There are suggestions that the Volunteering Australia conference set to operate in a few weeks has failed to meet target. It is been suggested that there are about 300 attendees compared to 600 last year. True, there may be a rush of last minute attendees but numbers do appear down.
No doubt the very recent change of date and venue, which I have previously blogged about may be a factor. Listening to people, across Australia I am hearing a range of reasons why numbers are down:
No doubt the very recent change of date and venue, which I have previously blogged about may be a factor. Listening to people, across Australia I am hearing a range of reasons why numbers are down:
- The price of close to $950 for a volunteer conference is very high. The mutterings about the cost have now risen to a crescendo. Add to the cost, accommodation which is not included ($250 to $450 depending on how you organise it), airfares $200 to $500, meals (up to $150), transfers etc etc and you are looking at over $2000. By contrast, you could have flown to New Zealand, paid for accommodation, attended the NZ conference, eaten well and spent half of that
- The economy is making not for profits extra careful
- The lack of significant or sufficient quality volunteer management workshops or plenaries
- The late addition of this conference into a crowded 2011 calendar
- What is perceived as the on going disconnect of Volunteering Australia from the rest of the volunteering world in Australia
- The poor decision to charge volunteer presenters full fee, even when they are presenting, stopped some from submitting papers
One wants the peak body to succeed and do well. These disappointing numbers at the conference reduce their income from the event and will impact negatively on their ability to provide support for volunteering across the country. Hopefully in reflecting and evaluating, some constructive changes will be made.
