NEWS

29 March, 2004 INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION STRENGTHENS ITS NATIONAL SOCIETIES VOLUNTEERING PROGRAMME The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies recently launched the "Volunteer 2005" plan, aimed at strengthening volunteer activities of its National Societies. The plan aims to "provide a framework within which National Societies can develop and exchange knowledge on volunteering and volunteer management". From: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies   29 March, 2004 UK NEWSPAPER TO AWARD SMALL CHARITIES The Guardian, a United Kingdom-based daily newspaper, is giving out the Guardian Charity Awards to small and medium charity organizations in recognition of their outstanding contribution to communities. The contest is open to UK-based charities with an income of more than £5,000 but less than £1m. From: The Guardian   27 March, 2004 PROGRAMA DE MUTIRãO MOBILIZA VOLUNTáRIOS E POPULAçãO DO PITIMBU A questão ambiental e o comprometimento dos recursos hídricos são pautas atuais de discussões ante a proliferação do crescimento urbano e da conseqüente contaminação das reservas de água potável. Pensando nisso, o Natal Voluntários estará promovendo, neste 20 de março, o 2º Mutirão do Programa TEMPO, alertando a sociedade para a problemática ambiental do Vale do Pitimbu, que compreende o Conjunto Habitacional Cidade Satélite, o Rio Pitimbu e a Avenida dos Caiapós, através do plantio de mudas e da conscientização ambiental. From: Natal Voluntários   24 March, 2004 VOLUNTEER PEDALING THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS IN VIET NAM Departing from Ha Noi on the International Volunteer Day, 5 December 2003, Dung, a young bike enthusiast, arrived in Ho Chi Minh City recently, disseminating the United Nations' message about poverty reduction to young people across Viet Nam. From: United Nations Volunteers programme, Viet Nam   23 March, 2004 SCOTLAND VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE A new website, www.volunteernorthlanarkshire, containing volunteering information for local volunteers and volunteer-involving organizations, was launched by the Volunteer Centre North Lanarkshire (VCNL), Scotland. From: Volunteer Centre North Lanarkshire   23 March, 2004 ONLINE SURVEY OF VOLUNTEER COORDINATORS ON DISABILITY ISSUES The Journal of Volunteer Administration is collaborating with the University of North Carolina at Greensboro to conduct a study exploring the perceptions of volunteer administrators about volunteers with disabilities. From: Association for Volunteer Administration   22 March, 2004 BOTSWANA PRESIDENT MOGAE WELCOMES CIVIL SOCIETY FROM AROUND THE WORLD Botswana President Festus Mogae welcomed hundreds of civil society practitioners, researchers, activists, business leaders and government representatives from around the world to the CIVICUS fifth World Assembly in Gaborone, the first in a series of biennial world assemblies to be held in Africa. From: CIVICUS   19 March, 2004 VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT TO MADRID BLAST VICTIMS Ever since 11 March, when a series of devastating rush-hour bomb attacks against Madrid commuters left 200 people dead and over 1,400 injured, 900 volunteers mobilized by the Spanish Red Cross (CRE) have been fulfilling a range of tasks, including medical care, psychological support and answering calls at a tracing centre. From: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies   17 March, 2004 NAMIBIAN RED CROSS ACTIVIST JOINS GLOBAL FUND BOARD Committed advocate on HIV/AIDS issues and a Red Cross leader in southern Africa, Razia Essack-Kauaria has joined the board of the Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS, tubercolosis (TB) and malaria. She will represent non-governmental organizations from developing countries for one year. From: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies   16 March, 2004 LULA CONCLAMA O POVO BRASILEIRO A PARTICIPAR DO DIA GLOBAL DO VOLUNTARIADO JOVEM NO BRASIL Pelo segundo ano consecutivo, nomeado como Agência Nacional de Coordenação do Dia Global do Voluntariado Jovem no Brasil, o Natal Voluntários apresentará no lançamento do evento a Mensagem recebida do Presidente Lula. From: Natal Voluntários   15 March, 2004 SINGAPOREAN CAB DRIVERS VOLUNTEER TO FERRY DISABLED ATHLETES Some 200 cab drivers in Singapore have volunteered to take disabled athletes to their training centres for free. The cab company, CityCare, is sponsoring S$20,000 of these rides. From: Channel News Asia   11 March, 2004 VOLUNTEERS RUSH IN TO HELP MADRID BLAST VICTIMS The Spanish Red Cross or Cruz Roja Española (CRE) has mobilized more than 300 volunteers, including 70 psychological support experts, in Madrid to offer assistance to the injured and bereaved in explosions in the city. At least 173 people have died and some 900 have been wounded in a series of morning rush-hour explosions at the city's three different railway stations today. From: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies   10 March, 2004 CALLING VOLUNTEER MANAGERS TO REVIEW US STUDY Susan Ellis, author and founder of Energize, Inc., an international training, consulting and publishing firm specializing in volunteerism, is urging volunteer managers to review the recent study on volunteer management in the United States. From: Energize, Inc.   10 March, 2004 SINGAPORE'S NEW SALT Singapore joins the international volunteer publishing scene with the new bi-monthly journal SALT for volunteers, donors and non-profits. Produced by the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre, it is distributed free to CEOs, senior managers, grant makers, philanthropists, corporate givers and active members of Singapore's considerable volunteer force. From: National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre   9 March, 2004 NEW SCHEME INVOLVES COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS TO PROTECT FORESTS IN INDIA Over the past few years, a new dimension has been added to forest conservation and management in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu under a pioneering handholding project between the government, corporates, and communities dwelling on the forest fringes. From: The Energy & Resources Institute   8 March, 2004 ONLINE SURVEY FOR CANADA'S VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS The Voluntary Sector Forum is inviting Canada-based volunteer-involving and non-profit organizations to complete a brief online survey to gather examples of how they are using the "Accord between the Government of Canada and the Voluntary Sector", the "Code of Good Practice on Policy Dialogue" and the "Code of Good Practice on Funding". From: Voluntary Sector Forum   8 March, 2004 STUDY SAYS US NON-PROFITS NEED MILLIONS OF VOLUNTEERS A recent study on volunteer management revealed that non-profit organizations need as many as 5.9 million volunteers to deliver their services in the United States. "Volunteer Management Capacity", the first national study that tackled the non-profit sector's volunteer management issues, showed that nine out of 10 organizations are ready to take on more volunteers. From: VolunteerMatch   5 March, 2004 VOLUNTEERING TO DELIVER REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH INFORMATION IN CAMBODIA Som Set has been helping women deliver their babies at home as a Traditional Birth Attendant for more than 20 years. But now she has an additional role in her community in Siem Reap province. As a reproductive health volunteer outreach worker, she provides women with information that can help them exercise their reproductive rights and choices. From: UN Cambodia   3 March, 2004 VOLUNTEER 'DAUGHTERS' BRING HOPE TO THE ELDERLY IN CHINA It's barely six on Sunday morning, the sky is still dark outside and the February wind is chilly. Yet Ma Jing, a volunteer living in the northwest hills area of Chang Ping District, Beijing, is already on her way to catch a bus to see Chen Da Ye (Da Ye means an elder man), and Wang Da Ma (Da Ma means an elder woman), at Tian Le Retirement Home. From: New Path Foundation   3 March, 2004 VOLUNTEER AWARENESS WEEK IN NEW ZEALAND From birth to death - through baby care, play centre, kindergarten, school, sport, hobbies, health and welfare, parks and reserves, museums and galleries - volunteers impact on our lives. Across New Zealand, Volunteer Awareness Week will be celebrated from 7 March until 13 March, an opportunity to acknowledge the contribution volunteers make to communities and lives. From: Volunteering New Zealand