydges Camperdown is where most of us will be staying for the conference. Accommodation is included with some registration types (see below for more details). 

You may wish to book your accommodation with the hotel directly. They have offered us a special price of $195 per room per night for any number of nights from 18 – 22 September.  Please click here to book.

If you wish your service to be sent an invoice for payment of your accommodation inclusive to your conference registration fee, please be sure to choose Full Registration or Total Registration options. See below for more information.

REGISTRATION

Registration will be via Humanitix. You can pay with credit card or be invoiced to your service. There are four registration types available:

Standard registration $250: Includes two day conference plus group dinner on Thursday night at Rydges Camperdown.

Full registration $445: Includes two day conference, group dinner, and accommodation on Thursday night at Rydges Camperdown.

Total registration $640: Includes two day conference, group dinner, accommodation on Thursday night at Rydges Camperdown plus one other night of your choosing.

Day registration $100: Includes one conference day of your choice.

Dinner ticket only $60: Only coming for one day, or can’t make it to the conference at all but still want to network with your fellow members, or bringing your partner? You can buy a two-course dinner ticket separately. **Please note one dinner ticket is included in every Standard, Full, and Total Registrations.**

Registrations are now closed. Please contact Kate Bowman directly for more information.