Olympic Pity Party

Australia is having a bit of a Pity Party at the moment. Out of the 61 countries that have won medals, Australia is in the 24th place with 20 medals (one Gold, 12 silver and seven bronze).

This is unusual for Australia who are used to much greater wins.

For example, Australia won a total of 14 gold, 15 silver and 17 bronze medals at the Beijing 2008 Games. In Athens, Australia got  17 gold, 17 silver and 16 bronze. And at the "home" games in Sydney in 2000, the hauls was 16 gold, 25 silver and 17 bronze.

What does one do when one is used to winning and life takes a different turn?

World Changer: Margaret Bell

Back in 1996, I was a very fledgling volunteer manager living in Sydney, Australia and the group that gave me much practical help and support were what were then called Volunteer Centre of NSW (later Volunteering NSW and now The Centre for Volunteering).

It was at this time, I met Margaret Bell, who had led that organisation for 13 years. I learnt a huge  amount from Margaret and her team who encouraged and supported me. Her achievements and contribution to volunteering were fairly amazing at a state, national and international level as well as at an individual level.

Margaret helped start the Australian Council for Volunteering (ACV) in 1993 which morphed into Volunteering Australia. Margaret was the first CEO of Volunteering Australia.


Margaret's work led to Match Point, Australia's first computerised volunteer matching software.

In the time I knew her, Margaret introduced me to IAVE, the International Association for Voluntary Effort which she was President of for many years.

It was under Margaret that the Universal V volunteer symbol was introduced. A symbol that was given to to Volunteering Australia and the International Association for Voluntary Effort (IAVE) to be used universally as a symbol of volunteering. Sadly, Volunteering Australia and the Australian volunteering bodies have now dropped the symbol which I think was a retrograde step in individual marketing.

After time as first CEO of Volunteering Australia, Margaret went onto Civicus and Chain Reaction, which she founded.

I caught up with Margaret at the Australian Volunteer conference at the Gold Coast in 2008 and I told her how much I had appreciated her support. It was at this Conference that she gave The inaugural Margaret Bell Spirit of Volunteering Address. This represented the start of a healing process as Margaret's time at Volunteering Australia ended in some messy politics and from my viewpoint some estrangement from the organisation. Now that process has reached a new level. Margaret Bell AM, first President and first CEO of Volunteering Australia is now the first patron of the organisation.

She says:  I am honoured to be asked to take on the position of Patron of Volunteering Australia. My passion for volunteering is still strong and I look forward to supporting Volunteering Australia in their great initiatives to advance volunteering in the Australian community.

Congratulations Margaret - and thank you.