2009 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Greatconnections’ 3rd Annual General Meeting and the Presentation of Certificates of Appreciation took place at Australian Unity House on Tuesday 12 May, coinciding with National Volunteer Week.
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Valued supporter, Jean Miller, with
volunteer, Melinda Teasdale and
former Greatconnections
Executive Officer, Polly Ifould |
Volunteer, Denis Westhorpe |
Cam Nguyen, CEO, Australian Vietnamese Women's Association, Ljubica Petrov, CEO, Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing, Cameron Glover, Lighthouse Foundation |
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Founding Patron and Chair of Greatconnections,
Lynne Landy |
Client Manager, Jenny Varcoe-Cocks, and Jeannette Large, Development Manager of Victorian Women's Housing Association |
Greatconnections Board Member, CEO of Berry Street and MC for the evening, Sandie de Wolf AM |
There was a very strong attendance by both long-standing and new members, and Founding Patron, Lynne Landy, announced continuing, steady growth in all areas: numbers of volunteer and not-for-profit organisation members, number of projects which have been listed, are in progress or completed.
Induction of New Members
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Jane Evans, volunteer since 2006, gives advice to inductees |
Cynthia Edgell, volunteer, chats with newcomer, Katja Rembrandt |
New volunteer, Jasper Coghlan, with Client Manager, Fay Gilbert |
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Agnes Cusack of New Australia Media with Rosie Downey, Greatconnections |
CEO of Carers Victoria, Maria Bohan, addresses inductees |
New CEO of Western Chances, Rhyll Dorrington, with volunteer, Melinda Teasdale |
On 12 May, coinciding with National Volunteer Week, 14 new members attended an Induction at Greatconnections in South Melbourne. The room buzzed with a most impressive array of talent and skills from a diversity of backgrounds and some of the volunteers found themselves being signed up for projects within minutes of introducing themselves.
Lynne Landy welcomed the newcomers, CEO of Carers Victoria, Maria Bohan, gave a not-for-profit organisation’s perspective on having volunteers, while seasoned Strategic Planning Facilitator, Jane Evans, provided tips and advice from a volunteer’s viewpoint.
The processes and expectations of Greatconnections’ Client Management system were explained by Fay Gilbert, one of our four Client Managers, and each of those present gave an outline of their background and experience, or organisation.
It’s a real pleasure to welcome on board some very interesting and laudable new not-for-profit organizations including: Phunktional, Villa Alba Museum, New Australia Media, Industrial Deaths Support and Advocacy, Camcare, bestchance and Footscray Rental Housing Cooperative.
"It's a win-win situation ..."
Founding Patron, Lynne Landy, was interviewed recently by Melbourne Weekly Magazine.
The article seems to have hit the right target as it has generated a lot of interest from both not-for-profit organisations and potential volunteers.
Not-For-Profit CEO Explains How It Works
John Devine is CEO of Anchor Inc., an organization which provides a range of homeless support services to clients in the Lilydale area, along with a foster care program based in Knox. Following recent experience with Greatconnections volunteers, he wrote as follows:
“.. I have met once this week with both Peter (Mentor) and Sue (Marketing) and twice now with Bryan (Business Planning).
Already several things stand out for me:
- They are all obviously experienced, qualified and passionate about what they do
- While each is distinctly individual I was struck by all three making clear at the beginning they wanted to know if it was not working for me / Anchor. Their ethics are clear.
- They all have a sense of humour …
- I felt very comfortable very quickly and am hugely excited by what they offer both myself and my agency.
So far:
- Sue has agreed to meet with our re-invigorated Marketing and Communication Committee at its next meeting to commence the development of a Marketing Plan
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Peter and I have developed a series of goals for me prior to our next get together
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Bryan has already assisted me in developing a Business Plan Outline which we will be working on over the next six months.
I would share that the advent of them all together both excites and daunts me as I do not want to let slip any opportunity to learn from the three of them (as well as the work it will mean).
At this stage all I can do is echo Lynne Landy’s comment that “the Greatconnections model works.”
Ethnic Organisations Get Connected
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Above: Dr Irene Bouzo from the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria and Agnieszka Michalewicz from the Australian Polish Community Services |
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Late last year, the CEO of Australian Polish Community Services,
Elizabeth Drozd, convened a lively meeting of Melbourne's ethnic
community organisations to share with them the benefits of
Greatconnections membership.
Thanks to Elizabeth's great enthusiasm for our services, we are delighted to welcome new members, Spectrum Migrant Resource Centre, Victorian Immigrant and Refugee Women's Coalition, Australian Croatian Community Services and Macedonian Community Welfare Association.
Greatconnections Board Member, Sandie de Wolf AM, honoured in Australia Day Honours List
Greatconnections Board Member, Sandie de Wolf, was recognised in the 2009 Australia Day honours list for her untiring service to child and family welfare, particularly as a contributor to policy development and service-delivery issues affecting families, and through Berry Street Victoria. We are very fortunate to have Sandie on our Board and extend to her our warm congratulations.
GREATCONNECTIONS VOLUNTEERS RECORD BUMPER YEAR!
At Greatconnections' End of Year Celebration, Founding Patron and Chair,
Lynne Landy, proudly announced record results for 2008. Now
boasting more than 75 not-for-profit organisations, over 170
volunteers, and a steadily climbing number of projects,
Greatconnections is gearing up for a period of even greater expansion
in 2009.
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Founding Patron and Chair of
Greatconnections, Lynne Landy,
announces 2008 results |
Chairman of Major Sponsor, Australian Unity,
Alan Castleman, with Greatconnections
Client Relationship Manager, Jenny Varcoe-Cocks |
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Volunteer, David Ford CVO AM GM
& Tim Webber with Greatconnections
Board Member, Des Bethke OAM |
Chair of Fitted for Work, Dr Sharon Winocur,
Volunteer, Valerie Bennetto and
Cam Nguyen, Founder and CEO of the
AustralianVietnamese Women's Association |
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Volunteer, Chris Perera, Michael Laffy and
Sue Barton AM, Founder of
Lighthouse Foundation
and volunteer, Ryk Bliszczyk |
Manager, Volunteer Services for MS Society of Vic NSW, Clare Doyle, CEO of Carers Victoria, Maria Bohen, Volunteer, Tim Rintoul and Greatconnections Board Member, Rosi Lever (in background, Judy MacLean, Board Member of Doveton Neighbourhood Learning Centre) |
The highly professional skills of our talented and experienced volunteers have produced:
Some
have become Board Members, others have acted as Mentors - and their
efforts make a significant contribution to the non-profit sector and,
in turn, their clients.
Former Journalist Joins Board
Our major sponsor, Australian Unity, has nominated Kimina Lyall as their representative on the Board of Greatconnections.
Kimina is currently Group Executive for Corporate Development at Australian Unity
and is responsible for group strategy, public affairs, corporate
communications, group marketing, sponsorships and community engagement. With this
portfolio of responsibilities, Kimina will be a tremendous asset to the
Board of Greatconnections, as well as being well placed to volunteer in
the not-for-profit sector upon her retirement!
Before joining Australian Unity,
Kimina spent almost 15 years as a journalist, including a period as
Southeast Asia correspondent for The Australian. Her experiences during
that posting led to the publication of her gripping first book, Out of the Blue - Facing the Tsunami. She is now a member of the not for profit Dart Foundation, which aims to support journalists who are exposed to trauma through their work.
New Client Relationship Manager appointed
 Lynne Wenig has joined Fay Gilbert, Anne Strong and Jenny Varcoe-Cocks as a Greatconnections Client Relationship Manager.
Having been immediate Past President of major disability charity, Scope, and a member of several health and other boards, Lynne is well-qualified for this client management role.
Lynne
also has experience in local government, utilities, tertiary education
and discipline hearings, and she is a professional mentor.
In
the short time since she has been a Client Relationship Manager, Lynne
has enlisted a number of her friends and colleagues to
join Greatconnections as volunteers and has already matched quite a
number of volunteers to work on projects for non-profit member
organisations.
ABC's Jon Faine Interviews Founding Patron, Lynne Landy
Click here to read the transcript of Lynne's Interview
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