I have selected the Integrated Humanitarian Strategy Services ( IHSS ) Volunteer Development Officer at AMES. (Sherry Cuthbert).
The IHSS volunteer service provides support to refugees and humanitarian entrants.
The role includes:
recruitment of IHSS volunteers
training of the IHSS volunteers in relation to their volunteer position description
support and Monitoring
recognition of their service
strategies for Volunteer retention
Support to staff who require the service of volunteers
development of IHSS Volunteer Service policy and procedures

The IHSS volunteer Development Officer reports to the IHSS Manager. These is also a supervision component of three other regional IHSS Volunteer Coordinators.
The role also includes relationship development between staff and volunteers, identifying further volunteer opportunities for client support.
Volunteer Development contains elements of Human Resource Management and Risk Management. Legislative requirements, Occupational Health and Safety in particular contribute to policy and procedures.

Volunteer Management parallels Human Resource Management. The procedures for volunteer management are much the same as the procedures for staff management. The difference being that volunteers receive no salary.

As part of the intake process for volunteers, there is a volunteer position description, a police check and referee check.
Training commences upon the clearance of both the referee and police check. Volunteers may select to opt out at any point and all individuals are not suitable to be IHSS volunteers.
Volunteer activities are monitored by staff and the volunteer coordinators. There is a feedback process, which aims to support and guide the volunteers when there are fulfilling their volunteer role.
Opportunities for debriefing are offered and training is throughout the year.

To retain a volunteer a volunteer coordinator must understand what the volunteer hopes to gain from their volunteering experience, as this is the motivator to retain the volunteer.

As a new arrival in Australia, my family was guided by the IHSS case coordinator. I noticed that there were people who would give their time for free to help others. I wondered why people would do something for no pay. I also became a volunteer to help new arrivals settle into their new community. I was interested to know what the role of the volunteer coordinator was , as it was one that I had not seen before.
I learn from that who to get good relationship with different people from different culture and also create nature of experience as Mao Zedong said that “If you want knowledge, you must take part in the practice of changing reality. If you want to know the taste of a pear, you must change the pear by eating it yourself. Day by day following successful senior, experienced people tracks and accumulative experience will increase trust of us to achieve our objectives.


For information:
Sherry Cuthbert
IHSS Volunteer Development Officer
cathbertS@ames.net.au

Mobile: 0401 776 586